Sambar

Ingredients

• 200 g red lentils, rinsed until the water runs clear
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 pinch asafoetida
• 15 curry leaves
• 8 shallot, peeled and left whole
• 2 carrot, cut into short batons
• 1 eggplant, cut into large chunks
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1¼ l water
• 3 tomato, quartered
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1½ tsp salt
• 3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Method

1. 1.

   Temper the mustard seeds — Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat and add the mustard seeds. As soon as they pop, add the asafoetida and two thirds of the curry leaves and let them crackle for 20 seconds.

2. 2.

   Fry the vegetables — Add the whole shallots and fry for 3 minutes until they colour at the edges, then stir in the carrot and eggplant and turn them in the oil for 2 minutes so the eggplant starts to soften.

3. 3.

   Simmer the lentils — Stir in the lentils, turmeric, ground coriander and chilli powder, pour over the water and bring to the boil. Skim the foam, lower the heat and simmer partly covered for 25 minutes until the lentils have collapsed and the vegetables are tender.

4. 4.

   Add tomato and tamarind — Add the tomatoes, the tamarind paste and the salt and simmer for another 10 minutes. The tamarind should read as a clean, bright sourness behind the spice, not as a sharp edge.

5. 5.

   Loosen to a soupy stew — Whisk the stew briefly to break down any remaining lentils, then loosen it with hot water until it is pourable rather than thick — sambar should be a soupy stew. Simmer for a final 5 minutes and check the salt.

6. 6.

   Finish with curry leaves — Scatter over the remaining curry leaves and the cilantro and let the pot stand for 5 minutes off the heat. Serve in bowls over plain rice, or alongside dosa or upma.