Sambar

• Toor dal - 100g
• Onion - 1 small
• Garlic - 1 small clove (optional)
• Tomato - 1 small
• Drumstick - 1
• Turmeric Powder - 1/8 tsp
• Sambar powder - 2 tsp (optional)
• Roasted and ground coriander - 1 tsp (optional)
• Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Butter/Ghee - 1 tsp (optional)
• Tamarind - 1/2 goosebery size
• Warm water - 150ml
• Oil - 1 tblsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Dried Red Chilli - 1
• Curry leaves - 7-8
• Asafoetida powder - 1 pinch
• Chopped coriander leaves - 2-3 tsp (optional)
• Water - as required
• Salt - to taste

1. Rinse the dal and drain it.
2. ** Heat a pressure cooker pan on the stove.
3. ** Add dal, about 200ml of water, garlic and turmeric powder.
4. ** Cover and pressure cook. Switch off after two whistles and open when the pressure is gone.
5. Wash and soak the tamarind in warm water for few minutes. Squeeze out the tamarind pulp, strain and keep this tamarind juice aside.
6. Cut drumstick into 5-6 long pieces; Chop the onion, tomatoes and coriander leaves.
7. Heat a sepearate pan big enough to hold all the sambar.
8. Add about 200ml of water, salt and chilli powder.
9. Add onion, tomato and vegetables.
10. Cover and cook on a medium heat for about 10-12 minutes or pressure cook for 1 whistle. Switch off when the vegetables are cooked.
11. Add cooked dal to the pan of cooked vegetables.
12. Heat a small frying pan on a stove.
13. Add oil. Season with mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida powder and red chilli.
14. Add ground coriander, sambar powder and tamarind juice. Sambar powder and ground coriander adds a good flavour to the Sambar. So it tastes better to add atleast either one of Sambar powder or ground coriander. It will be really good if you could add both of them.
15. Let it boil for a minute and switch off the heat.
16. Pour this mixture to the pan of dal and vegetables.
17. Add butter/ghee and chopped coriander leaves. Add more water and salt if needed. Stir well.
18. Cover and cook for about 4-5 minutes.
19. Sambar is ready to be eaten.

1. Heat a 3-4 ltr saucepan on a high heat.
2. Add dal, about 800mlof water, garlic and half of turmeric powder to a 2 litre pan.
3. Once the water starts boiling, simmer the heat, cover and cook for about 35-40 minutes. Leave the lid ajar to stop the water overflowing.
4. Open the lid, stir few times and make sure there is enough water left for the dal to be cooked. If there is not enough water left, add more for the dal to be cooked.

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