I have learned to cook sambhar from a Tamilian friend of mine. On the contrary to Karnataka's sweet sambhar, I have always liked the tangy flavor of tamarind and the texture of dal in the sambhar along with vegetables and drumsticks. Sambhar poured over a bowl of rice toppled with a spoonful of hot ghee along with a cup of homemade curd is a real satisfactory meal for me. I couldn't ask more on sambhar-rice days.

100gm arhar dal (toor dal)

1 cup chopped carrots

3 cup chopped aubergine

1 medium sized potato, diced

1 large onion, roughly chopped

2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped

5-6 garlic pods

1 inch ginger

3-4 green chilies

2 tsp desi ghee

1/2 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)

1/2 tsp mustard seeds (rai)

A pinch of asafoetida

10-15 curry leaves

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp kashmiri red chili powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 1/2 tsp tamarind paste

Salt to taste

1/4 cup water

Chopped coriander leaves

In a pressure cooker, add washed arhar dal, tomatoes, salt, turmeric, tamarind paste and pressure cook on low flame for 10-15 minutes. Once done, mash the ingredients using a masher to blend everything evenly and keep aside.

In a kadhai, add ghee, keep it on low flame. When the ghee is hot, add asafoetida, rai and jeera. Once rai and jeera starts to splutter add curry leaves and sautee for a few seconds. Add chopped ginger and garlic, sliced green chilies and sautee for further 2-3 minutes. Add chopped onions and fry till golden brown. Add chopped vegetables and cook for 5-10 minutes till the vegetables are 70% cooked. Now add coriander powder, kashmiri red chili and cook the spices.

Add the cooked dal to the kadhai, mix well and add extra salt and water if needed. The consistency should not be too flowy, sambhar usually has a little thicker consistency. Cook for 5-10 minutes on low flame.

Garnish with coriander leaves in the end and serve with rice, hot ghee, curd and salad.

You can add vegetables of your choice in the sambhar and every vegetable will bring out a different flavor in it. My personal favorite is drumstick sambhar but the days when I don't have drumsticks handy I end up making vegetable sambhar.