Sambar..........

ingredients.........

toor lentils pigeon pea    1 cup
chopped vegetables - 1 cup  drumstick, french beans, bottle gourd, onions, brinjals
     (cut into little big cubes)
tomato      1 medium chopped finely
seedless tamarind pulp    1 tbsp
sambar powder   1 tbsp
red chilli powder   1/2 tsp
turmeric powder   1/2 tsp
salt as required
water         5 to 6 cup (as required)

for the tempering.....

oil       1.5 tbsp
red chillies   2 to 3 (each broken into 2)
mustard seeds   1 tsp
asafoetida/hing   a pinch
fenugreek seeds   1/4 tsp (optional)
curry leaves   10  to 12

fresh coriander leaves chopped     3 tsp

Method

1) Wash the tuvar dal thoroughly and drain.Combine the washed dal and 2 cups of water in a            pressure cooker and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. 

2) now add chopped vegetables,tomato ,turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. add 2 cup water and stir well and pressure cook again for 1 whistle on medium  flame. once the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid.

3) add the sambar powder and tamarind pulp. if the consistency of sambar is thick, then add some water.

4)keep the cooker on the stove and and then simmer the sambar for 10 minutes on a low flame.keep on stirring at intervals so that the dal does not stick to the bottom.

5)switch off the flame and add chopped coriander and keep sambar covered .

for tempering

6) heat oil in a small pan, crackle the mustard seeds first. then add the fenugreek seeds, red                            chilies, asafoetida and curry leaves.

7) pour the whole tempering in the steaming hot sambar and close with a lid immediately to lock                     the flavors inside sambar. 

8) later stir and then serve the vegetable sambar with rice,idli ,vada ,dosa  ....  etc