Sambhar

Sambhar is the one among the most popular and main meal accompaniment in South Indian cooking. You can find more information on wikipedia. It is a kind of vegetable and lentil stew. I learnt making authentic sambhar recipe from my mother-in-law. I make once a week sambhar in my home. I make the less spicy version for kids by adding less sambhar powder while initially cooking. Then I take out kids portion after everything is cooked, and add more sambhar powder to make spicier version for S.  My mother in law (MIL) makes the sambhar powder at home, and I use the same for making the sambhar at home.  My MIL will boil the daal (lentil)  and the vegetables separately, however I cook everything together.

I am sending this recipe for My Legume Love Affair # 69 hosted this month by Cindystar. This event has been started by Susan of Well-Seasoned Cook, and supervised by Lisa at Lisa's Kitchen.

Ingredients
1 Cup Toor daal (If possible wash and soak an hour or so before cooking)
1 medium size cut onion
1 large tomato cubed in small pieces
1-½ cups mixed vegetables, cute into bite-size cubes (I use mix of beet-root, zuchhini, carrot, beans, summer squash, drumstick, brinjal or any other vegetable available in fridge)
2 Tablespoons oil
Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seed (methi)
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
Pinch of Asafoetida (hing)
Pinch of turmeric (haldi)
10-12 curry leaves
2 red chillies (optional if need more spicy)

2 tablespoons tamarind pulp  (I make the tamarind pulp and store it in fridge, else you can buy ready made from grocery store or make at home by soaking lemon size tamarind in hot water, and extract the pulp using strainer)
2 teaspoon salt (per taste)    
1-2 Tablespoon sambhar powder (depending on spice level

Method
Heat oil in pressure cooker. First add the seasoning. Add the mustard seeds, once the mustard seeds crackle, add the jeera, hing, curry leaves, methi seeds, and red chilli. Now, add the cut onion. Once the onion begins to brown, add the cut tomato. Add the turmeric and sambhar powder. Now fry these for 1-2 minutes, and add the cut vegetables. Add about 3-4 cups of water, salt per taste, and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles and then reduce the heat to minimum and slow cook for 5-10 minutes. Open the cooker once the steam is over, add the tamarind pulp, and let it boil for 3-4 minutes. Add water to adjust the consistency per taste. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve. This dish goes well with rice, dosa, idli, and serves 4-5 people.


Sambhar Powder Recipe (Source: Mother-in-law)
Please note I am lucky enough to get this powder from my mother in law, however you can easily buy it in Indian stores, or make per the recipe below.

• Red Chilli  4-5
• Coriander seeds (Dhania) 2 Tablespoon
• Astofeida (Hing) a pinch
• Fenugreek (Methi) seeds 1/4 teaspoon
• Black pepper 1 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds (Jeera) 1/2 teaspoon
• Mustard seeds 1/4 teaspoon

Low roast above ingredients. Let the mixture cool down to room temperature, and grind it to find powder. store in an airtight container. Above proportion can be used for making sambar 4-5 times.