Potato Onion Sambar

Well, with inflation touching double digits in India, This recipe is probably the most reasonable one to make at home. Even a quarter kilo of potatoes will serve 4 to 5 people. Added to that, it’s a sweet and spicy sambar that is really simple to make.

Preparation time: 20-25 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Potatoes (Aloo) 2
Onion (ullipaya) 1
Pigeon peas (toor dal/kandipappu) 1cup (100gms)
Sambar powder 1tbsp
Tamarind/tamarind paste 1tsp
Ghee/refined cooking oil 1tsp
Mustard seeds 1tsp
Cumin seeds (jeera) 1tsp
Curry leaves 4-5
Pinch of asafoetida (hing)
Pinch of sugar

Salt to taste

Fresh and chopped coriander/ fresh and grated coconut to garnish. (optional)


Method:

Pressure cook 1 cup pigeon peas or boil the pigeon peas and set aside.

Dice the onion into average sized cubes. Dice the potatoes into average sized cubes without peeling them.

In a cooking pot/vessel, add 3 and half cups of water, diced potatoes, onion, and salt to taste, a tsp of sugar and a blob of tamarind or a tsp of tamarind paste as available and leave to boil for around 10 mins on medium heat. The onions will loose color and become transparent while the potato peels wither off and the potatoes get cooked.

Once the potatoes are cooked, add the boiled pigeon peas and stir for a min. leave to boil for 2 mins. Add 1 tbsp of sambar powder and stir well. Leave to boil for another 5 mins.

In a pan/kadai, heat ghee/oil. Add mustard seeds and as they splutter, add cumin seeds, curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida.

Add the tempering to the sambar and serve. Garnish with fresh coriander and fresh and grated coconut before serving(optional)

As depicted in the picture, Potato onion sambar tastes best with rice, topped with ghee. So if planning to have guests at home, you know what to have on the menu at least in these times to fit into your Budget.