Lunch Sambar

Sambar is a lentil based vegetable stew with tamarind water.Idly,Pongal,Sambar,Vadai is a sealed Breakfast recipe and Hot Rice,Sambar,Poriyal,Kootu,Pappad,Rasam,Payasam,Kesari is a staple Lunch Recipe of South-Indian Cuisine,especially at TamilNadu Marriages.

At Festival times,i prepared this sambar at morning breakfast and use it for lunch also.Usually i use more vegetables in lunch sambar because My Little Prince loves to eat veggies from sambar.This recipe with Optional step tastes well which i learnt it from my neighbour Vidhya.She is an amazing Cook.She is one of my inspirations to cook.When i was newly married,came to Chennai,dont know the ABC’s of cooking,even dont know the ing. name also.She patiently taught me every recipe with correct measures.

Lunch Sambar Recipe :

Thats it : Boil Dal – Cook Veggies – Seeding

Cooking Time :35mins  Serves :4 Persons

Ingredients :

Toor Dal	½ Cup
Water (Dal,Veggies,Tamarind)	2,3,1 Cups
Pearl Onion,Garlic pods	10,2
Tomato	2 medium
Green chillies	2
Veggies	2 Cups
Tamarind (Gooseberry sized)	1
Sambar / chilli powder	1 ½ tsp / 1 tsp
Turmeric powder	¼ tsp
Salt	2 tsp

Veggies :  { Carrot,Lady’s Finger(vendakkai),drumstick,

           radish,pumpkin,potato,beans,brinjal

           with onion ,tomato}

To Temper :

Oil / Ghee	1 tbsp
Mustard	1 tsp
Urad dhal	½ tsp
Fenugreek	½ tsp
Pearl Onion (optional)	3 chopd
Asafoetida/Hing	¼ tsp
Red chillies	2
Curry Leaves	1 sprig
Coriander Leaves	2 sprigs

Procedure :

1.Pressure cook dal with 8 Pearl onions,Tomatoes(cut by 2),Red chillies(8),2 Garlic pods,green chillies,Turmeric powder,2 Cups of water for 4 whistles.Mash boiled dal and Keep aside.

OPTIONAL STEP :Take out boiled tomato,red chillies with a spoon carefully.After it cools grind it as a paste.(only 4 mins)

2.Meanwhile,Cut all the veggies.In a pan,add 1 tsp of oil,fry onions,then tomatoes,then veggies for 2mins.Add 2 Cups of water,Tamarind water (2Cups),Sambar powder,2tsp of salt.Cook till veggies (5mins) cooked and raw smell of tamarind,sambar pdr leaves.

3.Add mashed dal,tomato-chilli paste.Boil for 3 mins.Check for salt,spicyness,sournes.Keep aside the pan.

4.Heat oil in a seeding pan,add mustard,after it splutters,add urad dhal,fenugreek,onion,red chillies,hing,curry leaves.Add it to the sambar.Garnish with coriander leaves.

Lunch Sambar is Ready...!

Serving Suggestions :

  # Rice with any Poriyal

  # Idly ,Dosai and even Pongal too...

Notes :

1.Adding veggies of your choice.You can also use Lady's finger (Vendakkai) to this.

2.You can leave the optional step ( green color font )(but it takes just 4 mins).You simply pressure cook dal,turmeric pdr,garlic pods with water.

3. I always prefer Optional step for my sambar for a regular hit.You can also avoid sambar / chilli powder while using this step.

4.I always use moong dal for tiffin sambar and toor dal for lunch sambar.
5.You can use any two veggies with this sambar.I used carrot,brinjal,surakkai(bottle guard),beans,potato.