Field Beans Sambar

Ingredients

• - 1/2 cup toor dal
• - 250g field beans (mochai)
• - Lemon-sized tamarind
• - 2 tbsp sambar powder
• - 1/4 tsp turmeric
• - 2 tsp oil
• - 1 tsp mustard seeds
• - 2 dried red chillies
• - 1 sprig curry leaves
• - Salt to taste
• - Fresh coriander

Method

1. Cook toor dal: Wash half cup toor dal. Pressure cook with 1.5 cups water and half tsp turmeric for 4 whistles. Mash completely.
2. Prepare field beans: Shell or wash 100g fresh mochai field beans. If using dried, soak overnight and pressure cook 4 whistles separately.
3. Soak tamarind: Soak marble-sized tamarind in 1 cup warm water 15 minutes. Extract pulp and strain.
4. Cook field beans in tamarind: Add tamarind water, field beans, half tsp turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1.5 tsp sambar powder and salt. Boil and cook 10-12 minutes until beans are tender.
5. Add mashed dal: Add mashed toor dal and half cup water. Stir well.
6. Simmer: Cook on medium heat 8-10 minutes until sambar is well blended.
7. Make tempering: Heat 2 tbsp oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds — when they pop add half tsp cumin seeds.
8. Add aromatics: Add 2 dried red chillies, 1 sprig curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida. Fry 30 seconds.
9. Add tempering: Pour sizzling tempering into the sambar. Stir gently.
10. Serve: Adjust salt. Field beans give a hearty texture to this sambar. Serve with steamed rice, idli or dosa.