Sambar

But you say it “in-TREE-ging”, LJ, not “in-trig-you-ing”.’ I said it back to her, ‘In-TREE-ging.’
– Stephanie Butland

Fyi – Sambar – “Samb- ur” is a species of deer. What you eat is pronounced “Samb-aar”!🙂🙃

Vengaya ( shallot) Sambaar.
Eaten with rice, a great accompaniment to Dosai, Idli, Vadai and other tiffin. Eaten by itself makes a great protein packed soup !

Prep.
🍲 Pressure cook 3/4 cup thur dal in 1.5 cup water and a pinch or turmeric for 3 whistles/ 8 mts in Instant Pot. Mash and set aside.
🍲Soak 1 tbsp tamarind in half a cup of water. Mash, extract pulp.
Or
Use 1 tbsp Swad Tamarind paste dissolved in half a cup of water
Recipe
🍲In a pan,Add
1 cup peeled and washed Shallots
1 large choppedTomato
2 cups water
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
Few Curry Leaves
Bring to boil till shallots are al dente’
🍲Add cooked dal and tamarind water
Simmer 2 minutes
🍲Add 2 tsp Sambaar powder*
1.5 cups water
Bring to boil a couple minutes
Switch off.
🍲Garnish with 1 tbsp chopped Cilantro
🍲Heat oil
Let splutter 1 tsp each of Jeera(Cumin seeds)and Mustard seeds.
Add 2 dried red chillies
1 tsp Urud Dal
Let brown and add to Sambar
🍲 Adjust the water and salt.
Sambaar should be thick and pourable.
Sometimes it thickens when cooking, especially if the sambar powder has some rice ground into it as a thickening agent.
🍲Shut and let rest for flavors to develop for 10 minutes before serving.

🐝Busy Day🐝 Pressure Cooker/ Instant Pot Method
🍲Pressure cook all ingredients except tamarind and sambar powder with 2 cups of water for 2 whistles/5 minutes pressure cook
🍲Release pressure.Add tamarind and sambaar powder and another half cup water
🍲Garnish with a tadka cube** and 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
🍲Adjust the water and salt.
Let rest for flavors to develop – see above

* My favorite brands MTR, 777 and Brahmins
** Recipe in previous post