Vendakkai Sambar / Ladies Finger (Okra) Sambar

To a pressure cooker, add toor dal, turmeric powder, sliced onion along with enough water for cooking.

Cook until 3 whistles or until cooked well. Set aside.

In a pan, add 1 tsp oil. When it becomes hot, add okra pieces.

Roast until it becomes slightly brown in color, which takes about 4-5 minutes on high flame. Set aside.

In a kadai, add 3 tsp oil. When it becomes hot, add mustard seeds. When they pop, add fenugreek seeds and fennel seeds. Wait for them to pop.

Add shallot pieces and sauté until they become transparent.

Add dried red chilli and sauté for 1 minute.

Turn the flame to low. Add chilli powder, sambar powder, and curry leaves. Mix for 15 seconds.

Add the cooked toor dal mix along with tomato pieces, fried okra pieces and salt.

Mix the tamarind with a little water, then strain it. Add this tamarind water to the sambar. Adjust the consistency by adding enough water.

Allow it to boil until the raw taste of tamarind is completely gone.

Add asafoetida powder.

Finally, add chopped coriander leaves and jaggery powder. Mix well.

Turn off the flame. The tasty and easy sambar is ready.