Sambhar

Ingredients

Towar dal 1/2 cup
Tamarind - small lemon size
Turmeric powder (Haldi) - 1
Asafoetida - 1/4 spoon
Onion (small whole onions taste good) - cut into slight big pieces
Tomato - 1 (cut into slight big cube)
Potato - 1
Cauliflower - few florets
Brinjal (egg plant) - 2 small
Carrot - 1 (cut in small length wise)
Capsicum - 1 (cut in small length wise)

For Paste
Coriander seeds - 1 spoon
Chana dal - 1/2 spoon
Methi seeds - 1/4 spoon
Fresh Coconut grated 1/2 cup
Red chillies whole - 2
Oil

For the seasoning
Cilantro (Coriander leaves) - chopped small
Curry leaves
Mustard seeds
Ghee (optional)

Method:

Paste:
Fry coriander seeds, chana dal, methi seeds, red chilli whole in oil. Grind all this along with fresh coconut till it is smooth paste by adding some water.

Pressure cook towar dal and potato. Cut the boiled potato into cubes. Prepare tamarind pulp by soaking it in hot water for 10 minutes. Take tamarind pulp in a vessel, add turmeric powder, salt, hing and vegetables and boil until cooked. Add potato, paste and cooked dal. Boil for few minutes till all is mixed well.
Take oil/ghee in a small vessel for seasoning, add mustard seeds and when it splutters, add curry leaves. Pour this seasoning in sambhar. Add chopped coriander leaves.

This goes well with plain rice or idli and dosa.

Variations
1. Sambhar without coconut:
Follow the same procedure above, instead of adding the paste, add MTR Sambhar masala (or any other brand) in the begining to the tamarind pulp and vegetables while cooking.
2. You can make sambhar with only drumstick (vegetable).