White Pumpkin Sambar

This is a tamilnadu style Sambar. I love this with idly, dosa, pongal and other tiffin items. The ground Masala added at the end gives the extra taste. This is a good combination for Idly, Paniyaram, dosa and Ven pongal. Recipe from my mom. This means fresh ground Sāmbhar. I.e. the powder for Sambhar is roasted and ground freshly along with the Sambhar Preparation. This is famous in most festivals and virundhus. South Indians need sambar as an accompaniment with a wide variety of dishes. Even though this sambar is very similar to another recipe the taste of this sambar is pretty different. I add lot of pumpkin into it. Pumpkin has lot of fiber. It gives very nice sweet flavor. With Tamarind sour taste and pumpkin sweet taste together it is really mouthwatering. This sambar goes very well with idly also. The taste of hot steaming rice with this fragrant sambar made with pumpkin which I learned it from my mom here I go with this receipe.Any one would be delighted to hear the recipe cooked with restaurant style at home. I am sure if you try once you will enjoy this sambar to the core.

 Prep time       :20 mins               Cook time          :15 mins          Serves        :6

Ingredients	Quantity
Toor dal	1 cup
White pumpkin	2 cups
Onion	1 no
Ripe tomatoes	5 no’s
Green chili	1 no
Garlic	3 cloves
Tamarind juice	3 tsp.
Jaggery(powdered)	1 tsp.
Turmeric powder	¼ tsp.
Sambar powder	2 tsp.
Salt	To taste
Oil	2 tbsp.

To grind

Red chili	6 no’s
Channa dal	1 tsp.
Cumin seeds	½ tsp.
Raw rice	1 tsp.
Grated coconut	1 tbsp.

To temper

Mustard seeds	½ tsp.
Cumin seeds	½ tsp.
Dry red chili	2 no’s
Hing	½ tsp.
Curry leaves	1 sprig
Cilantro	handful

 Method

1. Wash and soak Toor/Red gram dhal (Thuvaram paruppu) in water for at least 1 hour. Then pressures cook it with little salt until you get 3 to 4 whistles from your cooker. Once done and when the pressure releases, open and mash it immediately with a flat spatula or blend well and keep aside. Wash and cut Pumpkin into 2 inch pieces. If the skin is soft you can cook with Skin 2. Pressure cook pumpkins separately with a dash of turmeric powder, little salt and water (Maximum 2 whistles) and set aside.In a small pan, add little oil, fry the raw rice in “To Grind section” for 1 minute. Fry the coconut separately for 2 minutes. Fry the remaining items in the “To Grind” for 2 minutes. Allow it to cool down. Grind all these together to a fine powder.Soak tamarind in ½ cup of water and extract the juice. Chop Onion, Tomato. Split open green chili.3. In another pan heat oil and mustard. When the mustard starts spluttering add cumin seeds, dry red chili, Hing, big onion, garlic, green chili, Curry Leaves, tomato and fry till the tomato is cooked. Now add 2 cups water, salt, tamarind pulp, cooked toor dhal or Thuvaram paruppu, cooked pumpkin pieces and spice powder. Allow it to boil for 3 – 5 minutes until the raw tamarind smell leaves. Stir often to avoid burning the bottom.4. Add Ground powder – 2 tsp., Sugar and mix well. Tastes the dhal, if required add some more ground powder. Do NOT add all the ground powder as it would turn the recipe overwhelming with spices. Add little by little until your taste buds feels right. Let this soupy gravy come to a boil, add ghee at this stage, taste for salt and garnish with coriander leaves.

Linking this to the event "Eat Vegetables Stay Healthy" sponsored by Just Eat.