Sambhar (South Indian Lentil soup)

I love this soup. It is awesome for cold days. In India we don't call it soup. But just to help everyone relate to it ..I will call it soup / sambhar interchangeably.

Good:

It goes with lot of things. So you make one batch and you can use it with whatever you have cooked. Also it is very easy to store and reuse. I believe it tastes better next day anyways.

You can cook with as few ingredients you have to as many you want.

Bad:
Very easy to over eat.

Dal soup base
Ingredients:
Split toor dal (pigeon pea) - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tea spoon
Salt - to taste (you can even add it in the end according to taste)
Water - 5 cups ( more or less depending on how thick or thin you want it)
Tamarind (or kokum) pate - 1 tea spoon

(I generally add a piece of tamarind or few pieces of kokum. But if you don't have it, skip it.)

Add all the ingredients to pressure cooker and cook it.

Seasoning:
Ingredients:
I generally have all of these things so I add them. But feel free to use whatever you have. All of these definitely make it perfect. But most of them are not show stopper.

Butter / ghee - 1 teaspoon ( more or less is your choice)
Fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds -1 tea spoon (whatever you have)
Asofoetida - A pinch (if you have - they say it takes care of your stomach.)
Tomatoes - 4
Curry leaves - A handful
Cilantro - As much as u like
Ginger - 1/2 inch ( as much as u like more or less)
Green chillies - 6 ( don't dare if you can't take it so go by your taste)
Fenugreek leaves (dry or fresh if you have it)
Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon (adjust according to your taste)
Cumin powder (1 teaspoon if you have it)
Sambhar masala  (A must)  - 1 tea spoon or more if you like.

(Most of the indian grocery store carry it for a dollar) Amazon has it for $10. One pack will last you forever.

Add tomato, ginger, most of the curry leaves (keep 4-5 aside), cilantro (keep few aside to garnish), green chillies to blender or food processor and puree it. Few pieces are ok.

Add Butter / ghee in a pan. Let it heat.
Add Fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds.
Add the remaining curry leaves. Be careful. It will sputter.
Add Asofoetida
Let it simmer for 30 seconds or so.
Add tomato paste.
Add red chilli powder.
Add sambhar masala.
Let it simmer for few minutes on low heat (5-7 minutes)
Once you think that it is cooked. Add it to lentil base prepared above.
Adjust salt.
Let everything simmer for few minutes.

It is not that difficult. Once you will know what you are doing you can do it quickly.

You can eat it with rice, idli, uthhapam, dosa, daliya, etc etc.

Lot of PROTIEN.

ENJOY !!!!