This dish is served with tiffin items such as idli, pongal and dosa, hence the name Tiffin Sambar. Its tasty flavors will keep you licking your lips even after you're done eating.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 6
Ingredients
½cuptoor dhal
1½cupswater
½tsp turmeric powder
1tspoil(for dhal)
⅓cupred onion(you can also use 6 shallots)
4brinjal(cut lengthwise or cubed)
1potato(cut lengthwise or cubed)
1tomato(chopped)
5drumstick pieces (optional)
8-10green chilies(adjust to taste)
1tspsambar powder
2inchtamarind soaked in ½ cup water(use a marble sized tamarind piece)
2tbspoil
salt to taste
For Roasted Powder
1tsp methi seeds
5 dry red chilies
¼tspasafoetida(also known as hing or perungayam) (for roasting)
¼tspoil
For tempering
2tspoil
1½tspmustard seeds
1tspurad dhal
⅛tspasafoetida(also known as hing or perungayam) (for tempering)
1dry red chili
6curry leaves
Instructions
Wash toor dhal and add to pressure cooker with water, turmeric powder, 1 tsp oil and cook for 5-6 whistles.
Let pressure release naturally and mash the dhal with a masher. Set aside.
In a heavy bottom pan, add ¼ tsp oil and roast methi seeds, 5 red chillies, ¼ tsp asafoetida.
Saute for 1 minute, let it cool and then grind into a powder. Set aside.
In the same pan, add 2 tbsp oil, chopped onions and green chilies. Saute for 1 minute.
Add cut brinjal, potatoes and drumsticks (if using). Saute for 1 minute.
Add tomatoes and sambar powder and saute for 3-4 minutes. Veggies should be half cooked.
Then, add tamarind extract and salt to taste.
Add cooked dhal and let sambar boil for a few minutes until veggies become fully cooked.
Add the roasted powder and adjust spice as needed.
In a separate pan, add 2 tsp oil and tempering ingredients. Once the mustard seeds start to crackle, pour tempering over sambar.