Sambar is a very ancient south Indian recipe.It is a dal based vegetable stew,served usually with rice in both formal and everyday south Indian cuisine.Different variations of this recipe have been developed and adapted thoroughout southern India,mostly using toor dal,tamarind pulp,vegetables and spice mix.Taste differs depending on the selection of the vegetables and the spices used.Sambar is also served as a side dish with idly,dosai and vada for breakfast.
 This is my variation.

Ingredients:
1 cup Toor dal
1/2 cup Vegetables,cut into big chunks
juice of a lemon sized tamarind
10 pearl onions
1/2 Tomatoe,diced
4-5 Green Chillies,cut lengthwise
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
2 Tbsp Sambar powder
a pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
For Seasoning:
1/4 Tsp Mustard
1/2 Tsp Urud Dal
1/8 Tsp of Fenugreek Seeds
Few Curry Leaves
1-2 Red Chillies
2 Tbsp oil
To Garnish:
Corriander Leaves,chopped



Method:
1.Wash and cook the dal and mash it well and keep aside.

2.In a deep pan,heat oil and add mustard seeds,urud dal,fenugreek seeds,curry leaves and 2 red chillies.

3.Then add slit green chillies,vegetables,salt and saute for a while.Add water and cook the vegetables fully.

4Add the tamarind juice and cook till the raw smell goes off.

5.Mix the sambar powder and a pinch of asafoetida in little water,just to make sure there are no lumps and add it to the boiling mixture and cook for a minute or two.

6.Then add the cooked dal and bring it to a boil till everything is mixed well.

7.Garnish with corriander leaves and serve hot.

To cook the toor dal:
1.Wash a cup of dal and add 3 cups of water and add turmeric powder and a tsp of oil and pressure cook it for 3 to 4 whistles.Then mash it to a fine paste.By adding oil,the dal cooks quickly.
2.Vegetables Chioces - Onions, Raddish, potato, green peas,drumstick, green peppers(Capsicum), pearl onions, okra, eggplant,pumpkin, chowchow

3.Add tamarind juice only after the veges are completely cooked.If you add tamarind before, veges will take forever to cook.