Cooking web notes

My first attempt at sambar ended up in the garbage. I still do not know what the real problem was.Only guess is that I didn't boil it enough because of which the spices were not cooked properly. Don't worry , I have made sambar successfully, umpteen number of times after that :-) I know everyone makes sambar in a different way . This is not the authentic recipe, just my delicious version.



Ingredients

Potato-1(big)
Brinjal-2 one inch pieces
Snake gourd- 3 one inch long pieces
Ash gourd/winter melon- 2 one inch long pieces
Ivy gourd- 2-3
Carrot-1 small
Drum sticks- 4-5 pieces
Beans-4-5

Ladies finger/okra-4-5
Sambar onion(shallot)-8-9 small
Tomato-1

Tamarind juice- 2-3 Tbsp
Salt- To taste
Oil-2 tbsp
Toor daal- 1 cup
Turmeric- 1/2 tsp
Sambar powder- 2 tbsp
Asafoetida-1/4 tsp
Coriander powder- 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder- 1 tbsp
Shallot- thinly sliced for seasoning
Mustard-1/4 tsp
Red chillies(cut into halvs)-3-4
Curry leaves-1 sprig



Method

1.Cut the vegetables into cubes.
2.You could cook daal along with vegetables in a pressure cooker or separately as I do. This is just because we love to see the daal in sambar. I put daal and pour water, salt and turmeric powder. Then keep a separater and take veggies in a bowl and keep in the cooker with just enough water to cook and little bit of salt.
3.When you cook veggies add all except okra, sambar onion and tomato.
4.Saute the cut okra in a pan. Once it is done you can add tomato and saute that too.This is up to you. You could add it directly without sauting, if you like it that way
5.Once the veggies and daal is done (I cook them both together for 2 whistles), take out the daal and keep it aside. Add the sauted okra, tomato, sambar onion and Sambar powder,Asafoetida and mix well.
6. Boil this for 5-6 minutes and add tamarind juice and Cook for 10 minutes.Add daal and cook for 4-5 minutes.
7. Do the seasoning with mustard, shallots chillies and curry leaves. To this add the coriander powder and chilli powder and saute for a minute.
8. Add this mixture to sambar and boil again for 4-5 minutes.
9. Serve hot with rice, Pappad and thoran of your choice.



Contributor :Namitha