Sambhar made with powder

Steps

• 1

  Cook the dal in pressure cooker ( 1cup dal= 1 and 1/2 to 2 Cups water) and keep aside.

• 2

  Wash the vegetables and peel skin if needed. Slice or dice selected vegetables.

• 3

  ** selected vegetables for sambhar are radish, potato, drumsticks, carrots, pearl onions, red pumpkin/ squash, tomatoes for flavor

• 4

  In a thick bottom 1 quart pan pour 3 cups water and set on stove. When the water is warm, stir in the tamarind paste and mix well so that there are no lumps. Then add sambhar powder, turmeric, jaggery and salt. Stir well and check there are no lumps of the powder. When the tamarind mix begins to boil add the vegetables. Next add asafoetida and 1/2 a sprig of curry leaves. Give the mix a stir. Set the flame at medium heat.

• 5

  Occasionally stir the mix and include the masala on the sides to the mix. When the level of tamarind water reduces by at least 1/2 inch or until the liquid reduces from the original level and raw tamarind smell is gone.check if the vegetables are cooked- if not leave it to cook for few minutes. Take the cooked dal and smash it into a paste. Add the paste dal to the tamarind mix, and stir. Add the remaining curry leaves. Lower the flame. When the mixture begins to boil evenly, off the flame.

• 6

  In a seasoning ladle, add oil. Keep on medium flame. Add asafoetida when the oil becomes warm. As the hing powder ‘blooms’, add mustard seeds. When the seeds splutter, add fenugreek seeds and red chili broken in 2 halves. Give a slight stir. Off the flame and add the seasoning to the sambhar. Cover the sambhar with a lid half closed. Allow it to rest for around 15 minutes. Your sambhar is now ready ! Serve sambhar with hot basmati rice, or idli or dosa. Enjoy !!