How to Make Sambar
In the beginning, soak the tamarind in water. Soak 1 tablespoon of tamarind in ⅓ cup of hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
Once the tarmarind gets soft, simply squeeze out the water from the pulp & discard the strained tamarind. Set the pulp aside.
Rinse ½ cup tuvar dal (100 grams) a couple of times in water.
Drain all the water and add the dal in a 2 litre pressure cooker. Also add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder. Add 1.5 to 1.75 cups of water and mix.
Cover pressure cooker & cook dal for 7 to 8 whistles or 10 to 12 minutes on medium flame.
Add 1.5 to 1.75 cups of water and mix. together
Cover & pressure cook dal for 7 to 8 whistles or 10 to 12 minutes on a medium flame.
While dal is pressure cooking, chop the vegetables. Chop the vegetables that cook quickly in larger sizes (pumpkin & okra).
While dal is pressure cooking, chop the vegetables. Chop thevegetables that cook quickly in larger sizes (pumpkin & okra).
Chop the vegetables that take longer to cook in smaller size (carrots & potatoes). You will need 1 to 1.5 cup of chopped vegetables.
Place the 1 to 1.5 cups chopped vegetables in a pan or pot. Add 6 to 7 pearl onions or 1 small to medium onion , thickly sliced, & 1 small to medium tomato, quartered.
Sprinkle ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ¼ tsp kashmiri red chilli powder (optional) & salt as needed.
Add 1.5 to 2 cups water to the pot & stir. Cover the vegetables with the water, making sure they are fully covered.
Cook the vegetables on a medium to medium low flame. Cook until vegetables are done, but do not overcook them.
Add the tamirand pulp & mix well.
Next, add 1 to 1.5 tbsps sambar powder. You can also add ½ to 1 tsp of jaggery powder (optional).
Mix well.
Add the mashed dal to the mix.
Mix very well. If it is too thick, then you can add some water. This sambar can easily be made into a thinner consistency.
Simmer over medium flame until it comes to a boil. Stir often. Turn off the heat when you see a frothy layer.
In a small pan, heat gingelly oil (made from raw sesame seeds). Add ½ tsp of mustard seeds.
Allow the mustard seeds to crackle.
Next, add 1 to 2 dry red chillies (halved with seeds removed).
Immediately, add 10 to 12 curry leaves, 5 to 6 fenugreek seeds (methi seeds) & 2 pinches of asafoetida (hing).
Fry until the red chilies change color and curry leaves become crisp.
Immediately add the tempering mixture to the hot sambar.
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