Moringa Leaves Sambar

Ingredients

• - 1/2 cup toor dal
• - 250g moringa leaves (murungai keerai)
• - 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 moringa leaves: Strip moringa (murungai) leaves from their thin stems. Wash well and drain.
3. Prepare drumstick pieces: Wash 2-3 drumstick pods, scrape lightly and cut into 2-inch pieces.
4. Soak tamarind: Soak marble-sized tamarind in 1 cup warm water 15 minutes. Extract pulp and strain.
5. Cook vegetables: Add tamarind water, drumstick pieces, half tsp turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1.5 tsp sambar powder and salt. Boil and cook 8 minutes.
6. Add moringa leaves and dal: Add moringa leaves and mashed toor dal. Add half cup water. Stir well.
7. Simmer: Cook on medium heat 6-8 minutes until leaves are cooked and sambar blends well.
8. Make tempering: Heat 2 tbsp oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds — when they pop add half tsp cumin seeds.
9. Add aromatics: Add 2 dried red chillies, 1 sprig curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida. Pour over sambar.
10. Serve: Adjust salt. Moringa sambar is extremely nutritious. Serve with steamed rice, idli or dosa.