Ingredients

Red gram dal : 1/2 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 : 1/2 tsp
Cumin : 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek : 1/4 tsp
Grated coconut : 1 tsp
Oil : 2 tsp
 

For seasoning

Mustard : 1/2 tsp
Black gram dal : 1/2 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.


This recipe is taken from the book "Kuzhambu Vagaigal" by Revathi Shanmugam published by Kannadhasan Pathippagam