Sambars Recipes - Pepper Sambar

Ingredients

• 1 lemon-sized tamarind

• 450 ml/3/4 pt/2 cups water

• 15 ml/1 tbsp black peppercorns

• 15 ml/1 tbsp yellow split peas

• 5 ml/1 tsp coriander ( cilantro) seeds

• 2 dried red chilies

• 2.5 ml/1/2 tsp asafetida

• 30 ml/2 tbsp oil

• 5 ml/1 tsp mustard seeds

• salt

• 15 ml/1 tbsp chopped fresh curry leaves

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Method:

1. Soak the tamarind in the water and extract the juice then set aside. Dry roast the peppercorns, split peas, cor­iander seeds, chilies and asafetida until lightly colored then grind to a fine powder.   

2. Add a little water to make a paste then set aside. Heat half the oil and fry the mustard seeds until they start crackling. 

3. Add the tamarind juice and salt to taste, cover and sim­mer over a low heat for 2 minutes.

4. Add the paste and bring to the boil. Stir in the remaining oil and curry leaves and simmer for 10 minutes until the ingredients are well combined. Serve hot with rice.