Sambar Veg Curry

Ingredients

• 4 tsps salt
• 2 1/4 tbsps garam masala (sambar garam masala powder i use the mtr madras sambar masala powder brand that s the brand i love the)
• 1 1/2 tbsps asafetida powder (hing in hindi)
• 1 cup yellow lentils (cleaned washed soaked in plenty of water and drained toor dal)
• 1 1/2 cups yams (peeled washed and diced, sooran in hindi)
• 1 potato (peeled washed and diced)
• 5-6 garlic cloves (peeled washed and slit lengthwise slit each clove of garlic into 3 parts lengthwise)
• 1 carrot (peeled washed and diced)
• 1/2 cup beans (flat indian, washed ends trimmed and chopped into 1 inch size pieces commonly called guavar in hindi)
• 2 vegetables (drumsticks washed peeled ends trimmed and chopped into 2 inch sized pieces)
• 3 cups water
• 2 tsps turmeric (powder)
• 2 green chilies (washed and slit lengthwise)
• 20 curry (fresh, leaves washed and torn between the palms of your hands)
• 1 tsp cumin seed
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 5-6 tbsps oil
• 1 tomato (washed peeled and chopped)
• 10-12 okra (washed and chopped into 1 inch size pieces commonly called ladyfingers or bhindi in hindi)
• 5 chilies (red)
• 1/2 cup tamarind (pulp, juice)
• 1 tsp methi (seeds) 

Lets Get Cracking

1. Prepare the tamarind pulp by first soaking a few pieces of tamarind in 1-1/2 cups of hot water.
2. Squeeze the tamarind pieces as well as you can and allow the tamarind pulp (juice) to mix into the hot water. 
3. Once you have squeezed out half a cup, transfer this to a pot. 
4. Note that the consistency of the tamarind pulp should be such that you have more tamarind pulp and less water. 
5. Add the chopped ladyfinger to the pot. 
6. Allow to boil for 5 minutes. 
7. Remove from heat and keep aside. 
8. Now, take a large pot in which you will be preparing the sambar. 
9. Heat the pot on medium-high flame. 
10. Once its hot, pour 3 cups of water in it. 
11. Add the drained toor dal (yellow lentils) and mix well. 
12. Add garlic and mix well. 
13. Allow it to boil well (for about 15 minutes). 
14. Lower flame and add all the chopped and diced vegetables to the boiling lentils (toor dal). 
15. Mix in turmeric powder, asafoetida powder, salt and Sambar masala powder. 
16. Fold in the chopped tomatoes. 
17. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook until the tomatoes are softened and the veggies are tender. 
18. In the meantime, prepare the seasoning. 
19. For this, heat oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium-high flame. 
20. Once it's hot, add mustard seeds, methi seeds and cumin seeds. 
21. Allow to crackle and splutter. 
22. Once this stops, add curry leaves, green chillies and whole red chillies to the pan. 
23. Mix well and stir-fry for 2 minutes on medium flame. 
24. Remove the pan from heat. 
25. Add this seasoning to the sambar. 
26. Mix well, cook on simmer for 5 minutes and serve this wonderful curry immediately (hot) with cooked long-grain Basmati white rice and low-fat plain yogurt, if required.

Enjoy :) :) :)