Sambhar

Finally blogging my Sambhar recipe. For all my friends who want to make Sambhar the Iyer way....

Ingredients:

For the Sambhar:

1. Tamarind - Enough to make a thick extract of half a cup. (Soak tamarind in warm water and extract the pulp by squeezing it. Throw away the fibre/skin which remains. )
2. Toor Dal - cooked and mashed - 1 cup ( 1/2 cup of dry Toor Dal will yield this)
3. Veggie of your choice - as much as you want ( typically this could be 3 radishes sliced or 3 drumsticks cut into pieces of 2-3 inches length or 10 lady's fingers chopped into 1 inch pieces or 3 -4 onions slit into long pieces or 2-3 brinjals or potates cut into wedges etc. You get it, right?)
4. Rock Salt - 1 tsp. or as per taste
5. Oil - 2-3 tsp. ( depending on the veggies to be cooked)

For the masala:

1. Red chillies - 3-4 or more if you want the Sambhar spicy.
2. Dhania seeds - a handful
3. Chana Dal - a handful
4. Solid Asafoetida - 1/2 inch piece
5. Curry leaves - 1 sprig (optional)
6. Grated coconut - a handful
7. Oil - 1 tsp.

Procedure:

1. In a kadai, heat 1 tsp. of oil and on low flame, roast the Chana Dal. Add the asafoetida piece. After a minue (when the Chana Dal is half roasted) , add the dhania seeds, red chillies and roast for a minute. The Dal should turn slightly reddish and Dhania should start giving out the aroma. Switch off the stove and add the curry leaves. Grind these together in a mixie with grated coconut and a little water to get a paste. This is the masala.
2. In a vessel, heat 2-3 tsp. of oil . Season with mustard and chopped curry leaves. Add the veggie of your choice and cook till the veggie becomes tender/half-cooked.
3. Add the tamarind pulp and boil. Let the veggies cook in the tamarind water. Add more water if required.Add the ground masala paste and rock salt.
4. When it boils, add the mashed dal and boil further. Switch off the flame after 5 minutes.
5. Serve with hot rice.

For a more authentic flavor, use gingelly oil.

Kondakadalai(Chickpeas) Sambhar

I don't believe I'm blogging this! This is mom's invention and I love it!

Ingredients:

1. Kabuli Chana (Chickpeas) - 1 cup ( soaked for 4 hours)
2. Chana Dal - 2 tsp.
3. Dhania (coriander seeds)- 2 tsp.
4. Dry red chillies - 3
5. Solid Hing (Asafoetida) - 1/2 inch piece
6. Curry leaves -  1 sprig
7. Grated coconut - 3-4 tsp.
8. Tamarind - the size of a small lemon ( didn't know how to put it in words, so borrowed from age-old recipes) 
9. Mustard - 1 tsp.
10. Oil - 1 tbsp.
11. Salt - to taste

Procedure:

For the masala:

1. In a kadai, add 2 tsp of oil and roast chana dal, dhania, hing, red chillies. Add curry leaves in the end.
2. Transfer these to a mixie, add grated coconut and a little water and grind into a paste.

For the sambhar:

1. Pressure cook the chickpeas with water till the level of the chickpea and a little salt. Do not drain the water after it is cooked.
2. Soak the tamarind in warm water and extract the pulp.
3. Heat oil in a vessel and add mustard.
4. When the mustard splutters, add the tamarind pulp and boil till the raw smell of tamarind is gone.
5. Add the chickpeas , ground masala and salt.
6. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2-3 minutes and turn off flame.

Serve hot with Rice.