TIFFIN SAMBAR
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • Toor dal – ¼ cup
  • Vegetable (potato,drumstick,carrot) - 1 no
  • Shallots – 10 nos
  • Green chilli – 2 nos
  • Tomato – 1 no
  • Tamarind – small gooseberry size
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
  • Jaggery – a small piece
  • Asafoetida – a generous pinch
  • Curry leaves – few
  • Cilantro – for garnishing
  • Ghee – 1 tsp
  • Salt as required
To roast and grind:
  • Channa dal – 1 tbsp
  • Coriander seeds – ¾ tbsp
  • Red chillies – 3 nos
  • Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp
  • Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
To temper:
  • Oil – 2 tsp
  • Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
  • Jeera – 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves – a sprig
Instructions
  1. Soak tamarind in water for half an hour and extract the juice. Add two cups of water to it and keep it aside.
  2. Soak toor dal for an hour. Wash the potato or drumstick and cut to desired pieces. Pressure cook the dal with a cup of water, turmeric powder, asaofetida, few drops of sesame oil and potato or drumstick for 4 whistles. When done, allow it to cool, peel off the skin and set aside. Mash the dal with the help of a ladle and set aside.
  3. Now heat a kadai or a pan with few drops of oil and roast the ingredients altogether given above, stirring constantly. When they turn light brown, add cumin seeds at last and give it a stir. Do not over roast it. Let it cool and blend to a powder.
  4. Heat oil in a sauce pan and temper the above ingredients. Add a pinch of asaofetida snd shallots. Sauté until the onion turns translucent. Add green chillies and tomato and sauté for a couple of minutes.
  5. Add the tamarind juice and bring it to boil. Add few curry leaves, cilantro, salt, turmeric powder and asafoetida. Again bring it to boil.
  6. Add the potato and cook for another couple of minutes.
  7. Sprinkle the sambar powder on top stirring constantly – Do not add sambar powder as a whole as it might form lumps.
  8. Add the cooked dal and stir well. Now you can add water according to your desired consistency. Add jaggery and garnish with curry leaves and cilantro. Switch off the flame. Enjoy it with hot idlis, dosas and ven pongal! 
Recipe by MyEdibleCravings at http://myediblecravings.com/tiffin-sambar/