Sambar ( indian dhal curry)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup yellow dhal/lentils
• 1 radish (300 g - remove skin and cut into chunks)
• 8 small shallots (remove skin)
• 6 cloves garlic (remove skin and crushed lightly)
• 1 medium size tomato (cut into 8 pieces)
• 7 dried whole red chillies
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 1/2 tablespoons plain chilly powder (or as your prefer)
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron/kunyit powder
• 3 tablespoons thick tamarind juice
• 1 sprig curry leaf
• 1 stalk coriander leaf (sliced)
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 litre water
• salt to taste

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Preparation

• Soak the dhal for 1/2 hour. Wash and add into a pot with 1/2 litre of water. Cook until dhal becomes soft and tender.
• Heat the oil in a separate wok and when oil is heated, add in the radish, shallots, tomatoes and garlic. Fry for about 5 minutes before adding in the dried chillies, curry leaf, mustard and cumin seeds.
• Fry until the seeds start to pop. Add all these fried ingredients into the pot of boiled dhal as well as the balance of 1/2 litre of water, chilly powder, saffron powder, tamarind juice and salt to taste.
• Mix all together and cook until the radish becomes soft.
• Finally, put in the coriander leaves, mix again and off the heat.