Mixed Vegetable Sambar

Sambar is a staple dish in South Indian household and it's a part of South Indian meals. It is prepared almost everyday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is also used as a dip for snacks like vada. It is cooked with lentils and vegetables. It can be made of either one vegetable or a combination of vegetables. 

Sambar powder varies from one place to another. In some places people add cinnamon sticks with the lentils and spices whereas in the other region people add grated coconut etc. The preparation varies from place to place. The addition of vegetables and the sambar powder makes changes in taste. It is usually served with rice, idly, dosa and ven pongal. Here comes my method...

Ingredients:

Toor dal / Thuvaram Paruppu - 1 cup

Tomato - 1

Green Chilli - 6

Garlic - 5 pods

Shallots / Small Onion - 2

Asafoetida - a generous pinch

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Sambar powder - 2 or 3 tsp

Vegetables - 1 cup(carrot, beans, potato, drumstick, ladies finger, brinjal)

Big Onion - 1(small)

Tamarind - small marble sized

Salt - to taste

To grind:

Coconut - 2 tblspn

Cumin - 1/2 tsp

For Tempering:

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - a sprig

Small onion - 1

Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

Soak tamarind in warm water and extract its juice. Grind coconut and cumin into a coarse powder without adding water.

Pressure cook dal along with chopped tomato, slit green chilli, onion, garlic, asafoetida, turmeric and little water. Cook for 4 whistles. When the pressure is released mash it well.

Meanwhile, chop the vegetables and soak in clean water.

Add in chopped vegetables and little turmeric, salt and tamarind extract to the mashed dal.

When the vegetables gets cooked add ground coconut. Wait for 2mins.

Add in sambar powder and mix well. After 1 min add coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add in chopped onion and curry leaves. Pour the tempering over the sambar.

Serve hot with rice.

Note:

• You can add vegetables of your choice.

 Pictorial:

Take all your  ingredients

In a pressure cooker, combine together toor dal,green chilli,tomato,shallots,turmeric,asafoetida

Add 2 cups of water and cook until done

Grind coconut and cumin without adding water

Chop all the vegetables and keep aside

Mash the cooked dal

Add grated coconut to the dal

and tamarind extract

Add vegetables and enough water to cook

Add turmeric

and salt to taste

I forgot to add add potato, so added later

After 5 mins, add chopped onion. It will enhance its taste

Then add ladies finger. It also should be added after 5 mins.

When the vegetables are cooked add sambar powder

 Finally add coriander leaves and remove from flame. It gives nice aroma.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds

When mustard seeds begin to crackle, add chopped onion and curry leaves

Pour the tempering over the sambar

Its ready. Enjoy!