Spring Onion and Drumstick Leaves (Murungai Keerai) Sambar ~ Day 96

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Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 6

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Ingredients:

• Toor dal - 3/4 cup
• Tamarind - a golf ball-sized
• Spring onion - 1 bunch, trimmed and chopped
• Drumstick leaves (Moringa) - 1 cup, packed, roughly chopped
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Red chilies - 3
• Sambar powder - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Salt - to taste
• Curry leaves - few
• Oil - 1 to 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in hot water for 15 minutes.  Squeeze the juice out, about 1 and 1/2 cups, and discard the pulp.  
2. In a pressure cooker, cook toor dal with enough water,  for 4 to 5 whistles or until soft and mushy.
3. Heat oil in a pan.  Splutter mustard seeds.  Add red chillies and saute for 5 seconds.
4. Add the chopped spring onion and saute for 2 minutes.  Add the drumstick leaves and curry leaves.  Saute for 5 minutes.
5. Add sambar powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, and salt.  Mix well.
6. Add the tamarind pulp and 2 cups of water.  Boil for 10 minutes on medium heat.
7. Add the cooked, mashed toor dal.  Stir and bring it to a boil.  Remove from the heat.
8. Serve hot with steamed rice.