Sambhar ( Thick Lentil Soup with Mixed Veggies )

The lentil used is split red gram (called kandi pappu in telugu,tur dal in hindi) and the veggies used are carrot,baby onions,tomato and capsicum.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup tur dal(split red gram,kandi pappu)-washed and boiled till soft or pressure cooked
• 1 chopped big tomato
• 5-6 baby onions (peeled)
• 1 big capsicum( chopped into 2″ pieces)
• 1 carrot (chopped into 2″ pieces)
• 3-4 slit green chillis
• 2 tsp sambhar pwd(MTR is a good brand)
• 1 tsp curry masala pwd (2 tbsp corainder seeds,1 tbsp channa dal,6-8 whole dry red chillis,1 tbsp poppy seeds and 2 tbsps coconut scrappings – dry roast and grind to a coarse pwd)-store the left over curry masala pwd
• 2 tbsp tamarind paste (or big lemon sized tamarind pulp soaked in warm water to remove the extract)
• 1/2 tsp grated jaggery or sugar(optional and not mentioned in Doc’s recipe)
• salt

For tempering/popu/tadka:

• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds (aavalu,ria)
• 10 curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds,menthulu)
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida (inguva,hing)
• 1 whole dry red chilli (deseed and tear into pieces)

Method:

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or cooking dish.Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
• Now add the fenugreek seeds,curry leaves,dry red chilli and asafoetida and fry for 10-15 seconds or till fenugreek seeds brown.Dont burn it.
• Now add all the veggies (baby onions,capsicums,carrots and tomatoes)and green chillis and stir fry for 3 minutes.

Now add the pressure cooked tur dal along with 2 cups of water and mix well till it blends with the veggies.Bring it to boil and let it cook for 7-8 minutes.
Now add the tamarind paste along with one cup of water and mix well.Cook till rawness of tamarind disappears.

Add salt, sambhar pwd and curry masala pwd and mix well.Let it cook for 10-12 minutes.
I like to add some jaggery or sugar.But its according to individual taste and optional.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and sambhar is ready.

Sambhar can be had as a steaming hot thick soup.Generally served with idlis/dosas/vadas and rice.Tonight we are having sambhar with idlis (steamed rice cakes).