Sambaar

Sambaar 

Ingredients 

1 cup carrots cut into 2” long peices

I cup bell pepper diced into 3” pieces 

2 tomatoes each cut into 4 pieces by length 

4 + 2 cups of water 

1.5 cup cooked toor dal 

1/2 cup tamarind paste

2 tsp turmeric powder 

3 tbsp sambar powder 

1/2 cup cilantro leaves chopped 

6-8 curry leaves 

Ingredients for tempering 

2 tbsp oil 

2 tsp mustard seeds 

4 dry red chilies, broken into halfs

2 tsp hing / asafoetida 

Ingredients for sambar powder 

1/2 cup chana dal ( split pea) 

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp dhania ( cilantro seeds) 

1 tbsp methi / fenugreek 

10-12 dry red chilies 

Procedure for making the powder 

Dry roast all the powder ingredients, except the fenugreek, until golden brown. Set aside to cool. Dry roast the fenugreek separately. Fenugreek browns very quickly. So roasting it with other things may lead to burning it. Once cooked, Grid all together. 

Procedure for making the Sambar 

Start making the sambar in a bowl that can hold atleast 10 cups of liquid. As we add ingredients the volume increases. In a large sauce pot boil the 4 cups of water, vegetable, turmeric and some salt. Meanwhile  in one cup of water, mix in the tamarind paste. Once the vegetables are half cooked, add the tamarind water. Mix in the cooked toor dal, sambar powder. If too thick add some more water.  let it boil for 6-8 minutes. Taste and salt if necessary. Turn the stove off. 

In a sauté pan, heat the oil, add the mustard seed. Once the splitter, add in the dry red chilies and hing. Stir well for 15 seconds. Mix this tempered oil to the sambar. 

Layer with cilantro and curry leaves. Close with a lid for about 10 minutes so the aromatics can do their job! 

Sambar is ready to eat, with Idli, rice or like I do - just like soup !!