Sambhar

Sambhar is an south Indian lentil and vegetable stew, that is served with rice for lunch/ dinner or with Idli/ dosas at breakfast. I have tasted several different version of sambhar over the years ranging from sublime to utterly dismal. This version that I cook now a days is the result of trial and error over years and is now my go to recipe.

Ingredients:

• 200 gms red pumpkin (cut in small pieces)
• 10-12 gms runner beans (chopped)
• 1 carrot (chopped)
• 1 drumstick (chopped into 1.5 inch pieces, run a knife along the sides to get rid of the stringy skin)
• 3 brinjals (chopped)
• 1/2 cup masoor dal (usually toor dal is used, I prefer masoor dal)
• 2 cups tamarind water
• 2 tbsp Sambhar Powder (I used Brahmin’s, you can you any you like, you’ll find it in any Indian/ Srilankan shop)
• 1 tsp jaggery/ coconut sugar/ demerara sugar or plain white sugar will also do
• Tempering: 1 tsp mustard seeds, 2 dry red chillies, 1 garlic clove crushed and handful of curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp Asafoetida
• Salt to taste

Method:

Soak a lime sized ball of tamarind in boiling water and let it sit. Once soft you can squeeze to make tamarind water. Add some more water and continue to squeeze till you have extracted all the pulp. Discard the remaining skin, stringy bits and seeds.

Place the dal in a pressure cooker with some water, add asafoetida and salt. Cook for about 6-7 whistles. Keep aside.

Place the chopped vegetables in a pot, add water to just about cover them and bring to a boil and cook till about half done.

Add the cooked dal, tamarind water, salt and sambhar powder and let it cook for a further 10-15 minutes.

Add the jaggery/ sugar and mix well, continue to cook for another 5 minutes.

Heat the ghee/ oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds, once they have splattered, add the dry chillies, garlic and let it cook for 30 seconds. Next add the curry leaves and mix. Add this tempering to the sambhar and mix well.

Serve hot with rice, idlis or dosas.