Hotel Sambar

Ingredients:


1 cup cooked redgram dal
1/2 cup cooked greengram dal
2 tsp oil
Salt to taste
Lemon sized ball of tamarind soaked in water
1 tsp jaggery
Finely chopped coriander leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 big onion-chopped
1 tomato-chopped
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
Few curry leaves

Masala powder-

3 tsp coriander seeds
3 tsp bengalgram dal
2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida
2-3 Red chillies
2 tsp rice

Method:

Roast the coriander seeds, bengalgram dal and fenugreek seeds in a drop of oil. Then roast the red chillies seperately. Cool and grind all the masala ingredients together.

Heat 1 tsp oil, add mustard seeds. When it splutters add curry leaves and then the onions. Fry for a minute and add tomatoes. When it becomes mushy, add the tamarind extract, turmeric powder, salt, red chilli powder and jaggery. Cook for 3-4 minutes and add the masala paste. Then add the cooked dals and more water as required. Cook for five minutes till the sambar is of the desired consistency and garnish with coriander leaves.

Tastes great with rice or South Indian breakfasts like idli, dosa, upma and pongal.