Sambar-Chettinad style

Today morning we had pongal along with sambar an unbeatable combination. After our move to the US we usually have pongal almost every sunday or every other sunday. I have kinda became an expert in pongal sambar.

The best pongal I have had has to be ghee pongal at Saravana Bhavan, I can never forget the taste.
We are fortunate to have a Saravana Bhavan here in the east coast. I like their mini lunch which is combination of bisibelabath, sweet pongal and curd rice.

This sambar is  hybrid between chettinad style and madras style and  you can eat with anything Dosa, Idly, Pongal  and Vada. In chettinad style sambar we use only green chilis for spice and we do not use sambhar powder. There will be another post on Vada  Sambar soon.

Preparation time:5 min

Cooking time:15 min

Serves:2-3

Ingredients:

• 1 medium size Onion.
• 1 small size Tomato.
• 1 small Ginger.(optional)
• 2 pods Garlic.(optional)
• 1 small size Potato peeled.
• 1 small size Brinjal. 
• 3 Green chillies.
• 1/2 tsp of Sambar Powder.
• 1/4 cup Toor dal.
• Salt as required.

To temper:

• 1/2 tsp Mustard.
• 1/2 tsp  Urad dal.
• 1/2 tsp Jeera.

Method:

• Pressure cook the Toor dal  with 1 cup of water in cooker for 3-4 whistle until it becomes soft.

• Cut all the vegetables required in to small pieces.

• Heat the tava and add the items in "to temper " (let the mustard splutter).

• Add Onions and Green Chillies and saute for sometime.
• Add ginger, garlic to it as well and saute them till the onions are translucent.

• Add Potatoes and Brinjal and saute them for 2 mins.
• Add tomatoes and Saute it until its cooked through

• Add Sambar powder and saute it for a min (make sure the sambar powder doesn't burn).

• Add it to the cooked dal and add water if required.

• Allow it to cook for one whistle and switch off the flame

• Let the pressure release and then add salt and let it boil again for a min.
• Check for salt and add if reqired..
• Sambar is ready to be served.
• We Enjoyed them with yummy Pongal

Check for other side dishes like Summa kulambu,Vengaya Kosu,Tangy Eggplant Stew