Confused Sambar

Hello boys and girls!

Welcome to a fresh edition of cooking with Varun! So far, we've focused on lunch and dinner, and even dabbled with dessert and breakfast (I know, I know.. you're thinking, 'What else is there?'). Today we'll focus on a dish that sits well in all of the above (except dessert) and you might even be able to squeeze it in with a snack or ten. I speak of course of, sambar! Whether you eat it with fluffy idlis or crispy medu vadas or light, thin dosas or loaded utthapams or even the old staple rice, sambar is more than just a supporting act. It's the bedrock of our most favourite south Indian meals and is loved universally.

Remember how I said several blogs ago that we'd eventually cook north Indian fare pretending to be south Indian? Well, this is a prime example. Sambar has many variants depending on which part of the country you're eating in. Sambar in Bangalore tastes different from its counterpart in Hyderabad, which in turn varies in flavour and texture from its Chennai cousin, which is very different from its north Indian adaptation (well, you get the picture!). The sambar we are making today is the north Indian version (hence the 'Confused'). It will differ in consistency and texture from it's southern cousin but you should still find most of the same underlying flavours. Once you have mastered the art of making a decent sambar, its accompaniments are a mere stone's throw away and soon your favourite Udipi restaurant will be wondering what has happened to it's most loyal customer.

For Confused Sambar, you will need the following:

Toor dal                               1 cup
Onions                                 2 medium
Tomato                                1 large
Drumsticks                           2
Bottle gourd (lauki)              1/2
Haldi (turmeric) powder       1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder                  1 tsp
Sambar powder                    2-3 tsps
Mustard seeds                      1 tbsp
Dried red chillies                   2
Curry leaves                         tiny handful
Tamarind paste                    to taste 
Salt                                     to taste
Oil

Prep:

1. Locate your pressure cooker.
2. Dump the dal in the cooker.
3. Rinse the dal 3-4 times with cold water.
4. Cut the drumstick into finger sized pieces.
5. Chop the tomato.
6. Slice the onion lengthwise (thickly).
7. Cut the lauki into cubes.
8. If you have dried tamarind, cut off a chunk and toss it in a bowl with some hot water.
9. Squeeze the juice out of the tamarind until the water goes brown, the tamarind seeds pop out and your fingers go numb.

Method:

1. Turn on the gas.
2. Bung the cooker on.
3. Add water to the cooker so that the dal is submerged under at least 2 fingers of water.
4. Try and recollect what '2 fingers of water' means.
5. Think harder.
6. Successfully remember and add water. 
7. Sprinkle in the haldi and some salt.
8. Drop in the drumsticks, onions, tomatoes and lauki.
9. Put the lid on the cooker.
10. Crank the gas up to high.
11. Take a walk through the house as you wait for it to whistle.
12. Hurry to the kitchen as you hear the first whistle.
13. Turn another burner on.
14. Bung on a pan for the tadka.
15. Splash in some oil.
16. Count to 20 until the oil heats.
17. Prepare to add in the mustard seeds.
18. Jump as the second whistle startles you.
19. Gather up your scattered mustard seeds.
20. Add to the pan.
21. Add in the dried chillies and curry leaves.
22. Brace yourself for whistle #3.
23. Get hit with oil spatter because you were too busy bracing to grab a lid.
24. Curse and fumble with the lid.
25. Jump. (Yup. Whistle #3.)
26. Add in the chilli powder and sambar powder.
27. Cook for a minute.
28. Turn both burners off as you are greeted by whistle #4.
29. Take a 5 minute nap as the residual steam leaves the cooker.
30. Lift the weight on the cooker to make sure no more steam is trapped inside.
31. Open cooker.
32. Stick a wooden spoon in and mix the contents. (The veggies should be on the verge of melting at this point.)
33. Turn the cooker gas on.
34. Add in the tadka.
35. Add salt and tamarind to taste.
36. Simmer for a couple of minutes.
37. Turn gas off.
38. Serve with whatever you want to serve with.
39. Stuff face.
40. Bask in the glory of your successfully executed dish.

Tip: I personally prefer my sambar veggies melty. If you want them firm then add them just before the tadka and simmer until they are cooked. Also, feel free to add other veggies if you want.

And remember, overeating is a myth. A full tummy is a happy tummy!