Sambhar

Ingredients

• 1 cup (180 gms.) Yellow Lentils (Arhar or Toover Dal)
• 6 cups water OR 4-5 cups if using a pressure cooker
• 1 tbsp salt or to taste
• 1 tbsp sugar or molasses (jaggery)
• 3 tbsp sambhar masala  
• 3 tbsp thick tamarind pulp (about 20 gms dried) OR 1 tsp tamarind concentrate
• 2 tsps mustard (sarson)seeds
• 7-8  curry leaves (kadhi patta) or 1 tsp dried and powdered
• 2-3 whole dry red peppers (sabut lal mirch)
• 1 cup mixed vegetables, cut into approx.1" cubes
• 1 big onion, cut into quarters
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves (hara dhania) to garnish.

Preparation

• Pick, clean and wash the lentils. Add the water and cook with the salt, till absolutely

• tender, and no grains remain. (about half an hour without the pressure cooker, and approximately, 10 minutes in the pressure cooker.)

• Add the sambhar masala, sugar, vegetables and onions, and cook till the vegetables are

• Tender. Add the tamarind.

• Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the mustard seeds. When they begin to splutter, add the whole red peppers and the curry leaves.

• Turn around 2-3 times, add the lentil mixture and bring to a boil, and then simmer for about 5 minutes.

• Serve hot garnished with the coriander leaves.