Hotel style Sambar

Sambar, the most popular recipe of South-Indian cuisine, lentil-based vegetable stew based on a broth made with tamarind. Sambar is usually served with steamed rice as one of the main courses of both formal and everyday south Indian cuisine. A two-course meal of Sambar mixed with rice and eaten with some sort of vegetable side dish followed by yoghurt mixed with rice is a prime southern Indian staple.

Vada sambar and idli sambar are popular for breakfast or evening snack in the south Indian states. Roadside restaurants often offer free refills of sambar for idli and vada. Sambar is also served as a side dish for dosa. Hotel Sambar is different from the usual Sambar prepared at our home. The taste of the recipe is enhanced by a paste mixture. Hotel Sambar is made with a paste of fresh, grated and roasted coconuts and spices, instead of sambar powder. Hotel Sambar for breakfast is different from the one comes with rice. I have tried making the hotel Sambar for breakfast to serve with idli, vada or dosa. There will be a mild sweetness in the hotel style Sambar, it's because of the Jaggery.

Ingredients:

Toor Dal - 1 cup
Onion - 1 chopped
Tomato - 1 chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Small onion - 10 nos
Jaggery - 1 small piece
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Slit green chilli - 3 nos
Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 10 nos
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tsp

For Ground Masala paste : 

Chana Dal - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Raw rice - 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp
Dry red Chilli - 5 tsp
Soaked Tamarind - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Black Pepper - 1/4 tsp

For Masala paste : 

1. In a pan, dry roast Channa Dal, Urad Dal, Raw Rice, Coriander seeds, black pepper, Cumin seeds for 5 minutes 
   
   
   
   
   
2. When they start to browning, add dry red chilly and roast for 3 minutes and keep aside 
3. In the same pan, add grated Coconut & roast it till golden brown. 
   
4. In a mixer, put all the roasted ingredients together. Add soaked Tamarind & grind into fine paste. While grinding add Water.
   

For Dal : 

1. Soak Toor dhal for 30 minutes 
2. In a pressure cooker, add the soaked Toor Dhal, Onion, Tomato, Turmeric powder, Water & pressure cook for 3 whistles 
3. Mix the dhal mixture completely and keep aside 

For Sambar : 

1. In a pan, heat Ghee
2. Add Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek and curry leaves 
3. Add green chilly and mix well. 
   
4. Once the Mustard seeds start crackling, add the small onions and cook for 2 minutes 
5. Add cooked Dal and mix well 
   
6. Add the ground masala paste and salt
7. Add Jaggery piece and mix well till it get dissolved 
   
8. Dilute the Sambar with water and close with a lid for 5 minutes in low flame 
9. Before removing from heat, add asafoetida 
10. Garnish with chopped Coriander leaves.

Serve hot with idli, vada or dosa.