½cupdiced brinjals(baingan or eggplant) or about 3 to 4 medium brinjals
1/3 to ½cupchopped potatoesor 1 medium potato
1/3cupchopped carrotsor 1 medium carrot
1/3cupchopped french beansor 8 to 10 french beans, chopped
¼ to 1/3cupthickly sliced shallotsor small onions or sambhar onions
½cupdiced tomatoesor 1 medium tomato
¼teaspoonturmeric powder
1.5cupswaterfor cooking veggies
½ to 1teaspoonjaggeryor add as per taste
salt as required
for tamarind pulp
½tablespoontightly packed seedless tamarind
¼cuphot water
for sambar masala paste
1tablespooncoriander seeds
1teaspooncumin seeds
10 to 12methi seeds(fenugreek seeds)
5 to 6byadagi chiliesor any less hot dry red chilies - halved or broken and deseeded
8 to 10whole black peppers
¼cuptightly packed grated coconut
1 or 2garlic- chopped
½cupwater for grinding
for tempering
1teaspoonmustard seeds
4to 5garlic,crushed lightly with their peels on
1pinchasafoetida(hing)
1 to 2dry red chilies- halved or broken and deseeded
1sprig curry leavesor 8 to 10 curry leaves
2tablespoonoil
Instructions
preparing mangalore sambar masala
Heat a tawa or a small frying pan and dry roast the following spices on a low flame - 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 10 to 12 methi seeds, 5 to 6 byadagi chilies or any less hot dry red chilies (halved or broken and deseeded), 8 to 10 whole black peppers.
Roast these spices till they become fragrant.
Now add these spices in a grinder jar. Add 1 or 2 garlic (chopped) and ¼ cup tightly packed grated coconut.
Add ½ cup water and grind to a smooth paste. Add more water if required while grinding. Keep aside covered.
cooking lentils
Rinse tuvar dal a couple of times in water. The pressure cook tuvar dal with 1 cup of water for 4 to 5 whistles or till the lentils become mushy and soft.
Mash the dal and keep aside. You can also cook the dal in a pan. If cooking in a pan, then cover and cook till the lentils are done. Add more water if required.
preparing tamarind pulp
Soak ½ tbsp tightly packed seedless tamarind in ¼ cup hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
Later squeeze the pulp from the tamarind directly in the water. Strain and keep aside.
cooking veggies
Rinse, peel and dice all the veggies. Add them in a pan. I used a mix of brinjals, carrots, french beans, potatoes, tomatoes and pearl onions.
Now add 1.5 cups water. Add ¼ tsp turmeric powder and stir well. Cover the pan and cook the veggies on a low to medium flame.
Cook till the veggies become tender and are almost cooked. Now add the mashed dal and stir very well.
Then add the tamarind pulp. Add the ground paste. Mix and stir very well. Simmer for 8 to 9 minutes.
Season with salt as per taste. Add ½ to 1 tsp jaggery. Add the jaggery as per taste.
Continue to simmer for 7 to 8 minutes on a low to medium flame. Do stir at intervals. If the consistency looks thick, then you can add some more water. Once done then cover and keep aside.
tempering
Heat 2 tbsp oil. Then add 1 tsp mustard seeds and crackle them.
Next add 4 to 5 garlic, crushed lightly with their peels on. Stir and saute for some seconds.
Add a generous pinch of asafoetida (hing), 1 to 2 dry red chilies (halved or broken & deseeded), 1 sprig curry leaves.
Saute till the red chilies change color and the curry leaves become crisp. This takes just some seconds.
Then pour the whole tempering mixture on the mangalore style sambar. Cover for 5 minutes and let the tempering flavors infuse.
You can garnish with a few coriander leaves and serve mangalore sambar hot with steamed rice.