Araichu Vitta Sambar

Ingredients

Red gram dal : ½ cup

Any vegetable : 150 gm

Onion : 1

Tomato : 2

Tamarind : a small ball

Asafetida : a pinch

Turmeric powder : a pinch

Salt : as needed

Curry leaves : a little

Coriander leaves : a little

To fry and grind

Dried red chilli : 8

Coriander seeds : 1 tsp

Chana dal : ½ tsp

Cumin : ¼ tsp

Fenugreek : ¼ tsp

Grated coconut : 1 tsp

Oil : 2 tsp

For seasoning

Mustard : ½ tsp

Black gram dal : ½ tsp

Oil : 2 tsp

Method

Pressure cook red gram dal in 2 cups of water with a pinch of turmeric powder.

Cut vegetables, onion and tomato.

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a frying pan and fry the items listed above on a medium flame.

When the ingredients are golden in colour remove from fire.

When cool, grind them to a paste in a mixie.

Add 1½ cups water to tamarind, extract and strain.

Take the tamarind water in a bowl.

Add asafetida, curry leaves, salt, onion, tomato and let it boil.

When it starts boiling, add vegetables.

When the vegetables are cooked add the ground paste, cooked dal and let it boil again.

Remove from the stove.

Heat oil in a frying pan, add the items for seasoning and when mustard starts spluttering add it to the saambhar.

Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.