Arachuvitta Sambar – Lentil Soup (Version 2)

ST Authors meet – Day 4

Today is the forth day of  our meet and it is going great. It is snowing here. It is beautiful outside. We went to Cancun Mexican Grill for dinner. We had a good time together. And we watched a nice tamil movie (Shiva Manasula Shakthi). For lunch we prepared Arachuvitta Sambar, Vathakuzhambu (again), Cheppankizhangu fry, Carrot beans stir fry, Okra fry, rasam, fryums..wow!! It’s so nice to cook together and enjoy the food. I have gained a couple of pounds this week alone. Hoping to lose it after I get back home ;).

I am glad to share the recipe for Arachuvitta Sambar today. It is one of the most day to day dish in my house and one of my all time favorite. You can serve it along with white rice or Idli/dosa, Ven pongal, Upma. Here you go…

Preparation time: 30 minutes

No. of servings: 4

Spice level: 3.5 out of 5

Ingredients:

• Toor dal (pigeon peas) – 1 cup
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Pearl onions – 2 cups
• Cut Drumstick – 6 to 7 pieces
• Whole tamarind – 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

For Masala :

• Oil – 1 tsp
• Coriander seeds – 2 tbsp
• Channa dal (Split chickpeas) – 1 tbsp
• Urad dal (white lentil) – 1 tsp
• Whole black pepper – 1 tsp
• Dry red chilies – 5
• Shredded coconut – 1/4 cup

For Seasoning:

• Oil – 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Dry red chili – 1
• Curry leaves
• Asafoetida – a pinch

Method of Preparation:

1. Peel the skin off the onions and cut them into half.
2. Heat a cup of water and add whole tamarind. Squeeze and extract the juice. Keep it aside.
3. Pressure cook toor dal till it is mashed (for 3 or 4 whistle).
4. If you do not have a pressure cooker, boil toor dal till it is completely cooked.
5. Heat oil in a pan and add onions and keep 4 to 5 cut pieces aside.
6. Saute the onions till they are translucent.
7. Add the tamarind extract and add the drumstick and turmeric.
8. Let it boil till the drumsticks are cooked.
9. In between, heat oil in a pan, add all the masala ingredients one by one in the order except coconut.
10. Remove when the dal becomes golden brown.
11. Now add the shredded coconut and toss for a minute. Do not roast it.
12. Grind the masala ingredients with little water and the remaining 4 to 5 onions and make a paste.
13. It will add more flavor if you grind onions with the masala ingredients.
14. Mix it with the cooked toor dal and add it to the boiling tamarind extract.
15. Let it boil for a minute or two. Do not over boil it. Remove from heat.
16. Heat oil and add mustard seeds, dry red chili, curry leaves and asafoetida.
17. Add it to sambar.

🙂 Serve with white rice.