Ingredients:
10-12 vendakka/ okra/ ladies finger
1 cup toor dal/ thuvaraparippu
15 shallots, sliced
2 garlic cloves
2 small tomatoes
small gooseberry size tamarind
1/4 tsp tutmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
2 dry red chillies
1 sprig curry leaves
a big pinch of asafoetida
salt to taste
1 1/2 tbsp oil
2-3 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
Preparation:
- Wash and cut the vendakka into pieces and keep it aside. Soak tamarind in little water, extract its juice and keep it aside.
- In a pressure cooker, cook the toor dal with 2-3 cups of water and turmeric powder till soft and mushy. Mash the cooked dal well using back side of ladle and keep it aside.
- Heat 2 tsp oil in a thick bottomed pan and add shallots and garlic and saute till the colour starts to change.
- Add the chopped tomatoes to this and saute well till soft.
- Add the vendakka pieces and salt and saute for a minute on medium flame.
- Then add the tamarind juice, chilli powder and coriander powder, mix well and cook till the raw smell disappears.
- Add a cup of water to this, mix well and cook covered till the vendakka turns soft. (Don’t overcook the vendakka).
- Then add the mashed toor dal and mix well. Add a cup or more water as required and bring to a boil.
- Heat oil in another pan and splutter mustard seeds. Then add the fenugreek seeds and fry them till light brown colour.
- Now add the cumin seeds, dry red chillies and curry leaves and fry. Switch off the flame and add asafoetida on that hot oil.
- Pour this tempering over the sambar and allow to boil once. Adjust the salt and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
- Switch off the flame and then serve with rice/ idli/ dosa.
Recipe Source: Lincy’s Cook Art
