Sambar

INGREDIENTS

1/2 medium Onion - cut into thin strips
2 medium Totamtoes - cubed
1/2 medium Carrot - cut into thin strips
4 cut frozen Drumsticks
1/4 cut Bottlegourd
2 Green Chillies - cut lengthwise
4 Curry Leaves
2 to 4 tsp Tamarind Paste
1 cup Toor Dal
61/2 cups Water
1 tsp Tumeric
Sambar Powder
Salt to Taste

TADKA

Mustard Seeds
Jeera
3 Red Chillies

PROCEDURE

First cook the toor dal in a pressure cooker with 2 cups water and tumeric.

In a microwave safe bowl, add carrots, drumsticks, and bottlegourd in a 1/2 cup water and cook them in the microwave for 5 minutes.

In the mean time, in a cooking pot, heat the oil and add all the tadka items. When the mustard splutters, add the onion, green chillies and curry leaves and let the onion soften. Now add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes look done. Now add the microwaved vegetables. Add tumeric, and a 1/4 tsp salt, and 1 cup water. Red Chilli Powder can also be added at this time, is you like your sambar spicier. Cover and let this water come to a boil, this will ensure that the vegetables are thoroughly cooked. Now add the tamarind paste, the cooked toor dal, 3 cups water, salt to taste, and the sambar powder. Let it all come to a boil.
Garnish with chopped cilantro (optional).
Serve with rice.