Sambar

A spicy and tangy soup made up of toovar (arhar) dal and vegetables,but in my version it has red lentils as well.

Time to cook : 40min
Serves : 4


Ingredients:
1/3 cup red lentils (whole)
1/3 cup toovar dal
1 sliced carrot (lengthwise)
7-8 sliced beans
1/2 cup cauliflower
4-5 okra/lady fingers divided lenghtwise (optional)
1/4 cup tamarind water 
1 onion sliced
1 tomato sliced
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
5-7 curry leaves
3-4 whole dry red chilies
1.5 tbsp sambar masala
Salt to taste
Oil


Directions:

• Soak a 2 inch piece of tamarind in water and sieve when ready.
• Wash and soak both the lentils for 2 hours.
• In a pressure cooker add lentils,carrots,cauliflower,okra,tomato,salt and 3 cups of water.Cover and let it cook till 1 whistle.Turn off the gas.
• Do not open the pressure until steam is gone.
• In the mean,heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan.Add mustard seeds till they splutter.Also add curry leaves,red chilies and onion to it.
• Saute till onions are light brown.Add sambar masala to it.Saute for next 2 minutes.
• Add tamarind water to it.Mix well.
• Now add this onion mixture to lentils in pressure cooker.Let it cook for another 10 minutes till spices blend with lentils.
• Enjoy it as soup or serve it with idli,dosa or rice along with chutney.

* You can adjust the consistency of sambar with less or more water.

* To make it only with toovar dal,take 1/2 cup dal and 2 cups water.