Pulingari (Easy Sambar)

Pulingari or an easy version of sambar is again one of the specialities of my mom in law. She makes it almost every week and it is a fast and easy recipe. It goes very well with rice as well as idli/dosa. You can add vegetables of your choice. You can even make it entirely with shallots alone. This tastes almost like the sambar which you make using store bought sambar powder.

Ingredients:

• Tuvar dal 3/4 -1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Turmeric powder 1 tsp
• Chilli powder 2 tsp
• Coriander powder 3 tsp
• Onion 1
• Tomato 1
• Ladies finger 10-12
• Shallots 4-5
• Curry leaves 2-3 sprigs
• Refined oil 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds 1 tsp
• Fenugreek powder 1/2 tsp
• Tamarind 1 lime size
• Dried red chillies 2
• Coriander leaves 1-2 sprigs

Method:

• Wash and soak the dal for an hour. Cook it in a pressure cooker with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder.
• Slice the onion, tomato and cut the ladies finger into 2 inch long pieces.
• Saute the ladies finger in little oil for 5-6 minutes.
• Cook the onion, tomato in some water along with salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder.
• Soak the tamarind in little water and strain it.
• Add the sauteed ladies finger and the tamarind pulp and bring to a boil.
• Mash the cooked dal and add it to the vegetable mixture and boil well. Adjust the salt and add a pinch of sugar to balance the flavours.
• Heat oil in a kadhai and ad the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add finely chopped shallots, dry red chillies, curry leaves and fry. Add fenugreek powder and stir well.
• Add this tadka to the curry and garnish with roughly chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with steamed rice or idli/dosa.

Notes:

• This is almost similar to our sambar, the only difference being we use roasted coconut in sambar.
• You can use vegetables like brinjal, ash gourd, drumstick instead of ladies fingers.