Tiffin Sambar

Ingredients:

1 cup toor dal

1 onion, chopped

1 lb pumpkin, cubed

1 tsp urad dal

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp hing

1/2 tsp tumeric powder

a lemon size tamarind

curry leaves

2 tbsp oil

salt to taste

coriander leaves for garnishing

Grind:

1 tbsp channa dal

5 red chillies

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Dry roast each of the above one by one and grind them together into a fine powder.

Method:

1. Pressure cook toor dal with tumeric powder and keep aside.

2. Soak tamarind in 1 cup of water for 20 min and extract the juice.

3. Heat oil in a pan and add urad dal, mustard seeds, curry leaves and hing.

4. When it splutters, add the chopped onion and saute for few minutes.

5. Add the cubed pumpkin and fry for 2 min.

6. Add 1 cup of water and cook the pumpkin until it is 3/4ths done.

7. Add the tamarind juice and simmer till the raw smell of tamarind goes off.

8. Add the ground powder.

9. Add the cooked dal and salt. Adjust the consistency of the sambar.

10. Simmer for few more minutes and then turn off the stove.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with idli or dosa.