One Pot Sambar | Fast & Easy

Ingredients

• ½ cup toor dal
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 7 cloves garlic, whole
• 3-4 cups water, divided
• ¾ cup tomato, cubed
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 carrot, 75 gms, cut into ½ inch cubes
• 10 beans, 80 gms, cut into 1 inch length pieces
• 3 drumsticks, 120 gms, cut into 2 inch pieces
• ½ cup peeled sambar onions or cubed onions
• 2 green chillies, slit
• 3 tablespoons sambar powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder, adjust to taste
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ghee or oil
• ½ teaspoon rai, mustard seeds
• ¼ teaspoon jeera, cumin seeds
• 10 methi seeds, fenugreek seeds
• ⅛ teaspoon hing, asafoetida
• 1 whole dried red chilli
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves

Steps

1. Add toor dal, turmeric powder, garlic,half the tomatoes, 1 ½ cups of water and 1 teaspoon oil to a pressure cooker and cook on medium for about 4 whistles (first whistle on high and then lower the flame and cook for 3 more whistles) till it’s cooked well. Mash the dal with the back of a spoon or a whisk and set aside.
2. Add curry leaves, carrots, beans, drumsticks, sambar onions, green chillies, sambar powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, tamarind pulp and salt along with another cup of water. Mix well. Cook for one more whistle on high. Turn off the flame immediately after the whistle goes off. Once the pressure releases naturally, open the cooker and add more water if required to adjust the consistency. Keep the sambar on a simmer while you make the tempering or tadka.
3. Heat ghee/oil in a tadka pan or a saucepan on a medium flame. add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. As they start to splutter, add hing, whole red chilli, curry leaves and fry till fragrant. Add chopped coriander and mix well. Turn off the heat and add tempering to the prepared sambar, mix well and serve.