Sambar Rice (A comforting one pot meal in Hotel Saravana Bahvan Style)

Hope you all had a wonderful Diwali loaded with happiness and sweets! After the festive feast, here is a comfort meal. The humble sambar rice, made in Hotel Saravana Bhavan style. I too am one among the huge list of fans of HSB sambar. At home, we generally prepare only arachi vitta sambar. So when I came across this recipe in Sharmi's passions, I immediately bookmarked and tried it. I was so happy as the result almost matched the famous HSB sambar. So for all sambar lovers, try this relishing one pot meal and do let me know your feedback :)

INGREDIENTS:

• Raw rice - 1 cup
• Toor Dal - 1/2 cup
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Sambar powder - 2 tablespoons (Can be replaced with chilli powder + Coriander seeds powder in the ratio 1:2)
• Tamarind water - 2 cups, extracted from a lemon sized tamarind
• Water - 3.5 cups
• Small onions - 10
• Carrot - 1, chopped
• Potato - 1, chopped
• Drumstick - 1/2
• Brinjal - 2, chopped
• Beans - 4, chopped
• Peas - a few (optional)
• Tomato - 1/2, chopped

To Temper:

• Oil - 1 tablespoon
• Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Methi seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Curry leaves - a few

To garnish:

• Coriander leaves - a few, finely chopped
• Ghee - 1 tablespoon (optional)
• Roasted cashewnuts - 4-5 (optional)
• Raw onions - 2 tablespoons, finely chopped (optional)

METHOD:

1. Wash and soak rice and dal together for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, drain the water and keep aside
2. Soak tamarind and extract 2 cups of tamarind water
3. In a pressure cooker, heat oil and temper mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida (hing). Then add in the fenugreek (methi) seeds and saute for a few seconds. Make sure not to burn the methi seeds
4. Add small onions and saute till they turn translucent. Then add the tomatoes and saute for a minute
5. Add the veggies, saute and add turmeric powder and sambar powder. Mix well
6. Then add the rice and dal. Mix well and add water, salt and tamarind water
7. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles and garnish with coriander leaves and if desired, you can add raw onions and roasted cashewnuts too
8. Serve hot with pappad or vadaams!!

Notes:

• Do not add more vegetables than the mentioned quantity, else they would outdo the sambar
• You can skip peas and beans. But better not to skip drumstick and brinjal, as they add the special flavor to the sambar
• Do not reduce the content of water as it is important for the consistency to be perfect