I know everyone of us drool as we see the waiter bring in the yummy sambhar along with hot idlis, dosa or rice...I always wanted to make something that tasted at least somewhat like the nearest cousin of THE HOTEL SAMBHAR ...then one fine day found out this recipe from some old tamil newspaper clippings i have been collecting and i made few changes for better taste and ease of cooking try this and let me know
Ingredients
Toor Dhall - 1 cup
Sambhar onions(shallots) - 15 nos
Tomato ripe - 3 nos
Drumstick - 8 finger length pieces
Brinjal - 1 cut into cubes
Green chili - 1
Garlic - 2 pods
Tamarind juice - size of a amla
Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp roast it in a kadai till it turns little brown
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Sambhar powder - 2 tbsp
Jaggery - 1 tbsp
Ghee - 2tbsp
0il - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
asafoetida - 3/4 tsp
Salt
Coriander leaves
Method
Wash the toor dhall and pressure cook it with little salt for 4 whistles and mash it well
Cook brinjal and drumstick seperately with little salt and turmeric powder
Now heat Oil in a deep Pan and add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, hing and wait till it splutters
Now add onions, slit green chili and garlic pods and cook till they are brown
Add tomatoes that are finely chopped along with chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt and cook till the tomatoes turn mushy
Now pour in two cups of water along with tamarind juice ,cooked and mashed dhall, sambhar powder, cooked vegetables , jaggery and roasted coconut and let it simmer till the raw smell is gone
When the sambhar boils add in Ghee and coriander leaves and let it cook for 2 mins
This can be served with idlis, dosas and rice