Sambhar

alice Dave's Note:

This is an amazing authentic dish. Very easy to make. I got this recipe once again from my cooking guru, Rupali. Everything she touches turns to gold, and this recipe is certainly gold. After the amazing flavor, the thing I love most about her recipe is that it's so easy to make. Very quick. All of these ingredients are available at any indian grocery store.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 2 cups toor dal
• 8 ounces vegetable drumsticks
• 1 medium onion
• 1 large potato
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 medium tomato
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• sambhar masala (to taste)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened dried shredded coconut
• 3 tablespoons jaggery
• 1 inch ball wet tamarind pulp
• salt (to taste)
• 3 tablespoons ghee (purified butter)
• 1 teaspoon asafetida powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin seed
• 6 curry leaves
• 4 dried red chilies (whole)
• fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Chop all the vegetables finely. Drumsticks should be kept 2 inches long. Put veggies in a pressure cooker with the Toor dal and turmeric powder. Add enough water to cover the vegetables. Cook for about 20 minutes.
2. While this is cooking soak the Tamarind in warm water. With your hand, loosen the pulp in the water then remove the pods.
3. Open the pressure cooker and check the dal to make sure it is thoroughly cooked. Add about 2 heaping tablespoons of Sambhar masala. Also add the coconut, jaggery, tamarind water, and salt to taste. Stir.
4. Heat the ghee in a small pan, add asafetida powder and cumin seeds. Allow to splutter. Add the curry leaves, red chillies, cilantro, 1 teaspoons of sambhar powder. Add to mixture.
5. Add salt, extra Sambhar and jaggery as needed. Make sure the mixture is very soupy. Serve with Idli and coconut chutney. Yum!