Vegetable Sambar (for 2–3 people)

Sambar, the South Indian dal-and-vegetable dish, sharpened with tamarind and spices — served over rice.

Ingredients

The dal (pressure cooker):

• 50 g dal
• 1 onion
• 1 tomato
• 1 chilli
• 4–5 garlic cloves
• 1 large glass of water

The vegetables:

• 1 drumstick
• 1 aubergine
• 1 pack of peas
• 1 carrot
• 4–5 green beans
• ½ onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• mustard seeds, curry leaves
• sunflower oil
• puli (tamarind), sambar powder, turmeric, water

Preparation

1. Put the dal, onion, tomato, chilli, garlic and water in the pressure cooker; stop after 3 whistles.
2. Cut the vegetables into pieces. Heat the oil and add, in order: mustard seeds, curry leaves, ½ onion, garlic, then the vegetables; cook 5 minutes.
3. Reserve the water from the cooker. Steep a piece of puli in it. Add the cooker’s contents (without its water) to the pan, then a little cooking water, turmeric and the sambar powder (½ pack).
4. Dissolve the puli in ½ glass of water, discard the puli, add this water. Season with salt.