Sambar

Wash red gram dal well. Drain. Place dal in a heavy saucepan. Cover with 2 cups water and bring to a boil. When boiling, cover pan with a lid, leaving slightly ajar. Lower the heat, and simmer dal gently for 1½ hours. Set dal aside without draining 2. Soak the tamarind in 1 cup hot water for 15 minutes. Strain the tamarind water into another container, squeezing as much liquid as possible out of the tamarind pulp. Discard the pulp. Set the juice aside 3. Select enough vegetables to fill approx.1 cup when chopped. Peel and prepare as necessary. Chop into 1 cm ( ½ in) pieces. Set aside TEMPERING: 1. Heat 1½ tbsps. oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the mustard seeds, asafoetida power, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, halved red chili, and a few curry leaves 2. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the slit green chilies and chopped vegetables. Sauté for a couple of minutes 3. Add tamarind juice, 1 cup water, salt to taste, ground turmeric, and Sambar Powder . Cover and simmer over a low heat until the vegetables are tender 4. Add the undrained cooked dal. Simmer for 5 minutes, until thoroughly blended. If the sambar needs to be thickened, make a smooth paste of the rice flour in 2 tbsps.extra water. Add to the sambar and cook for 2-3 minutes 5. Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice.