Step 1

Soak tamarind in warm water for 10 - 20 mins for easy extract. Total tamarind extract measure 3 cups. So adjust water accordingly. Check my video for an easy alternate method.

Step 2

Wash the potato well and cut into 4.

Step 3

Pressure cook toor dal along with potato for 3-4 whistles. Add 1 cup water, 2 pinches of turmeric, 2 pinches of asafoetida and few drops of sesame oil.

Step 4

Once done, take out the potato, peel off the skin and break/ cut into bite size pieces.

Step 5

Mash the dal smoothly. Set aside.

Step 6

Meanwhile, roast the ingredients under ‘To roast’ table. You can roast everything together. But except jeera/ cumin seeds, which has to be added towards the end when the other ingredients gets the golden color.

Step 7

Take care not to burn anything. So roast in medium flame with constant roasting. If anything gets burnt, the total dish will not turn out that good as this is the star ingredient!

Step 8

Cool down and powder into a coarse powder. In between powdering, you might need to wipe the sides, lid of the mixer for even powdering. Set aside.

Step 9

In a kadai, heat oil and temper with the items given under ‘To temper table’ in order.

Step 10

Add asafoetida and give a quick stir.

Step 11

Tip in onions and fry till transparent. Add tomatoes, green chillies and fry for a minute.

Step 12

Start heating tamarind extract in a large vessel / pot in which we are making sambar.

Step 13

Add the sauteed onion, tomato mix to it. Now add few torn curry leaves, coriander leaves, salt, turmeric, rest of the asafoetida and bring to boil.

Step 14

Then add the potatoes. Boil for 2 minutes and add the sambar powder.

Step 15

Add it in a sprinkled way little by little with constant stirring to avoid any lump formation.

Step 16

Let it come to a boil. Then add the mashed dal. If the dal is too tight, add more water to loosen it before adding it to sambar.

Step 17

Now after adding the ground sambar powder and dal, the sambar tends to thicken.

Step 18

So you might be needed to add some 3/4 cup to 1 cup water to bring it to the right consistency.

Step 19

Once it starts boiling, as a final touch add the powdered jaggery and mix well.

Step 20

Top with few more torn coriander leaves or curry leaves and mix in the ghee. Switch off the flame.