South indian sambar

This sambar is one of the south indians favourite dish.It is very good combination eating with rice.Some people like to prepare  this sambar every day in their houses.Children also like to eat this one .This sambar is totally different from tiffin sambar.we prepare rice sambar with tur dal as main ingredient .In tiffin sambar we use tur dal and chana dal .Here chana dal is main ingredient.Ofcourse both sambars are very tasty items.


 Ingredients

tur dal	200grs
tomato	2
bottle gourd	small piece
drumstick	1
onions	3 small size
green chillies	4
carrot	1
radish	1
brinjal	5
curry leaves	few
turmeric	1/4 spoon
salt	to taste
red chilli power	1 spoon
jaggery	small
tamarind	4 flakes
coriander leaves	few
oil	1 spoon
ghee	1 spoon
mustard seeds	1/4 spoon
cumin seeds	1/4 spoon
garlic cloves	5
dry chillies	3
asafoetida	pinch

Preparation

Soak the  tur dal for 30 minutes to avoid indigestion problems because soaked dal can reduce the gastric problems and  soaked dal can be cooked quickly.After soaking the tur dal strain it from water .
Wash all vegetables with water.
 The bottle gourd should be peeled and cut into medium size pieces.
 Drumstick  can be cut into inch size pieces.
Peel the carrot and cut into round size pieces.
Cut the tomatoes into 5 to 6 pieces.
Wash the onion and remove the upper two layers.do not need to  cut the onion.
Cut the green chillies into long pieces.
Peel the radish and cut into round size or cube shape pieces.
Cut the lady finger into inch size pieces.
Cut the brinjal into 4 pieces and put the pieces in salt water till using in the sambar.
Soak the tamarind flakes in the 5 cups of water.

Method

1.Take a pressure cooker and add 3 cups of water and soaked tur dal .cook for 4 whistles.
2.Do not try to remove the cooker lid with out pressure completely gone out.
3.Dal should be cooked smoothly.
4.When pressure is completely gone out then open the cooker lid and mash the dal with masher. 
5.Take a big vessel.put all vegetables except drumstick ,brinjal and lady finger pieces.
6.Add 5 cups of water in it .add small jaggery piece and some curry leaves . Put the lid and cook for 10 minutes in low or medium flame.
7.When 3/4 of vegetables are cooked then add drumstick,lady finger pieces and brinjal pieces.and cook for 5 minutes.
8.Add mashed tur dal and mix all very well.
9.Then add turmeric and salt .cook till all vegetables become tender.
10.Extract the tamarind juice from soaked tamarind flakes.
11.Add this in sambar.
12.Take a cup of water in a bowl and add sambar powder and mix well.Mixing the sambar powder with water can avoid formation of the lumps. 
13.Cook the sambar for another 5 minutes .
14.when sambar is becoming to thick constitency add coriander leaves and put off the flame.
15.For seasonings put a pan on the flame.after heating the pan add oil.
16.When oil is heated add ghee .
17.Add mustard seeds when ghee is melted .
18.When mustard seeds are started to crackle then add dry chillies,cumin seeds.
19.Crush the garlic cloves with any mashed item or can use back side of tumbler.
20.Add this crushed garlic cloves and fry for 1 minute.
21.Then add asafoetida and curry leaves.put off the flame.
22.Add this seasoning to sambar.
23.very tasty south indian sambar is ready to taste.

Keep in the  mind

You can add any vegetable in making of sambar.If  there is no vegetable is not available  in home at the  time of making sambar you can  only add  onions,red chillies and tamatoes.
Ready made sambar powder is available on the market.But making it in the home can gives better taste because  we can add quality ingredients .
If you have no time to make sambar powder you can use ready made sambar powder.Other wise better to use home made  sambar powder.
Do not need to add red chilli powder in the sambar because we add red chillies in the making of sambar powder. so that spiciness is enough .
cooked tur dal should be mashed smoothly because that only gives good texture and thickness to the sambar.
Adding coriander leaves and asafoetida gives good aroma to the sambar.