Sambar for Idlis

Ingredients:

Toor Dal – 1 cup (Red Gram Dal)
Peeled Small Onions – 1 cup (Pearl Onions)
Ripe Medium sized Tomatoes – 2 finely chopped
Tamarind Concentrate – 1 teaspoon ( If you are using Tamarind, take extract from 1 medium lemon size tamarind)
Salt
Curry Leaves
Mustard Seeds – 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida
Oil – 2 teaspoons

Roast and grind:

Dhania – 3 teaspoons
Urud Dal ( Black Gram Dal) – 2 teaspoons
Cumin Seeds – 1 ½ teaspoons
Channa Dal (Bengal Gram Dal) – 3 tablespoons
Red Chillis
Fenugreek – a little less than ¼ teaspoon

Method:

Cook Toor Dal in Pressure Cooker, Mash well and keep it aside.

Heat oil, add Mustard Seeds, when it sputters, add ¾ cup Pearl Onions. Fry for a minute and add enough Water, Curry leaves and boil till Onions become tender.

Fry the remaining Onions and the chopped Tomatoes using very little oil. Fry for a couple of minutes and let it cool. Then, grind this along with the Ground Powder and keep it aside.

When the Onions are cooked, add the Tamarind Extract, Asafoetida and Salt and let it boil for sometime. Add the Ground paste and stir well for a couple of minutes. Reduce the heat and add the cooked Toor Dal and stir.

Serve hot with Soft Warm Idlis.