SAMBAR
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3/4 c Toor Dhal
1/2 ts Ground Turmeric
3 tb Vegetable Oil
1 c Shallots -- peeled *
1 md Potato -- peeled & diced
1 Tomato -- diced
4 tb Tamarind Paste -- ** see
Note
1 1/2 ts Salt
2 tb Sambar Powder -- * see
Recipe
1/2 ts Whole Black Mustard
1/2 ts Cumin Seeds
1/2 ts Coriander Seeds
1 Red Dried Chillies --
Crushed
1/2 c Fresh Cilantro
** if you can get tamarind use it and soak a fistfull
in water for half hour and then squeeze the "juice"
out and discard the waste and use the juice in the
sambar.
Soak toor dhal in 4 cups water for one hour in a
heavy-based pot. During this time chop the onions (if
you use instead of shallots), potato and tomato (green
beans and carrots may also be added).
Add the turmeric powder to the soaking dhal and place
on stove. Bring to boil, lower heat to keep the dhal
simmering. Close pot and allow dhal to cook till
tender. Soaking dhal before cooking consideraby lowers
the cooking time which is about 30-45 minutes. Stir a
few time to keep dhal from sticking at the bottom.
While dhal is cooking lightly fry the onions or
shallots in 2.5 tab. vegetable oil. Do not allow the
onion/shallots to brown. When dhal has cooked add some
more water to bring the water level up to 4-5 cups
again (use your judgement here because I cannot be
more precise!). Now add the potatoes, tomato, sauted
onions/shallots, and any other vegetables to want to
put in. Next add the tamarind paste (or tamarind
"juice"), and sambar powder. Stir and bring to a
simmer. Cover and allow the cook until vegetables are
tender (about 15 minutes) and keep stirring
occassionally.
Heat the remaining 1/2 tab. oil and add the mustard,
cumin, coriander seeds and the crushed red chillie to
the hot oil. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop
stir the whole thing once and add to the cooking
sambar. Finally add the cilantro leaves and cook for
another 5 minutes and remove from stove.
The consistency should be like a thin soup and the
sambar powder should not appear like dirt sticking to
the veggies (you will see this happen initially). You
may also add some green chillies if you like to add
more "zip" to the sambar. If so add it with the rest
of the veggies.
(
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