Tiffin Sambar

They say that (having) money takes away your peace of mind. The cycle of making more and maintaining what you have, is sure a strain on the mind as well as the body.

If the above is true, you are looking at a very peaceful person, with absolutely no strain whatsoever in body and mind.

We made our payments to the builder, including the huge extra amount he asked us to dish out at the very last minute. And that sure has squeezed us dry.  Well, I guess our builder needs the money to continue sponsoring the cricket league matches here!

So, instead of getting our kitchen and interiors designed, me and my husband are totally relaxed, not even bothering to check up kitchen designs online. If we were getting our kitchen done, I would either be hunting for an architect/decorator or searching for designs online now.

Blogging would have definitely taken a back seat and all the energy would be in  the interior design. I don’t think I would have been able to write about or enjoy  small things in life, like this tiffin sambar.

Yeah, they are right. Not having money, does bring peace of mind of its own :-).

Ingredients:

• Moong dal                     :       1/2 cup, cooked
• Onion                              :       1 medium, chopped
• Tomato                          :       1 medium, chopped
• Tamarind paste          :       1/2 tbsp (optional)
• Sambar powder          :       1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder      :       1/2 tsp
• Water                              :       2 -3 cups
• Salt

Tempering

• Mustard seeds            :        1 tsp
• Methi seeds                 :         1 tsp
• Curry leaves               :          5-6 leaves
• Pearl onions                :          3-4, sliced
• Oil/Ghee

Method:

1. Mash the cooked dal and keep aside.
2. Heat one tbsp oil in a pan and saute the onions. When they are turn pink, add the tomatoes and cook till they are mushy.
3. Dilute the tamarind paste in a cup of water and add the sambar powder and mix to ensure there aren’t any dry lumps.
4. Add this to the tomatoes and onions. Add one more cup of water and let it come to a boil. Let it cook for about 5-8 minutes, until the ‘raw’ smell of tamarind goes away.
5. Now add the mashed dal and salt and let it come to a boil again. Cook for a further 5 minutes, till the sambar is thick. Check the seasonings and adjusting it. Add some more water and cook for some  more time,  if the sambar is too thick. Take off the heat and keep aside.
6. For tempering the sambar, heat the oil or ghee in a small kadai. Add the mustard seeds and once it splutters, add the methi seeds and curry leaves. When the seeds become darker, add the sliced pearl onions and saute till brown. Add this to the sambar.
7. This sambar goes well with all South Indian tiffin items.

Linked to:

• Blogging Marathon, Cook By Alphabets theme – the letter ‘T’
• The Kerala Kitchen, hosted this month by Ramya’s Recipes
• My Legume Love Affair #46