Sambars Recipes - Dumpling Sambar

Ingredients

• 1 lemon-sized tamarind

• 450 ml/3/4 pt/2 cups water

• 4 dried red chilies

• 175 gl6 oz/l cup red lentils

• 2.5ml/1/2 tsp asafetida

• salt

• 15 ml/1 tbsp oil

• 2-3 curry leaves

Seasoning:

• 30 ml/2 tbsp gingerly oil

• 5 mill tsp mustard seeds

• 2.5ml/1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

• 2 dried red chilies, halved

• 2-3 curry leaves

• 2.5 ml/1 tsp asafetida

• 5ml/1 tsp split black beans

• 5 ml/1 tsp yellow split peas

• 5ml/1 tsp red lentils

• 15 ml/1 tbsp Sambar Powder 1 (see recipe)

• 30ml/2 tbsp ground jiggery

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Method:

1. Soak the tamarind In the water, extract the juice and set aside.

2. To make the dumplings, soak the lentils and challis in water for 2 hours then grind to a thick paste with the asafetida and a pinch of salt.    

3. Heat the oil and fry the paste and curry leaves for a few minutes then remove from the heat and shape Into small balls.  Steam on a rack in a pan of boil­ing water for 10-20 minutes until cooked through. Leave to cool.  Meanwhile heat the seasoning oil and fry the mustard and fenugreek seeds, chilies, curry leaves and asafetida until the mustard seeds start crackling.

4. Add the split beans, split peas and lentils and fry until golden. Add the sambar powder and fry for 1 minute. Add the tamarind juice, jiggery and a pinch of salt, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Add the dumplings and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Serve hot with rice.