Easy Sambhar

Easy Sambhar(சாம்பார்):
Sambar is a lentil-based vegetable stew  on a broth made with tamarind popular in South Indian and Sri Lankan Tamil cuisines, adapted in each to its taste and environment. The word Sambar  is from Tamil word Champaaram(சம்பாரம்) meaning spicy condiments.
A Tamil inscription of 1530 CE, evidences the use of the word Champaaram, in the sense of meaning a dish of rice accompanying other rice dishes or spice ingredients with which a dish of vegetable rice is cooked:

“அமுதுபடி கறியமுது பல சம்பாரம் நெய்யமுதுள்ப்பட தளிகை ஒன்றுக்கு பணம் ஒன்றாக”
Meaning: “Cooked rice offerings, including Curry-rice (pepper rice or vegetable rice), many types of spiced rice (pala-Champaaram) and ghee-rice, at the rate of one Pa’nam (a denomination of money) per one portion.”

Sambar is usually served with steamed rice as one of the main courses of both formal and everyday south Indian cuisine. A two-course meal of Sambar mixed with rice and eaten with some sort of vegetable side dish followed by yoghurt mixed with rice, is a prime southern Indian staple. Vada sambar and idly sambar are popular for breakfast. Sambar is made either exclusively with one of these vegetables or a combination of them - okra, moringa (also known as drumstick), carrot, radish, pumpkin, daikon, potatoes, tomatoes, brinjal(eggplant) and whole or halved shallots or onions. 

Here I am going to cook Sambhar in an easy way for working people using less time.

                                   Sambhar recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Lunch
Prep Time:10 mins    |  Cook time: 10 mins     |  Serves: 4

Ingredients

                                             For the dhall :

Thoor Dhall - 1/2 cup

Masoor dhall - 1/4 cup

Tomato - 1 nos

Salt - as needed

Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp

Chilly Powder (dhaniya powder mixed) - 1/2 tsp

Onion -1 no

Asafoetida - 1 pinch

                                        Ingredients to saute :

Small Onion shallots - 4 to 5 nos

Chilly powder (dhaniya pow mixed) - 1/2 tsp (or) sambhar powder - 1/2 tsp

Garlic -3 cloves

Green chilly-1 no

Cilantro leaves - 1 handfull

Tamarind - 1 goose berry sized ball

Amchur Powder (Dry mango powder ) - 1/4tsp

Lady's finger/ Drumstick/ brinjal/ raddish - 5 to 6 nos

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To Temper :

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard -1/4tbsp

Dhaniya -1/4tbsp

Urad dhal - 1/4tbsp

Fenugreek seeds -1/4 tbsp

Curry leaves - 5 to 6nos

Red chilly - 1 no

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Method:

• First take a pressure cooker and add the washed urad dhall, masoor dhall, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp chilly powder, asafoetida and pressure cook it for 3 to 4 whistles.Until the dhall becomes soft. I add masoor dhall because it will give a thick consistency and colour(as in hotels) to the sambhar, it is purely optional. House-holds with many members can also use masoor dhall for more sambhar.
  
• Now whisk the contents in the cooker well.Meanwhile soak the tamarind in 1/2 cup water. This mixture can be prepared morning and left it in fridge until evening for u to prepare the sambhar. In cold countries it can sit in fridge for 1 whole day.
  

• Take a vessel and pour oil. When the oil is hot add the ingredients in the temper table.
  
• Now add crushed garlic cloves (crush using a mortar) and onion shallots and saute well. When the onions turns pink add the chopped vegetable pieces and saute well.Now add salt and the remaining chilly powder / sambhar powder and mix well. Sprinkle water and allow the vegetable to get cooked by closing the lid.
  
• When the vegetable looks cooked add the cooker mixture and mix well. Check for the salt and add the amchur powder and mix well. Allow it to boil for sometime.
  
•  Add cilantro leaves and when its fully done add the tamarind pulp and switch of the flame in 3 mins.
  
• Serve the sambhar with Rice and any curry.!!!

Sambar powder is a coarse powder made of roasted lentils( Urad dhall and Thoor dhall ), dried whole red chilies, cumin seeds ,fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves. Grated coconut can also be added.