Ingredients:

• Tamarind – 3/4th a Lime size
• Salt -1 tsp
• Sambar powder- 1 tbsp
• Toovar dal- 3 tbsp
• Methi (vandhayam) – 1/2 tbsp
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Asafoetida – to taste
• Black gram dal – 1 tbsp
• Green chillies – 3
• Coconut – 4 to 5 tbsp (grated)
• Curd (preferably sour) – 1.25 cup
• Vegetables:
• Okra – 2 or 3 cut into 3 pieces
• white pumpkin – 6-7 pieces cut into medium size
• For Seasoning:
• Coconut oil – 1 tsp
• Mustard – 1/2 tsp
• Jeera – 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves
• Coriander leaves

Method:

1. Soak toovar dal in warm water for half an hour. Soak tamarind in 1.5 cup of water and extract the juice.
2. Boil tamarind juice with the vegetables till soft along with sambhar powder and salt (can also use vegetables like chow-chow or egg-plant chopped the same way).
3. Boil for a few minutes.
4. In the meantime, heat oil in a pan and fry methi and when it becomes brown, add asafoetida and black gram dal.
5. Add green chillies and saute for a few seconds.
6. Drain tuvar dal from the water and add to the green chillies. Fry for a few minutes till the water dries out.
7. Remove the contents from fire. Add grated coconut.
8. Grind to a paste.
9. Blend the curd and the rest of the ground mix and add to the boiling tamarind and vegetables.
10. Bring it to boil.
11. Garnish with fried mustard, jeera and fresh finely chopped coriander and curry leaves.
12. Best when served with steamed rice.

Recipe courtesy of Sudha Narayanan