Instant Pot Tiffin Sambar
Lentils cooked with tamarind and spices, restaurant style. Served along with Dosas or Idlis
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
South Indian
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup moong dal (soaked for 30 minutes or more
- 1 cup chopped veggies carrots / brinjal / drumstick / pumpkin
- 1 big tomato chopped
- 7 to 8 pearl onions peeled
- handful of coriander leaves
For the masala paste:
- Gooseberry size tamarind or 1 tbsp thick tamarind pulp
- 1 tbsp or less jaggery depending on the sourness of your tamarind
- 1 onion chopped or 5 to 6 pearl onions
- 1 big tomato
- 1 heaped tbsp sambar powder
- 2 tbsp fried gram dal pottukadalai
- 2 tbsp grated coconut
- salt as needed
To temper:
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 2 pinches asafoetida
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1/2 tsp urad dal
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Instructions
Method:
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Soak the dal for at least 30 minutes. You can even soak them over night, if you know you will do doing it the next day. ( If you did not have time to soak, soak it until you prep the veggies and get other stuff ready for the sambar. That works fine too)
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Grind the items given under to grind to a smooth paste. (If you are using tamarind instead of tamarind paste, I find they grind easier when they are heated. So I saute them briefly to heat it up and then grind it)
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In the saute mode, add oil and when the oil becomes hot, add the items given under to temper and let the mustard seeds splutter.
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Now add the pearl onions (can substitute it with chopped red onions), and saute for a minute and then add the tomatoes and saute for another minute. Now add the chopped veggies. Switch off the saute mode.
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Add the ground mixture, soaked dal , 2 1/2 cups water and close the lid. Cook on manual high for 10 minutes and natural pressure release. Mix everything well and adjust consistency if required by adding water and add the fresh coriander leaves.
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Serve hot with idlis/dosas/pongal.