Tiffin Sambar

Ingredients

• For Dal
• 1/2 cup Toor dal
• 2 cups Water
• For Veggies
• 2 large Drumsticks (cut lengthwise)
• 1 medium Onion (diced)
• 10 Shallots (small / pearl onion) (diced)
• 1 big Tomato (diced)
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 cup Water
• For Sambar Masala
• 2 tsp 2 teaspoon sesame oil (gingely oil)
• 2 tsp 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 5 black pepper corn
• 5 fenugreek seeds
• 2 tbsp chana dal
• 1 tbsp urad dal
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 3 Dry red chillies (gundu variety) (I used regular ones)
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
• 3 tbsp coconut
• 1.5 tsp jaggery
• gooseberry size tamarind
• Other ingredients
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 4 stalks coriander leaves (chopped)
• 1 tbsp ghee
• For Tempering
• 1 tsp sesame oil (gingely oil) (I used coconut oil)
• 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Instructions

1. 1

   For Dal: Wash and soak ½ a cup of toor dal in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes. Pressure cook the dal with the water for 6 whistles. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure in the cooker to release naturally. Set aside.

2. 2

   For Veggies: In another cooker add in the drumsticks, diced onion, diced shallots (small onion) and tomatoes. Add one cup of water, a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of turmeric. Cook for 4 whistles. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure in the cooker to release naturally. Set aside.

3. 3

   For Sambar Masala: Heat oil in a pan and add in the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, pepper, fenugreek seeds, chana dal, urad dal. Fry for a minute. Once the chana dal is brown, add in the curry leaves, dry red chilies, asafoetida, coconut, jaggery, and the tamarind. Fry for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

4. 4

   Grind the mixture with half a cup of water to a paste. Let the paste be very slightly coarse. Set aside.

5. 5

   For the Sambar: Take a heavy-bottomed pan and add in the ground masala and one cup of water. Let it come to a boil on medium flame.

6. 6

   Once it's boiling, add in the cooked vegetables along with the water used for cooking. Add in the salt. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes on medium flame.

7. 7

   Add in the cooked dal and let it continue to boil for 2-3 minutes.

8. 8

   For Tempering: Heat oil in a Kadai and add in the mustard seeds when the oil is hot. Add in the curry leaves and switch off the flame. Add in ½ teaspoon of red chilli powder and immediately pour it on the sambar. The red chilli powder might burn if kept in the oil for too long. So have an eye on the Kadai.

9. 9

   Add in the coriander leaves and a tablespoon of ghee. Switch off the flame.