Arachuvitta sambar

Arachi vitta Sambhar அறச்சு விட்ட சாம்பார்

This is also called 'kalyana sambhar' as most of the South Indian brahmin marriages serve this. Onion is the best ingredient as the veggie that goes into the sambhar. During festival days when onion is not to be consumed, bindi ( ladies finger) is the best choice. Of course , brinjal,flat beans are also good choices.
Ingredients to serve for four:

1. Sambhar powder - 1 teaspoon
2. Cut pieces of ladies finger ( bhindi) or brinjal or small peeled onions or flat beans (avarakkai அவரக்காய்) - 1 cup
3. Toordal - 1/2 cup
4. Tamarind  -lemon size or Tamarind paste 1 teaspoon. 
5. Channa dal - 6 teaspoons or 2 tablespoons
6. Dried red chillies - 5 or 6 ( remove the stalks)
7. Coriander seeds -6 teaspoons or 2 tablespoons
8. Urad dal - 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
9. Coconut - 1 teaspoon
10. Tomato - 1 (optional) 
11. Salt to taste.

Pre-preparation:

1. Dissolve the tamarind in 1 and  1/2  cups of water and keep it aside. ( if you are using raw tamarind, dissolve  using warm water, mash it with your fingers and filter to remove the debris and fibres)
2. Clean the toor dal and put it in the cooker vessel.
3. Add 1 cup of water and add the turmeric powder
4. Pressure cook for 20 minutes ( till the dal becomes soft and mash able).

Masal grinding:

1. Using a spoon oil, fry the red chillies, coriander seeds,urad dal, channa dal,coconut and grind them with the tomato to a fine paste. Keep aside.      

Preparation:

1. Pour two teaspoons of oil in a skillet ( kadai). Put the mustard seeds. Wait till they splutter. Add the hing and the choice of cut vegetables, a few curry leaves (or the small onions). Add sambhar powder and thoroughly mix with the vegetables.
2. Add the tamarind water.Add salt. Let this boil for 10 minutes till the raw aroma of the sambhar powder disappears.
3. Add the ground masal and let this boil for 7-8 minutes.
4. Take out the dal, mash the dal with a hand churner or a thick spoon and pour this  into the boiling sambhar.
5. Add the curry leaves, Coriander leaves. 
6. Cook in a low flame till the smell of the dal disappears and the and you see the sambhar boiling with bubbles in them.
7. For more flavor you can add some more curry leaves at this stage.