Hotel Style Sambar

Method

1. 1

   Cook toor dal: Wash 1 cup toor dal. Pressure cook with 2.5 cups water and half tsp turmeric for 4 whistles. Mash very smooth — hotel sambar has a silky texture.

2. 2

   Soak tamarind: Soak a lemon-sized tamarind in 1.5 cups warm water 15 minutes. Extract pulp and strain.

3. 3

   Prepare vegetables: Dice 1 potato, 1 carrot and 5 beans into small pieces. Add 5-6 peeled shallots whole.

4. 4

   Fry shallots and tomato: Heat 2 tbsp oil. Fry shallots 5 minutes. Add 3 chopped tomatoes and cook 8 minutes until very soft.

5. 5

   Add tamarind and vegetables: Add tamarind water, diced vegetables, half tsp turmeric, 1.5 tsp red chilli powder, 1.5 tsp coriander powder, 2 tsp sambar powder and salt. Boil 12 minutes until vegetables are soft.

6. 6

   Add mashed dal: Add mashed toor dal. Stir well. Adjust consistency with water.

7. 7

   Simmer long: Simmer 12-15 minutes on low heat — hotel sambar needs longer cooking to develop its depth.

8. 8

   Make tempering: Heat 2 tbsp oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds, then cumin seeds, then 2 dried red chillies and curry leaves.

9. 9

   Add tempering: Pour tempering into sambar. Finish with 1 tsp ghee.

10. 10

    Serve: Adjust salt. Hotel style sambar is thicker, richer and more complex than home sambar. Serve with idli, dosa or steamed rice.