Sambar Variation

This recipe is a Sambar variation. Served over steamed rice, it makes for a simple but filling meal.

Ingredients

Serves 5-6.

• For the Dhal
  • 1 cup of dry, split and hulled red lentils
  • 3 cups water
  • 1/2 tsp asafoetida (optional, helps with digestion)
  • 1/4 tsp salt

• Vegetables
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup cubed eggplant
  • 1/2 cup cubed potato
  • 1/2 cup cubed carrot
  • 1/2 cup cubed daikon
  • 1/2 cup green beans (optional)
  • 1/2 cup drumsticks (optional)
  • 1/2 cup cubed tomato

• Fat / Oil
  • 1/4 cup ghee, butter or vegetable oil

• Spices & herbs
  • 1 tsp black or brown mustard seed
  • 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2-3 pinches of fresh or dry curry leaves
  • 2-3 chopped fresh or dry chili peppers (choose variety suited to you palate)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1-2 tsp chopped garlic
  • 1-2 tsp chopped or grated ginger
  • 1/4 - 1 tsp hot chili powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp sambar masalar
  • 1/2 cup tamarind pulp or 1 Tbsp. concentrate
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Procedure

1. Bring the lentils with the water to a boil, reduce heat, add salt and asafoetida, and simmer until the lentils fall apart.
2. While the lentils are simmering, or before, prepare the vegetables and tamarind. To prepare the tamarind pulp, mix the tamarind mass with twice the amount of water, then work with a fork to remove pits; later strain the pulp into the sambar.

When the vegetables are prepared, and the lentils are getting ready, start cooking the sambar:

1. Heat the fat/oil.
2. Add the mustard seed, heat until they pop.
3. Add fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, chili peppers, salt. Fry 1-2 minutes.
4. Add onions, and fry until glazed.
5. Add garlic, ginger, eggplant, potato, carrot, daikon. Stir.
6. Move ingredients to side, add chili powder to oil at the bottom of pot, then stir all.
7. Add sambar masalar, stir.
8. Add 2 cups of water, bring to boil, then reduce heat, simmer 5-10 minutes.Add tomato, green beans, drumsticks, simmer 5-10 minutes.
9. Add coriander, dhal (cooked lentils with their liquid), tamarind. Simmer until vegetables are soft.

Serve hot over steamed rice.