Tomato Sambar (without tamarind)

This is an easy sambar and you can skip tamarind in this. It still tastes yummy. I use raw tomato (thakali kai) in addition to the regular tomatoes. The raw tomato adds the tangy flavor to this dish.


Ingredients:
- 2-3 tomatoes
- 2-3 raw tomatoes (tomatillo/Green tomatoes)
- salt to taste
- pinch of turmeric
- 1/2 cup boiled toor dhal
- 1 tsp jaggary

Fry in a teaspoon of oil and grind
- 5-8 dried red chillies
- 2 tblspn coriander seeds
- 2 tblspn channa dhal
- 1/2 tsp methi seeds
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut

Seasoning:
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp methi seeds
- few curry leaves
- 1 tspn oil

Method:
1. Chop the tomatoes and boil them in water with salt and turmeric.
2. Add the ground mixture and let it all come to boil for another 5 minutes
3.Now add the toor dhal, reduce the heat to a simmer for another 4- 5 minutes. Add jaggary to this and mix well.
4. In a seperate pan add the oil and the mustard seeds. Once the seeds start to splutter add the methi seeds and curry leaves. Mix it with sambar.

Garnish with cilantro and serve it hot with rice or idli/dosa.

Variations: For extra flavor add onions to this too. If doing this then as a first step, in the pan add one more teaspoon of oil and add the chopped onions and fry till it becomes golden brown. Now go back and follow from first step.