Murungaikai Sambar Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup of Toor dal
• 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
• lemon sized Tamarind
• 2-3 drumsticks, cut into 3 inch pieces
• 2 tsp of Sambar Powder
• Salt to taste
• Oil
• 1/2 tsp of mustards
• 1/2 tsp of urad dal
• 2 pinches of Asafoetida
• 10-15 small sized pearl onions/chinna vengayam/ulli
• 3 green chillies slit lengthwise

Method:

• Soak tamarind in warm water.Extract the thick pulp.
• Pressure cook dal in enough water with turmeric powder.
• Heat oil in a deep pan. Splutter mustards and brown the urad dal.Add Asafoetida.Immediately add the onions and green chillies. Saute Continuously. Add the curry leaves.
• Add about 2 cups of water to the pan.when it boils add the drumstick pieces, close the pan with a lid and simmer till they are almost cooked.
• Add 1/2 tsp of salt and the tamarind extract and let it simmer for a few minutes.Now add the sambar powder,stirring slowly to avoid lumps.
• Open the cooker,strain the water on top,(keep this aside and add lastly to the sambar if too thick)and mash the dal well with the round end of a ladle.Add dal to the pan,letting it simmer for 10 more mins.
• Check salt and the consistency of the sambar,as it should not be too thick or too watery.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice.
• Drumsticks can be substituted by almost ANY veg of your choice.You can try with a combination of potatoes,carrots and beans go for drumsticks,brinjals,tomatoes and so on.Please make sure that the veg are chunky enough and not overcooked.