Sambar

       Sambar is a mixed vegetable soup as well as a most popular traditional south Indian dish. Most people enjoy this with dosa, idli or even with rice. Let's see how to prepare this healthy and nutritious sambar.

Ingredients

Toor dal                               -3/4 cup

Sambar powder                   - 3 to 4 tbs

Vegetable oil / Ghee            - 1tbs

Mustard seeds                     - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves                        - 2 sprig

Coriander leaves (chopped) - 1/4 cup

Dried red chillies                  - 3 to 5

Asafoetida powder               - a pinch

Salt                                       - as required

Water                                    - as sufficient

Vegetables for sambar:

Lady's finger                        - 5 to 7

tomato (medium-sized)        - 1

Shallots or small onions      - 15 to 20

Vegetable drumsticks           - 2

Pumpkin (Cut into small cubes) - 1/4 cup

Green chilli                          - 3 to 4

Brinjal                                  - 1

Carrot                                   - 1/4 cup (optional)

Cucumber (cut into small cubes)- 3/4 cup

Cluster beans                              -  5 to 8

Preparation

• Cook toor dal with a sufficient amount of water in a pot or in a pressure cooker. Cook it well. 
• Then add chopped vegetables to it. When the vegetables are half cooked, add sambar powder, asafoetida and salt to it. Cook it for 5 to 10 minutes. 
• Add coriander leaves and stir. 
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan and crackle mustard seeds. Then add dried red chillies, and curry leaves to it. Saute it. When the leaves turn to crisp, off the heat and quickly pour this to the sambar. Stir well. 
• Then remove the sambar from heat. Your sambar is ready.

Useful tips:

You can add more water as desired to bring it to a consistency you like.