Shallots Sambar

Well, Lots of changes going around, we moved an hour forward and a major devasting change is shift in the earth axis caused by the quake in Japan it's such a horrified disaster. my prayers for the people of japan.

Back to ma recipes, here is a quick recipe on shallots.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Red gram dal
1/2 pound shallots
lemon sized tamarind, soaked in water and extract the paste
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp jaggery
salt

Masala Paste
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tbsp coriender seeds
1 tbsp bengal gram
4 red chilies
1 tbsp poppy seeds
3-4 tbsp coconut shredded
oil

Tempering
1 Mustard seeds
1 black gram dal
1 red chili
and few curry leaves

Pressure cook the red gram dal and set aside
Heat a small pan, add oil add red chilies, fenugreekseeds, cumin seeds, coriender seeds, bengal gram and poppyseeds and saute for 2-3 mins. Blend all to fine paste with coconut and 4 shallots.
Now, In a heavy sauce pan heat a oil add 1tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp black gram, one red chilies and few curry leaves. When mustard seeds sluptters add tamarind paste, salt to taste, jaggery, turmeric and rest of shallots . Close the lid of the pan and cook until the raw smells of tamarind disppears.
Add cooked dal and masala paste and cook until thoroughly combine.
Lastly, garnish with cilantro.

A recipe from Cookbook "Dakshin"