Idli Sambar

Preparation

• Wash the potatoes with enough water, chop them in to medium sized dices. Peel off the onion and slice it finely. Get the peas too shelled off.
• Pressure cook the pigeon pean lentils with enough water till soft. Mash it up and keep aside.

Method

1. In a pan or wok add a tsp of cooking oil and roast the onion slices till they become translucent. Transfer the onions. Next in the same pan add 2 tsp of oil, spices like coriander, cumin seeds, both the lentils, red chillies, cloves, cinnamon followed by curry leaves.
2. With constant sauteing roast all the spices. When the lentils turn little brown, switch off the pan. Throw in the grated coconut and tamarind. Let the coconut warm up a bit. Take everything in a mixer and grind to fine puree adding water as needed.
3. Next cook the vegetables with enough water, turmeric powder and salt. When the veggies turn soft, pour the ground masala from above step.
4. Include the cooked lentils, jaggery and water according to desired consistency. Bring it to boil, finally add sauted onions and salt. Switch off after a while.
5. Hotel style idli sambar is ready. Garnish with coriander leaves and relish with steamed idli, dosa.

Notes

• You can use other veggies like carrot and turnip along with potato.
• Do not use more coconut than mentioned. The coconut doesn’t have to be roasted with spices, include it after switching off the stove.
• As per the desired consistency of sambar, you can add water.
• This idli sambar is mild in spice, you can increase red chillies if you like spicy sambar.