Ingredients:

1 cup toor dal

3 cups water

1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

small lemon sized tamarind

1 cup shallots / small onions / cheriya ulli

3 green chillies, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 big / 2 medium tomato, chopped

2 tsp heaped + 1/2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder

3 tsp heaped coriander powder

1 tsp + 1/4 tsp asafoetida powder

1/4 tsp fenugreek powder

salt to taste

1 tsp jaggery, grated

1 tsp + 1 tbsp +1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

a pinch of fenugreek seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2-3 dry red chillies

1 sprig curry leaves

2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

Preparation:

1. Soak tamarind in 1 cup of hot water, extract its juice and keep it aside.
2. In a pressure cooker, cook the toor dal adding about 3 cups of water, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, salt and 1 tsp coconut oil till soft. Remove from heat and allow cooker to cool.
3. Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a pan and add green chillies, shallots and crushed garlic cloves and saute well.
4. Add tomato pieces and saute well.
5. Reduce the flame and add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp heaped kashmiri chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well.
6. Add tamarind water and mix well and allow to boil.
7. Add 1 tsp asafoetida powder and fenugreek powder and mix well.
8. Now add cooked dal along with gravy, mix well and boil well for 5-6 minutes.
9. Adjust the salt and add grated jaggery and mix well. Switch off the flame.
10. Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.
11. Add a pinch of fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chillies and curry leaves and fry.
12. Add 1/4 tsp asafoetida powder and 1/2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder and mix well.
13. Pour this tempering over the sambar and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve with rice / dosas or idlis….