Sambar Recipe

Ingredients: 

1/2 lime sized Tamarind
1 cup Toor Dal
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tsp oil
Salt to taste
5 Dry red chilies
Curry Leaves
1 onion
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 large tomato
2 tsp sambar powder

coriander leaves
1 cup of a vegetable of your choice like green beans, chopped carrot

Method:

Soak the tamarind in 1 cup water for 20 minutes. 

In a heavy large pan. Wash and clean the dal. Boil 2 cups of water and add the dal, turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon of oil.

As the dal boils, skim off the foam and discard. Boil until the dal is soft and then mash it. If needed, add more water as it is boiling but do not let it get too watery.

In a separate pan, heat the remaining oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chilies, mustard seeds, fenugreek and curry leaves and sauté for 2 minutes.

Add the onion and brown lightly. Add the tamarind extract and let boil lightly until the onions are cooked.

Add this mixture to the dal with asafoetida, tomato, vegetable of choice and sambar powder.

Allow this to boil for 10 to 15 minutes and remove from the heat. Garnish with cilantro.