Sambar Spicy Lentil And Vegetable Stew Food

SEASONED LENTIL STEW

Steps:

• Bring dal, 1 1/2 cups water, and turmeric to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to very low and cook, covered (check occasionally, and if mixture appears dried out, add up to about 1/4 cup water), until peas are soft and break when pressed with a spoon, about 30 minutes (45 minutes if using split peas).
• Meanwhile, dissolve tamarind concentrate in 2 tablespoons hot water, breaking it up with your fingers.
• Heat oil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook fenugreek seeds and asafetida, stirring, until fenugreek seeds begin to brown, about 30 seconds. Stir in remaining 2 cups water, potato, vegetables, chile, cilantro, sambar powder, tamarind mixture, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, until all vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Mash dal in saucepan with a potato masher or back of a spoon to form a coarse paste, then stir into vegetable mixture. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring in water as necessary to thin (consistency should be thinner than pea soup). Season with salt and lemon juice.

SAMBAR (SPICY LENTIL AND VEGETABLE STEW)

Steps:

• Combine water, toor dal, onion, tomato, pumpkin, okra, peas, and radishes in a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook until dal, pumpkin, and radishes start to soften, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat and add mustard seeds. Stir in garlic, red peppers, curry leaves, and sambar powder. Cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• Stir seasoned oil mixture into the stew and cook until flavors combine, 25 to 30 minutes more. Stir in tamarind, salt, and red chile powder.

LENTIL SAMBAR

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils, place them in a small saucepan with the 3 cups of water, and bring them to a boil.
• Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, until tender.
• Stir occasionally, adding more water if necessary.
• While the lentils are cooking, chop the onion, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and bell pepper into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
• Warm the oil in a pot and saute the mustard, fenugreek, and cumin seeds on medium heat, covering the pot and shaking it occasionally to prevent burning.
• When the mustard seeds begin to pop, stir in the turmeric, coriander, cinnamom, cayenne, and chopped chile and saute for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Stir in the tamarind liquid, then add the onions, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and salt and combine.
• Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the bell peppers, cover, and continue to cook until all of the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
• Drain the cooked lentils and stir them into the vegetable mixture.
• Reheat if necessary, then stir in the cilantro.
• Ladle over basmati rice and serve with Mango Peach Chutney and a generous dollop of yogurt,if desired.