kerala sambar

Ingredients

toor dal / tuvara parippu 1/3 cup
potato 1 medium sized (peeled & cubed)
carrots 2 (peeled and cubed)
drumsticks 7-8 pieces of 2" long
brinjal  1 small cubed
tomato 1 chopped
ash gourd 1/2 cubed(refer notes)
pearl onions 8-10(peeled)
asafoetida 1/2 tsp
turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
salt
shredded coconut 1 cup
coriander seeds 2 tsp/ coriander powder 2tsp
red chilly 2-3 /chilly powder 1 tsp
fenugreek seeds/fenugreek powder 1/4 tsp
sambhar powder 2 tbsp
shallots 3-4 (I have skipped this)
curry leaves
mustard seeds 1 tsp
shallots finely sliced 5-6
curry leaves
dry red chillies 3
curry leaves few

Method


-Use a clay pot or heavy bottomed pan.Add the toor/tuvar dal enough water to cook,add salt & turmeric powder.Bring to boil,let it cook until 2/3 cooked.(refer notes)
-Add the vegetables, asafoetida. at this point except tomato.Cook again until tender.
-In the mean time,dry roast the coconut in another non stick pan.Wait till the color changes to evenly brownish(don't burn it up,keep stirring & keep on medium flame)Add the spices on low flame,warm it up.Put off flame.(Refer pics below)
-Cool down and grind adding little water to a smooth paste.
-Add this to the boiling vegetables,add tomato.Bring to boil.Wait till it thickens for 7 minutes.
-In another pan,temper the sambhar by adding 2tsp of oil in the pan and splutter mustard seeds,fry curry leaves and red dry chillies.Saute shallots till pinkish brown,Add this on the cooked sambhar.
-Serve with rice!!