சின்ன வெங்காய சாம்பார் / Small Onions Sambar

Vengaya Sambar is a great highlight in many South Indian families.Last week there was a gathering / potluck in our apartment and being a South Indian my friends pushed me to do Sambar (but I wanted to prepare a sweet) hence prepared vengaya sambar for the occasion

Ingredients 
Part 1 - Sambar Paste

• Oil - 1 teaspoon
• Dried red chillies - 4 nos
• Channa dhal - 1 tablespoon
• Methi seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Coriander seeds - 1 tablespoon
• Small onions - 2 tablespoons
• Grated Coconut- 3 tablespoons

Part 2 - Seasoning

• Ghee - 1 tablespoon
• Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Hing - a pinch
• Curry leaves - little

Part 3 - Others

• Small onions - 1 cup (peeled and sliced into small pieces)
• Boiled and mashed toor dhal - 3/4 cup
• *Tamarind extract - 2 cups (taken from small lemon sized ball)
• Salt - 2 teaspoons

*Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of luke warm water for 10 minutes.Squeeze the pulp and extract juice.Add 2 more cups of water while extracting juice.Discard the pulp

Method
Step 1 - Preparation of Sambar Paste

• Heat oil in a small kadai.Fry red chillies first followed by channa dhal
• Simmer the flame and add methi, coriander seeds.Roast it (make sure it shouldn't be burnt)
• Add small onions and saute them well.Switch off the stove and allow it to cool
• Take it in mixer jar, add coconut and grind it to a smooth paste by adding little water

Part 2 - Preparation of Sambar

• Heat ghee in a pot / vessel. Add hing and saute curry leaves
• Add small onions and fry till it becomes golden brown
• Now pour in the tamarind extract Put salt and turmeric.Let it boil till the raw smell diffuses Add boiled and mashed toor dhal.Blend well and allow it to boil for 5 minutes.
• Finally pour the fried and ground paste and switch off stove after 2 minutes

Step 3 - Seasoning

• Heat ghee in a small kadai and splutter mustard, hing and curry leaves
• Pour it over cooked sambar

Hot Lip Smacking Sambar is ready.Mix it with plain rice and top it with ghee.Serve along with Baby Potato Fry and Poricha Appalam / Freid Pappad