One-Pot Sambar Rice | Sambar Sadam

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil, divided
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, rai
• ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds, methi
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida, hing
• 30 sambar onions, peeled
• 2 tomatoes, chopped into 1 inch cubes
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 ½ teaspoon sambar powder
• 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 3 ½ cups water, divided
• ⅓ cup chow chow, chopped into 1 inch cubes
• ⅓ cup capsicum, chopped into 1 inch cubes
• 2 teaspoons tamarind soaked in 1 ½ tablespoons of water
• ½ cup toor dal, soaked for 15 minutes
• ½ cup rice, soaked for 15 minutes
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ⅛ teaspoon hing
• 1 teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon coriander leaves
• 1 sprig curry leaves

Steps

1. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a pressure cooker, add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and when they splutter, add hing, curry leaves and saute for a few seconds on low. Add onions, tomatoes, turmeric, sambar & cinnamon powders, salt and saute for a few seconds on low. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
2. Add chow chow, capsicum, strain soaked tamarind, add the tamarind water & discard the pulp.
3. Add dal, rice, remaining 1 ½ cups water, 1 teaspoon oil, give a good mix, cover the lid and pressure cook for 10 minutes on low after the first whistle. Let it depressurise by itself. Open the lid and mix well.
4. Heat ghee in a tadka pan, add cumin seeds & once they splutter, add hing, kashmiri chilli powder, coriander leaves, curry leaves, stir for a few seconds and add the tadka to the sambar rice. Mix well and serve.