This recipe is from my good friend Anandhi. This is her mom’s recipe. We used to work together almost a decade back (gosh – its been a long time). At that time, the food at the canteen/food court was horrible. We were doing crazy night shifts at that time and we were so tired to get into the kitchen after we came back home. We did not have time to go out for dinner too. So we were stuck with the horrendous food from the food court. Our horrible meal times continued day after day. In-spite of the night shift and crazy 12-14 hour work days, she made this dal and brought one day. Food is memories. This is a simple everyday dal that’s so nourishing and a healthy meal. Anandhi is the most cutest and the sweetest person you will meet in life. Some people leave an indelible mark in our lives. Below is Anandhi with her daughter.
Here is the recipe for Madras Style everyday Sambar.
Boil 200 grams (3/4 cup) of toor-dal, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, cumin seeds and garlic (optional) with 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes (5 whistles). Let the pressure from the cooker release naturally. Set aside. Soak half a lime size tamarind in one cup of water for 20 minutes. Once the tamarind has been soaked, squeeze it between the fingers to release all the juices. Strain the juice. Set aside.
Clean the drumsticks, peel the outer skin of the drumsticks if its very hard. Chop them to 3 inch pieces. Set aside.
Heat sesame oil in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds (வெந்தயம்) and curry leaves. Let it splutter. Reduce the flame to low and add in the asafoetida, chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Fry for 10 seconds. Add 1 cup of water and the drumsticks.
Add in the tamarind juice to the pan. Add in the salt and jaggery. Anandhi’s mom does not use jaggery. I like a little jaggery in my sambar. Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for 10-15 minutes in medium flame until the drumsticks are soft and tender. Lightly mash the dal and the tomatoes in the pressure cooker with a ladle and add it to the pan. Add some water to the pan if the dal is very thick. Add water only if necessary. Let it simmer for 15 minutes.
Switch off the flame. Add in the coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.
- 200 grams Toor dal
- 4 medium sized Tomatoes
- 3 onions
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 cloves garlic (optional)
- 2 tablespoon sesame/gingely oil
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
- 1 tablespoon chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 Drumsticks
- half a lemon size Tamarind
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon jaggery (optional)
- 4 sprigs Coriander leaves
- Boil 200 grams (3/4 cup) of toor-dal, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, cumin seeds and garlic (optional) with 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes (5 whistles). Set aside. Soak half lime size tamarind in one cup of water for 20 minutes. Once the tamarind has been soaked, squeeze it between the fingers to release all the juices. Strain the juice. Set aside.
- Clean the drumsticks, peel the outer skin of the drumsticks a little if its very hard. Chop them to 3 inch pieces. Set aside.
- Heat sesame oil in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Let it splutter. Reduce the flame to low and add in the asafoetida, chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Fry for 10 seconds. Add 1 cup of water and the drumsticks.
- Add in the tamarind juice to the pan. Add in the salt and jaggery. I like a little jaggery in my sambar. Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for 10-15 minutes in medium flame until the drumsticks are soft and tender.
- Lightly mash the dal and the tomatoes in the pressure cooker with a ladle and add it to the pan. Let it simmer for 15 minutes.
- Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.
