This aromatic mixture of split peas and vegetables is a staple in the South Indian diet. It always accompanies favorite snacks such as dosas (lentil crêpes) and idlis (lentil dumplings). A traditional Sadhya feast wouldn't be complete without this flavorful source of protein. Asafetida (a garlicky resin from the sap of a fennel-like plant; it's often used in lentil dishes) and fenugreek provide its pleasantly pungent aroma. This recipe is part of our menu for Sadhya, a South Indian feast.
•Indian ingredients can be mail-ordered from Kalustyans.com.
•To make your own sambar powder: Mix 3 teaspoons ground coriander, 3/4 teaspoon ground cuminutes, and 1/8 teaspoon each of ground turmeric, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and asafetida.
•Chile can be removed during cooking when stew is spicy enough for your taste.
•Sambar can be made 2 days ahead and chilled.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour
Yield
Makes 6 servings (as part of a large meal)
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring dal, 1 1/2 cups water, and turmeric to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to very low and cook, covered (check occasionally, and if mixture appears dried out, add up to about 1/4 cup water), until peas are soft and break when pressed with a spoon, about 30 minutes (45 minutes if using split peas).
Step 2
Meanwhile, dissolve tamarind concentrate in 2 tablespoons hot water, breaking it up with your fingers.
Step 3
Heat oil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook fenugreek seeds and asafetida, stirring, until fenugreek seeds begin to brown, about 30 seconds. Stir in remaining 2 cups water, potato, vegetables, chile, cilantro, sambar powder, tamarind mixture, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, until all vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
Step 4
Mash dal in saucepan with a potato masher or back of a spoon to form a coarse paste, then stir into vegetable mixture. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring in water as necessary to thin (consistency should be thinner than pea soup). Season with salt and lemon juice.
