Arachuvitta Sambar

Prep and cook time - 1 hr

Serves - 3 to 4

Ingredients:

• Toor Dhal - 1/2 cup
• Shallots/small onions - 1/2 cup
• or
• Veggies of your choice - 1/2 cup (Potato, Carrot, Brinjal etc)
• Tomato - 1 medium (chopped)
• Tamarind paste - 2 tsp or marble sized tamarind soaked in 1/2 cup water and squeezed.
• Curry leaves - few
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander leaves - for garnishing
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 2 tsp

Roast and grind:

• Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
• Chana dhal - 1 1/2 tsp
• Red chilies - 6 to 7
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Coconut - 2 tbsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Pressure cook the dhal with 2 cups water and turmeric powder for 3 whistles.
2. If your using veggies, then half cook them in the microwave and use it.
3. Roast and grind the masala mix and set aside.
4. Heat 2 tsp oil in a heavy bottomed vessel and splutter mustard seeds.
5. Add curry leaves, shallots or the veggies and fry for a minute.
6. Add the tamarind juice and once it comes to a rolling boil, add the cooked dhal and mix everything well.
7. Now add the ground masala mix and stir well. Reduce the heat. Add salt and let the sambar boil for 5 mins.
8. Remove and garnish with coriander leaves.

Tomato Rasam

Ingredients:

• Ripe tomatoes - 3 medium
• Tamarind paste - 1/2 tsp
• Garlic - 4 cloves(crushed)
• Rasam powder - 1 tsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilies - 2
• Curry leaves - 1 strand
• Salt - to taste
• Coriander leaves - for garnishing
• Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Place the tomatoes in microwave for 4 to 5 mins until it becomes soft and make a juice out of it.
2. Add the tamarind paste, crushed garlic, pepper powder, asafoetida, rasam powder, salt, 1/4 cup water and mix well.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds and add cumin seeds, curry leaves, red chilies and the rasam. Bring it to a boil, switch off the stove and add the coriander leaves.
4. You can either drink this as hot soup, or serve with white steamed rice.

Sambar

Ingredients:

• Toor dhal - 3/4 cup
• Tomato - 1 medium
• Potato, carrot - 1 cup chopped(U can also use vegetables of your choice)
• Tamarind juice - 1/4 cup
• Onion - 1/2 medium chopped
• Red chilies - 2
• Sambar powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 5 to 6
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 2 tsps
• Coriander leaves - for garnishing

Method:

1. Wash the toor dhal and pressure cook it with turmeric, tomato and water for 4 whistles.
2. Half cook the vegetables in stove top or in microwave.
3. Once the pressure is released, add the half cooked vegetables, sambar powder, salt and cook till it comes to a boil.
4. Now add the tamarind juice and cook for 5 to 10 mins till the raw smell of the tamarind goes away.
5. In another small pan, heat oil. Splutter mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves, red chilies, chopped onion and cook till onion turns translucent.
6. Add this to the sambar and garnish it with the coriander leaves.
7. Serve with hot plain rice, idli, dosa

Tip:

You can also add ghee in the end for extra flavor.