Sambar Rice

Method

1. 1

   Cook toor dal: Wash half cup toor dal. Pressure cook with 1 cup water and half tsp turmeric for 4 whistles until very soft and mushy.

2. 2

   Make sambar: Prepare a simple sambar — add tamarind water, cooked vegetables (carrot, potato, drumstick), sambar powder, turmeric, red chilli powder and salt to the cooked dal. Simmer 10 minutes.

3. 3

   Cook rice separately: Wash 2 cups raw rice. Pressure cook with 3.5 cups water for 3 whistles until soft and slightly overcooked.

4. 4

   Mix rice and sambar: While both are hot, combine the soft cooked rice with 2-3 cups of hot sambar. Mix well.

5. 5

   Adjust consistency: The mixture should be soft and porridge-like but not completely watery. Add more sambar as needed.

6. 6

   Season: Adjust salt.

7. 7

   Make tempering: Heat 2 tbsp ghee. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 sprig curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida.

8. 8

   Add tempering: Pour ghee tempering over the sambar rice.

9. 9

   Add ghee: Add a generous teaspoon of ghee on top — this is essential for sambar rice.

10. 10

    Serve: Serve hot in a deep bowl with a papad and a small cup of extra sambar on the side. Sambar rice is a Tamil Nadu comfort food.