Sambar

Have you noticed that Sambar can taste a 1000 different ways? Ofcourse, the ingredients might be the same, but I guess it all depends on the quantity of masalas different people use. So here is the recipe how my mom makes it. She adds green chillies instead of chilly powder and no garlic while my mom in law adds chilly powder and garlic but no green chillies. I love both the versions but, I use ready made sambar 98 percent of the time... ;) 

Toor Dal: 3/4 cup

Pearl Onion: a handful

Green Chillies: 3-4

Tomatoes: 2

Asafoetida: 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek Powder: 1/4 tsp

Vegetables of your choice: 1 cup chopped

(Here, you can see potatoes, cucumber, snake gourd)

To temper:

Mustard: 1 tsp

Pearl Onion: 2

Curry Leaves; a sprig

Coriander Powder: 2 heaped tbsp

Coriander Leaves: a handful

Wash the toor dal and dump it in a pressure cooker.

Chop all the vegetables and wash everything properly.

Now, chop the tomatoes add all the vegetables, green chilly, asafoetida, turmeric powder and fenu greek powder and required salt to the toor dal.
Add 3 cups of water and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.

In a kadai, heat oil and splutter mustard, curry leaves.
Add the pearl onions and when it is brown, saute the coriander powder till raw smell is gone.

Now open the lid of the pressure cooker and add the coriander powder mix and again boil it.
If it is too thick, you can add little more water and let it boil
Add the coriander leaves and take off fire.
Serve with rice or Dosa/Idly.