Karnataka brahmin sambhar

Ingredients :

• Tuvar dal -  1/4 cup
• Tomatoes - 2 [ chopped ]
• Tamarind paste - 1/2 tsp
• Chopped vegetables [ raw red pumpkin ] - 1/2 cup
• Jaggery - 1 tbsp [ powdered ]
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - as required

Roast and grind  for masala :

• Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
• Black gram [ urad dal ] - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Dry red chillies - 6 to 7
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Channa dal - 1 tbsp
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Greated fresh coconut - 1/2 cup
• Coconut oil - 2 tsp

[ for frying masala ingredients ]


Method :

In a pan add 1/2 tsp of oil & roast the ingredients except coconut & pottukadalai / fried gram till a fried aroma emanates.

Keep aside to cool to be ground later into a fine paste.

Meanwhile cook the tuvar dal with vegetable salt, tomatoes in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water or enough to cook the dal & vegetables. Add turmeric powder to this while cooking.

While the pressure cooker is on & the dal & vegetables are cooking, grind to a paste the roasted ingredients with coconut& the fried gram / pottukadalai to a smooth paste with little water & keep the ground paste aside.

Meanwhile in another vessel, extract the tamarind juice around 2 cups of little thin extract & add the jaggery piece to it & let it start boiling.

Within few minutes when the raw smell of tamarind disappears & jaggery ha completely melted in the liquid, add the pressure cooked dal & vegetables, add salt & let the whole mixture come to boil on medium flame.

Add the ground paste & stir again & keep to boil for few minutes. But do not boil too much after adding ground paste.

Prepare the seasoning for ready sambhar with coconut oil, splutter the mustard seeds, add the seasoning with red chillies & a pinch of asafoetida powder to sambhar.

Garnish with curry leaves & some chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Your tasty delicious udipi sambhar is ready to be served with idlis, sambhar or plain rice.