Sambar Without Sambar Powder

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4-5) Toor dal/Split pigeon peas - 1 cup Pearl onions/Shallots - 1 cup (chopped) Carrot - 2 (Sliced) Baby corn - 2 (Sliced) Raddish - 2 (Sliced) Lady's finger - 2 (Chopped lengthwise) Avarakkai/Broad beans (Hyacinth beans) - 5 (Chopped into 2 inch sized pieces) Brinjal - 5 to 8 (Cubed) Garlic pods - 2 Coriander leaves - A handful Curry leaves - Few Tamarind - 1 inch sized ball Red chilli powder - 2 spoons Coriander powder - 3 spoons Turmeric powder - A pinch Asafoetida - 1/2 spoon Mustard - 1/2 spoon Cumin seeds - 1/2 spoon + 1/2 spoon Fenugreek seeds - 1 spoon Salt - As per taste Oil - 5 spoons PREPARATION METHOD Soak tamarind in water for 30 minutes, then extract tamarind water from it (remove the pulp and discard it). Set the tamarind water aside. Meanwhile do the other preparations. For preparation of dal, add the following in a pressure cooker and pressure cook for 10 minutes and set aside. (Cooked Dal - Preparation) 1. Toor dal - 1 cup 2. Water - 2 cups 3. Pearl onions/Shallots - 2 (peeled and whole) 4. Garlic pods - 2 (peeled and whole) 5. Turmeric powder - A pinch 6. Salt - As per taste (Add a spoon of oil to avoid over spilling through cooker nozzle) Now in a pressure cooker add oil, after it heats up add mustard seeds, and let it splutter, then add cumin seeds, onions, curry leaves, and coriander leaves and saute for a minute. Then add the dry powders such as red chilli powder, coriander powder, and stir for a minute. Now add all the chopped vegetables and salt and stir well. Add 2 cups of water or until the vegetables sink.

Close the cooker with a lid and pressure cook for 3-4 minutes after first whistle. After the vegetables gets cooked, remove cooker from flame and open the cooker lid after the pressure gets fully released. Then add the cooked dal and stir well. Place on flame again, add tamarind water. Check for salt content and add salt and water if necessary. Let it sit on flame for 2 minutes and then remove from flame. Serve! TIP 1: Add beans, potatoes and any other vegetable of your choice. Dumping a lot of vegetables makes it more healthy and yummy. TIP 2: Asafoetida is the basic secret for sambar without sambar powder. It gives the necessary aroma so add atleast 1/2 spoon for the above measurement. TIP 3: Add a piece of raw mango to enhance flavor and reduce the usage of tamarind.