Carrot- Beans Sambhar | Carrot-Beans Lentil Curry

Carrot and Beans Sambhar is truly a traditional South Indian based lentil curry. Carrot and beans is a classic vegetable combo to prepare dal sambhar.

Each time I make this delectable dish, it tastes better. The secret lies in asafoetida (also called as Hing) and the sambhar powder itself. The aromatic fragrance of LG brand hing and homemade sambhar powder makes this a divine recipe. 

Here'e the tip to newbies who are making sambhar for the first time-
Tip 1 - Always use LG brand asafoetida while tempering
Tip 2 - I always use homemade sambhar powder.  Otherwise you buy from a South Indian brand  based sambhar powder like MTR or GRB. It tastes more authentic than other brands
Tip 3 - Use pearl onions and fresh curry leaves which adds a lot of character and taste to this recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of Toor Dal

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

A sprig of Curry Leaves

5 Pearl red onions, peeled and halved

1 Tomato, cubed

2 Carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces

200 gms Beans, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 cup of tamarind extract

3 tsp Sambhar powder

1 tsp Jaggery (gur)

4 tsp Oil / ghee

Method

• In a pressure pan, cook toor dal with 5 cups of water for 15 minutes. After the pressure pan cools, mash the dal using Indian curd ladle (or use potato masher)

• Add oil on a preheated skillet over medium heat, then add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When it starts to crackle, add asafoetida, curry leaves, onions. Give it a little toss and add tomatoes, carrots and beans

• Add tamarind extract  and sambhar powder. When it starts to simmer, return the contents to  pressure pan containing cooked dal

• Add jaggery and season with salt. Pressure cook for one whistle

• Serve hot with steamed rice, idli, dosa, chapathi, ragi ball  or pongal