Ingredients:

• For the sambar:
• 1 cup – tur dal, washed and soaked
• 3 cups – mixed vegetables of 1-inch size each (carrots, French beans, drumsticks, potatoes)
• salt to taste
• 1-1.5 inch – ball of black tamarind, seedless, soaked in 1 cup hot water
• 1/2 tsp – haldi/turmeric powder
• 1 tsp – Red Chilli powder
• 4 tbsp – `sambar` masala
• 1/2 tsp – hing/asafoetida
• 1 – chopped ripe Tomato
• 1/2 tsp – Mustard Seeds
• 1 sprig – Curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp – jeera/cumin seeds
• 2-3 – dry Red Chillies
• 1 tsp – coriander/dhaniya powder
• salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp – ghee/oil
• For the Peanut chutney:
• 1/2 cup – roasted Peanuts
• 1/2 cup – desiccated Coconut
• 1 – small Onion
• 1/4 tsp – peppercorns
• 1/4 tsp – jeera/cumin
• 1 small – Red Chilli
• 1/2 tsp – Mustard Seeds
• 2 sprigs – Curry leaves
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp – cooking oil

Method:

1. For the sambar: Boil the dal, mixed vegetables, and tomatoes after adding salt in a pressure cooker with just enough water to cover them.
2. Cook up to 1 whistle on high flame.
3. Open the cooker and reduce the flame to simmer.
4. Add half (each) of the turmeric, red-chilli powder, asafoetida, and sambar powder.
5. Strain the tamarind pulp into this mixture. Allow to simmer.
6. In a pan, heat the oil and add mustard seeds.
7. When they splutter, reduce the flame and add the curry leaves, cumin, and red chillies.
8. Then add the remaining half of all the powders and the coriander powder.
9. Keep stirring, and add a little water to prevent burning at the base. Fry for 15 seconds.
10. Add this to the simmering curry and let it cook for 5 minutes.
11. For the peanut chutney:
12. Grind the nuts, onions, coconut, cumin, and pepper to a paste with some water.
13. In a pan, heat oil and add the rest of the chutney ingredients; fry well for a minute on medium heat.
14. Add the ground paste, 2 tablespoons at a time, and fry well.
15. Add salt to taste (even a pinch of sugar).

Recipe courtesy of Mearl Fernandes