Sambar is a very popular dish in southern regions of India especially in Tamil Nadu. Sambar with rice is one of the main courses of both formal and everyday south Indian cuisine. Sambar is also served for lunch and dinner, commonly with idly, vadai or dosa along with variety of chutneys.

I prepared sambar with venthaya keerai / fenugreek leaves / methi leaves which goes well with hot rice and even with idly, dosai etc.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup - Venthaya keerai / fenugreek leaves /methi leaves
• 1/4 cup - Red gram / thuvaram paruppu / toor dal
• 10 nos -  Sambar onion / small onion
• 1 nos - Tomato (Chopped)
• 1 no - Tamarind (gooseberry sized)
• 1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp - Sambar powder or red chilli powder
• Coriander leaves for garnishing.
• Salt to taste

For grinding:

• 1 tsp - Oil
• 2 tbsp - Grated coconut
• 1 1/2 tbsp - Coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp - Bengal gram / kadalai paruppu
• 1 or 2 nos - Dry red chillies
• 1/2 tsp - Raw Rice

Seasonings:

• 1 tbsp – Oil
• 1/2 tsp – Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp – Cumin seeds
• 5 no – Curry leaves
• 2 pinches – Asafoetida

Preparation method:

1. Pressure cook Red gram (thuvaram paruppu), garlic, pinch turmeric, water and ghee for up to 5 or 6 whistles(depends upon the paruppu/dal), keep it aside.
2. Soak tamarind in 1/4 cup of warm water and squeeze off the pulp.
3. Heat a tsp of oil in a pan, roast coriander seeds, bengal gram, red chillies and rice until they are golden brown in color. Finally add grated coconut and switch off the stove, then saute coconut for few seconds. Allow them to cool completely, grind it to a fine paste and keep it aside.
4. Heat oil in the same pan, season with items given in the list for seasoning. Add sambar onion, saute for few seconds. Then add washed fenugreek leaves / venthaya keerai and saute until they are 1/2 done.
5. Add tomato, saute until mushy. Add turmeric powder, sambar powder along with required salt, saute until raw smell goes.
6. Now add tamarind water along with 1 cup plain water, bring it to boil and cook until raw smell of tamarind goes.
7. Add cooked red gram / toor dal, allow them to boil. Add ground masala paste and adjust the consistency of the sambar by adding water. It should not be too thick nor too thin, so adjust accordingly. Check for salt and garnish with coriander leaves, serve with hot rice or even with idly or dosai.

Notes:

• You can increase dry red chillies and reduce sambar powder / red chilli powder in this recipe.