My husband had been travelling for the past two weeks. He came back only today morning. He had told me that he was getting sick of eating out and was just waiting to come back to home food.

So, our lunch at home was his favourite menu, a traditional and simple Tamil Brahmin meal. Arachuvitta sambar is one of his favourite, specially if it’s made shallots. That’s what I have made today:)

This sambar is generally made on festival days or when guests come home. In this sambar, instead of sambar powder, fresh roasted and ground spices are added which makes it very aromatic and yummy 🙂

Ingredients

Tuvar dal – 1 cup

Tamarind – lemon sized

Peeled shallots – 1 cup

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Grated jaggery – 1 tsp

Salt to taste

For the masala

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Coriander seeds ( dhania) – 3 tsps

Chana dal ( bengal gram/ kadala paruppu) – 2 tsps

Pepper – 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds ( methi/ vendayam) – 1/2 tsp

Red chillies – 6-8

Grated coconut – 4 tbsps

Curry leaves – few
For tempering

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Oil – 2 tsp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Curry leaves- few

Hing ( asafoetida/ perungayam) – 1/8th tsp

Method

Soak the tamarind in 2 cups of water for 30 mins. Squeeze well and take the extract.

Wash and soak tuvar dal for 30 mins. Drain the water completely. Add 1+1/2 cups of fresh water, 1/4th tsp of turmeric and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. It should be cooked very soft.

To the tamarind extract, wash and add the shallots, remaining turmeric powder, jaggery and salt. Let it boil well it the shallots becomes soft.

Roast all the ingredients except the coconut mentioned for the masala in little oil. Cool and grind it along with the coconut to a smooth paste.

Add the ground paste, cooked and mashed tuvar dal and 2 cups of water to the boiled tamarind mixture. Mix well . Check the consistent and add more water if required.

Check for the seasonings. Let the sambar simmer for few mins.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard. When it starts spluttering, add curry leaves and hing. Sauté for few seconds and add the tempering to the sambar.

Serve the sambar hot with steamed rice/ idli / dosa 🙂