Varutharacha Sambar

Samabar prepared in fried coconut gravy

Ingredients
Parippu/ Dal ½ cup
Potato 1
Tomato 1
Onion 1
Drum stick/ muringakkai pieces 6 or Ladies finger/ vendakkai 6
Ash gourd/ Kumbalanga pieces ½ cup
Brinjal/vazhuthananga 1 or 2
Raw banana 1
Curry leaves few
Coriander powder 2 table spoons
Turmeric powder 1 tea spoon
Chilli powder 1 tea spoon or as desired
Uluva/ fenugreek seeds ¼ tea spoon
Coconut grated ½ cup
Asafetida/ Kayam small pieces 2 or as desired
Tamarind/ puli 1 lemon size ball soaked in water
Coconut oil
Mustard seeds
Cumin seeds a pinch
Red chillies 1 or 2
Salt

For ground paste

Fried coconut and masalas prepared for sambar

Heat little oil in a pan. Add asafetida piece (see the size in photo). Roast it. When it is crispy, take it out, and press it with a spoon and crumble. Roast fenugreek seeds in the above oil, add coconut, a pinch of fennel seeds/ perumjeerakam , few curry leaves. When it is brown add 1 table spoon of coriander powder and stir for few seconds. Blend this masala with enough water and the crumbled asfoetida/kayam.

Kayam/Asafoetida

I wouldn’t use asafetida powder, adding this piece gives extra aroma to the sambar.

How to prepare
Chop all vegetables.

Keep ladies finger, brinjal and tomatoes separately.

Cook dal with ½ tea spoon turmeric, salt and water.

Mix chopped onion, potato, raw banana pieces, ash gourd pieces, 1 table spoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt in tamarind pulp and enough water to cover the vegetables.

Put one small asafetida piece in this.

Add this with the cooked dal.

Cook till the vegetables are done.

Then add brinjal pieces.

When it is half done, add vendakkai pieces, tomato and masala mixture.

Cook till tomatoes are done.

Heat little coconut oil.

Splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds, stir red chillies and curry leaves.

Pour this into sambar.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with rice, pappadam,pickle and curd.

This is my own recipe. You can reduce the amount of asafoetida according to your taste.