There are Sambhars and Sambhars, but no two are alike. Each household has their own recipe of making it. An ingredient here or there totally changes the taste of the Sambhar. I simply loved this Sambhar which my dear friend Anita Nair had made and asked her for the recipe which she generously shared.
Ingredients:
1 cup Toovar Dal/ split pigeon peas pressure cooked and mashed
1 carrot chopped into one inch length pieces
4 small brinjals halved
1 potato quartered
1 drumstick cut into two inch sized pieces
7 tender Okra/ Lady’s finger
10 shallots/ small onions/ Sambhar onions
Salt
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp tamarind paste
To be roasted:
1 tsp oil
3 tsps coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
10 pepper corns
10 seeds of Fenugreek/ methi
3 tbsps grated coconut
10 Byadgi chillies
2 Guntur chillies
1 sprig curry leaves
2 shallots
A kidney bean sized piece of Hing/ asafoetida
A pinch of turmeric powder
For the tempering:
1 tbsp Ghee or oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
A pinch of Hing
2 sprigs curry leaves
Method:
Heat oil in a pan and roast the okra till it changes colour slightly. Remove and keep aside. Add in the shallots and roast them till they are translucent. Add the remaining vegetables and give a quick stir in the remaining oil. Drop the sauteed vegetables into the mashed Dal . Add two glasses of water, and a little salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook the vegetables till they are cooked but firm. Now heat the oil mentioned for roasting the dry ingredients. Drop in the Byadgi and Guntur chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, methi, pepper corns, hing and curry leaves. Roast for a couple of minutes till they change colour. Add the shallots and roast them for a few seconds. Finally add the turmeric powder and immediately switch off the gas. Roast the grated coconut separately till it turns to a nice golden brown. Grind all these roasted ingredients to a fine paste adding a little water. Tip this ground paste into the Dal- vegetable mixture. Check the salt and add the tamarind paste. Adjust consistency by adding water to make the Sambhar of pouring consistency. Bring to a boil and allow it to simmer for a few minutes to allow the flavours to infuse. Prepare the tempering. Heat ghee or oil in a pan. Drop in the mustard seeds and after they splutter add the Hing and curry leaves. Toss and drop the seasoning into the boiling Sambhar. Switch off, stir , cover and keep aside for ten minutes before serving.
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