Sambhar (peas with fresh vegetables)
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
- 1 c Split peas soaked
- 4 c Water
- 1 1/2 ts Salt
- 1/4 ts Turmeric
- 2 tb Oil
- 1 ea Eggplant cubed
- 1 pn Salt
- 2 tb Tamarind dried -=OR=-
- 1/2 c Lemon juice
- 1 c Boiling water
- 1/4 c Oil
- 1 pn Fenugreek seeds
- 1 pn Black mustard seeds
- 1/4 lb Green beans chopped
- 1 ea Green bell pepper chopped
- 6 sm White onions peeled
- 6 sm Radishes hlaved
- 2 ea Green chiles
- 1 ea Bay leaf
- 1 1/4 ts Sambhar spice
- 1/4 c Cilantro chopped
- 1 lg Tomato seeded & chopped
- 1/4 c Coconut
Instructions:
fresh chopped Combine split peas with water turmeric & salt. Boil for about an hour or until tender. Remove from heat. Place eggplant cubes into a bowl & sprinkle with salt. Toss & set aside for 40 minutes. Place tamarind in another bowl & add boiling water. Set aside for 15 minutes. Strain the tamarind through a sieve set over a bowl & squeeze out the liquid: discard the pulp. (Or use lemon juice). Drain eggplant on paper towels. Heat oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Fry fenugreek & black mustard seeds until the mustard starts to pop & crack open. Add beans pepper onions radishes chiles & bay leaf & cook for a couple of minutes. Add eggplant & continue to cook & stir for 5 minutes. Stir in the sambhar spice cilantro tomato & coconut & cook for another 2 minutes stirring gently. Cover & cook until the vegetables are cooked through. Mix in the reserved tamarind liquid or lemon juice & the boiled split peas. Stir to blend well & simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Serve with rice. Pranati Sen Gupta The Art of Indian Cuisine
