Sambhar

Ingredients:

1 cup toovar dal (arhar)
1 tomato, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 brinjals, cubed
1 drumstick, cut into 4 pieces
1 potato, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon tamarind pulp (imli)
salt to taste
6 to 8 red chillies
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
1 tablespoon toovar dal (arhar)
1 tablespoon split Bengal gram (chana dal)
1 tablespoon split black gram (urad dal)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
6 curry leaves
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
2 tablespoons oil

Method:
1. For the sambhar masala:

Heat the oil and roast red chillies, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds (methi), toovar dal, chana dal, urad dal, Haldi and Hing for the sambhar masala in it.

Grind to a fine paste in a blender using a little water. Keep aside.

How to proceed:
1. Wash and pressure cook the dal, tomato, onion, brinjals, drumstick and potato with 2 cups of water.
2. Then add the tamarind pulp, sambhar masala, salt and 4 cups of water and bring to a boil.
3. Prepare the tempering by heating the oil and frying the mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida until the mustard seeds crackle. Add this to the sambhar and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Serve hot with Idli, Dosa or Mendu Vada

Idli

Ingredients:

Rice: 2 cups
Urad Daal (white) : 1 cup
Salt : 1 1/2 tblsp
A pinch of Baking Soda
Oil for greasing


Prepration:

* Pick, wash and soak the daal overnight or for 8 hours.
* Pick, wash and drain the rice. Grind it coarsely in a blender.
* Grind the daal into a smooth and forthy paste.
* Now mix the grinded rice and daal together into a batter.
* Mix salt and set aside in a warm place for 8-9 hours or overnight for fermenting.
* Idlis are ready to be cooked when the batter is well fermented.
* Grease the idle holder or pan well and fill each of thm with 3/4th full of batter.
* Steam cook idlis on medium flame for about 10 minutes or until done.
* Use a butter knife to remove the idlis.
* Serve them with sambhar or chutney.

Tips:

* Cooking oil can be applied on the tray, before the dough is poured into the same, so its easier to take the cooked idlis from the tray.
* To make the idli soft, add two table spoons of cooked rice while grinding the rice in the grinder/mixie.
* One table spoon of Fenugreek may be added for extra flavor.

In My Next post I will give the recipe for sambhar and Chutney