Ingredients:

• Tur dhal – 1 cup
• Tamarind – A small ball, Lime size
• 1 cup – vegetable (pumpkin, chow-chow or drumstick)
• Coconut – 1 handful (grated)
• Onion – 1 (big)
• Tomato – 1 (big)
• Channa dal – 1 tbsp
• Red-chillies – 4-5
• Coriander-seeds – 1 tsp
• Fenugreek – 1 tsp
• Mustard, Cumin seeds – 1 tsp each
• Curry leaves – 1 string
• Turmeric powder(optional) – 1 pinch
• Hing powder
• Oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cut pumpkin / chow-chow and boil with salt and turmeric.
2. Cook Tur dhal and keep aside.
3. Take the extract from the tamarind.
4. In little oil – fry red chillies, channa dal, fenugreek, coriander seeds and little curry leaves.
5. When they turn brown, add the coconut and take off the fire.
6. Grind the above mixture to a smooth paste with water.
7. In a vessel – heat oil, then splutter mustard and cumin seeds.
8. Fry onions till golden followed by tomatoes till pulpy.
9. Pour tamarind extract with a pinch of turmeric powder.
10. Boil till the raw smell goes off.
11. Add the dal and vegetables.
12. When the mixture comes to boiling-point, add salt and the ground-paste.
13. When sambar becomes thick (after a boil) take off from fire.
14. Garnish with curry leaves and cut coriander leaves.
15. Serve hot with rice, chips or appalam

Recipe courtesy of Priya Ram