Ingredients for preparing Vendakka Sambar
- Ladies finger : Vedakkai – 2 cups
- Shallots : Kujulli -1 cup
- Tomato : Thakkali – 2
- Green chillies : Pachai milagu – 2 nos.
- Toor dal : Sambar Parippu – 1 cup
- Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp
- Tamarind : Puli – gooseberry sized ball
- Grated Coconut – 1 cup
- Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
- Coriander powder – 2 tsp
- Fenugreek seeds powder : uluva – 1 tsp
- Asafoetida powder : kayam – A pinch
- Coconut oil – As needed
- Mustard : Kadugu -1 tsp
- Cumin seed : jeerakam – ½ tsp
- Dry red chilli – 2
- Curry /coriander leaves – few
- Salt as needed
Steps for preparing Vendakka Sambar
- At first, wash toor dal for 2 to 3 times and soak in water for 15 to 30 minutes, pressure cook dal with 2 cups of water and a pinch of turmeric powder till the dal is soft and completely cooked; keep it aside.
- Heat oil in a pan, add chopped ladies finger, onion and green chillies. Fry the vegetables until the stickiness of ladies finger goes away. Then it is time to add chopped tomato, mix well and cook on a low flame after covering the pan with the lid.
- Soak tamarind in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes. Once the tamarind gets soft, squeeze the juice out of it.
- Meanwhile roast grated coconut with curry leaves till the colour slightly changes to light brown, keep the flame into medium. Add red chilli powder and coriander powder, mix well. Allow the grated coconut mixture to cool naturally; then grind it with water to fine paste.
- Transfer the cooked vegetables in to the pressure cooker containing cooked dal, mix well. Bring the dal-vegetable mixture to a boil; add tamarind juice, salt (as needed), asafoetida powder and fenugreek seeds powder.
- After that, add ground coconut paste, mix well. Boil the mixture on low flame till the gravy thickens.
- Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seed. when they splutter, add dry red chillies, cumin seeds and curry leaves; give a quick stir-fry. Pour the whole tempering to the sambar. For garnishing, add some chopped coriander leaves.
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