Sweet ‘n’ Sour Dal Soup with Mixed Vegetables SAMBAR

In South India, sambar is always made with toovar dal but it can be combined with almost any vegetable. Besides the green beans, carrots and eggplant suggested in this recipe, you could try broad beans, radishes, fennel root, kohlrabi, parsnip, cauliflower, summer or winter squash, snow peas or lima beans. It is traditionally fiery hot (I have seen cooks add handfuls of dried red chilies and spoonfuls of cayenne as well!). This recipe uses green chilies and cayenne, but it is entirely up to you to decide how much heat you wish to add. For authenticity I suggest that you allow the dish at least a hint of heat. The ingredient sambar masala can be purchased ready-made at an Indian grocery store. If you want to serve a festive South Indian meal for entertaining, try Sambar with Buttered Steamed Rice or Rice and Urad Dal Iddli . Add Green Beans with Crunchy Fried Mung Badi, Savory Urad Dal Doughnuts and Fresh Coconut, Tamarind and Coriander Leaf Chutney . For condiments, try Deep-Fried Stuffed Green Chilies and a bowl of buttermilk, sour cream or Homemade Yogurt . To complete the menu, try Date–Rice Pudding or Melt-in-Your-Mouth Chickpea Flour Fudge —or both.

Dal soaking time: 3–5 hours
Preparation time (after assembling ingredients): 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1½ hours or 40 minutes in a pressure cooker
Serves: 6 or 7

• ⅔ cup (135 g) split toovar dal or yellow split peas
• 6½ cups (1.5 liters) water (5½ cups/1.3 liters if pressure-cooked)
• ½ teaspoon (2 ml) turmeric
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) butter or ghee for dal
• 1½-inch (4 cm) ball of dried tamarind pulp
• 1 cup (240 ml) boiling water for tamarind
• ½ cup (45 g) fresh or dried shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) raw sugar or jaggery
• ¼–½ teaspoon (1–2 ml) cayenne pepper
• ⅔ cup (160 ml) water for coconut purée
• 4 tablespoons (60 ml) ghee or vegetable oil
• ½ tablespoon (7 ml) black mustard seeds
• 1–2 teaspoons (5–10 ml) minced seeded hot green chilies
• ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) fenugreek seeds
• ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) yellow asafetida powder ( hing) *
• 12–15 curry leaves, preferably fresh
• 1 cup (240 ml) green beans cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
• 1 cup (240 ml) carrots cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) slices
• 1 small eggplant, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
• 2 medium-sized firm ripe tomatoes, cut into quarters
• ½ tablespoon (7 ml) sambar masala
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) salt
• 2–3 tablespoons (30–45 ml) minced fresh parsley or coriander

* This amount applies only to yellow Cobra brand. Reduce any other asafetida by three-fourths .

1. Sort, wash and drain the toovar dal as explained on our blog . Place the toovar dal (or yellow split peas) in a bowl, cover with hot water and soak for 3–5 hours. Drain.
2. Combine the dal , 6½ cups (1.5 liters) of water, turmeric and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of butter or ghee in a 3–4-quart/liter nonstick saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to moderately low, cover with a tight-fitting lid and gently simmer for about 1½ hours or until the dal is soft and broken down. For pressure cooking, combine the ingredients in a 6-quart/liter pressure cooker, cover and cook under pressure for 20–25 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the pressure drop by itself before removing the lid.
3. Meanwhile, soak the tamarind in 1 cup (240 ml) of boiling water in a small bowl for 20 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind through your fingers to separate the pulp from the seeds and fiber. Force the pulp through a sieve, pressing out all of the juice. Discard any seeds and fiber.
4. Put the coconut, sugar, cayenne pepper and ⅔ cup (160 ml) of water in a blender, cover and blend at high speed until smooth.
5. Heat the 4 tablespoons (60 ml) of ghee or oil in a heavy 2½–3-quart/liter saucepan over moderate to moderately high heat. When it is hot, stir in the black mustard seeds, green chilies and fenugreek seeds and fry until the mustard seeds turn gray and sputter and pop and the fenugreek seeds darken a few shades.
6. Add the asafetida and curry leaves, then immediately add the green beans, carrots, eggplant, tomatoes, and sambar masala . Stir-fry for about 10 minutes. Pour in the tamarind pulp and coconut purée, partially cover and gently cook for 10–15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
7. Add the dal and the salt and, stirring constantly, simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish with minced herb and serve.