• Drumsticks , 2 1/2 inch pieces 10-12 pieces
• Asafoetida a pinch
• Mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon
• Whole dry red chillies 4
• Curry leaves 10-12
• Sambhar onions, peeled 10-12
• Tamarind pulp 1 tablespoon
• Sambhar masala 1 1/2 teaspoons
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped 1/4 cup

METHOD

• Wash and pressure-cook dal in three cups of water with turmeric powder and one teaspoon oil.
• Mash the cooked dal lightly with a wooden spoon.
• Boil pumpkin and drumsticks in two cups of water with salt till tender. Heat remaining oil in a thick-bottomed pan, add asafoetida, mustard seeds, broken red chillies,
• curry leaves and sambhar onions and sauté.
• Add half a teaspoon of sambhar masala and sauté for a minute.
• Add mashed dal and stir to mix well.
• Add tamarind pulp to the boiling vegetables and mix.
• Add this mixture to the dal mixture, mix well and let it come to a boil.
• Add the remaining sambhar masala and mix again.
• Adjust salt.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with idli, dosa, medu vada or with steamed rice.

Recipe Tip :

• You can use different vegetables like white radish, ladyfingers, pumpkin, brinjal, sambhar onions.
• Either individually or in any combination.
• In South India, each family has their own style of making sambhar.