Curry Leaf Sambar
Recipe ID        102
CurryType        Lentil/Dal
Strength         Nuclear
Recipe           This is very, very spicy! You can cut back
Description      on the
                 chiles, if you want, of course. I just made
                 this and it is
                 full of flavor.
Difficulty
Source           Dakshin -- An Earthly Delight Cookbook by
                 Chandra
                 Padmanabhan
Vegetarian       Yes
Vegan            No
Time to Prepare  Unspecified
TimeToCook       Unspecified
Number of
Servings         4
Ingredients      Paste
                 5-6 dried red chiles
                 1 tsp black peppercorns
                 1 tsp asafoetida powder
                 2 tsp black gram dal (washed urad dal),
                 picked over
                 and rinsed
                 1 1/2 tsp uncooked rice
                 approx. 30 curry leaves
                 a lemon-sized piece of tamarind pulp
                 a little water
                 2 cups water
                 salt to taste

                 For Tempering
                 2 Tbs. sesame oil
                 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
                 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
                 1 red chile, halved
Instructions     Paste: Place the red chiles, black
                 peppercorns,
                 asafoetida powder, black gram dal, and rice
                 in a heavy
                 frying pan or skillet. Heat through gently
                 until the spices
                 become fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Place in
                 an electric
                 blender or food processor. Add curry leaves,
                 tamarind
                 pulp, and very little
                 water. Blend to a fine paste.

                 Dissolve the paste in 2 cups water. Add
                 salt to taste
                 and set aside.

                 Tempering: Heat 2 Tbs sesame oil in a heavy
                 saucepan.
                 Add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds,
                 and halved
                 red chile. When the mustard seeds
                 splutter, add the
                 dissolved paste, and simmer until the
                 sambar thickens.
                 Serve hot with rice and roasted poppadoms.
Notes            This thick, spicy sambar should be eaten
                 with more rice
                 than is usual with other sambars. Mix 1/4
                 tsp ghee or oil
                 with the rice to help to bring out the
                 flavor.

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