Veg Sambar (Pulusu / Paruppu Puli)

Ladies Finger Sambar

A dish made almost everyday by my mom but different varieties or twists in it. Usually the menu would be this pulusu, rasam, fry (palyam/poriyal) and rice for Lunch or Dinner.
We normally add any one main vegi into this sambar .
Ingredients :

• Toor Dhal - 100 gms
• Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
• Onions - 1 No.
• Tomato - 1 No.
• Tamarind Extract - 1 tbl spn (or small lemon sized)
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Jeera / Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 2 strings
• Hing / Asafotida - 1/4 tsp
• Coriander Leaves - 5 strings
• Salt, Oil

One Vegetable of your choice say Brinjal / Beans / Bottle gourd / Ladies finger / Ridge gourd / Drum Stick / Raddish.
Method of Preparation :  

1. Wash the Toor Dhal and pressure cook along with Turmeric till its soft. 
2. Once the pressure is released in the cooker, mash it soft (remove excess water before mashing). 
3. Now place the cooker back on the flame and add chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, chilli, coriander powder, salt, and chopped vegetable. 
4. Pour enough water as the water would get absorbed as it cooks till the vegetable is cooked.. 
5. (You may pressure cook this for the vegetable to get cooked) 
6. Add the tamarind extract and boil for 3 - 4 min and remove from flame. 

Seasoning : Heat a little oil in a skillet and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and asafotida after few seconds mix it with Sambar along with Corinder leaves. Serve with Plain rice.
Note :  Thickness of the sambar can be made to your choice. 
When you use Ladies finger for the sambar, then fry the chopped ladies finger in a pan for 5 min adding a tea spoon of oil so the stickiness in the vegi would be removed. Then add it into the dhal and cook by adding Tamarind (unlike other vegetables where the tamarind is added atlast.
Also known as : Pappu Charu, Bhele Saaru, Bele Saru, Togari bele saru, Pappu Pulusu, Paruppu Kozhambu, Kolambu, Vegetable Sambar, Bendakaya Sambar, Ladies Finger Sambar, Tamil nadu style sambar, South Indian sambar, Bendekai Saaru