Arachuvitta Sambar (Maami’s Corner)

                                                                        Courtesy: Seethalakshmi Mani

Tur dal (red gram): ½ cup             

Brinjal/Egg plant/Aubergine: 1

Radish: 1

Drumstick: 1      

Shallots: 10

Tomato: 1

Tamarind pulp: 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp

Sambar powder: 2 tbsps*

Asafoetida: a small piece

Coriander leaves: a little

To grind:

Coconut: ½ cup

Shallots :5

Tempering:

Oil: 1tbsp

Red chilli: 2

Mustard seeds: ½ tsp

Curry leaves

METHOD:

Cook dal with asafoetida & 1 cup water.

Cut radish into 1"pieces & saute in oil separately. 

Then, cook radish, brinjal, drumstick & shallots with salt & turmeric.

Pour cooked dal into vegetables, add tamarind  &  sambar powder.

Grind coconut wirh shallots & stir into sambar, simmer for a while.

Season with  mustard, chilli & curry leaves.

Put in coriander leaves.

Add a little sugar or jaggery, to balance taste.

Even putting a few fenugreek, while seasoning, gives a nice aroma.

A point to note here is , in this Tamil style sambar, only 1 or 2 varieties of vegetable is used unlike the Kerala style sambar.

Capsicum is also used on special occasions.

*For basic sambar powder:

Dry red chilli: 250 g

Coriander seeds: 500 g

Pepper: 50 g

Red gram dal: 100g

Bengal gram dal: 100 g

Black gram dal: 50 g

Cumin seeds: 50g

Fenugreek: 25 g

Dry roast each ingredient, separately. Cool and grind .

Store in an air tight  bottle.

This powder can be used for dry vegetable dishes (Porial), rasams, Vattal  kolambu etc.