To a bowl add 1 small lemon sized tamarind, add ¾ cup water. Crush well and set aside.

To a pressure cooker add 1 cup toor dal along with salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder.

Add 3 cups water along with few drops oil.

Close lid, put on weight. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles or until dal turns mushy.

Let pressure release by itself. Mash it well with a ladle and set aside.

To a sauce pot - heat 1 tablespoon oil, add ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds.

Add around 15 small onion, 1 big tomato roughly chopped.

Saute until tomatoes turn mushy and raw smell leaves.

Add 1 carrot, 2 drumstick roughly chopped.

Saute for 2 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder, 2 and ½ tablespoon sambar powder, salt to taste.

Give a quick saute.

Add around 1 and ½ cups water. Let it start to boil.

Cook covered for 10-12 minutes for the vegetables to get cooked.

Check if vegetables are cooked.

Add cooked dal along with ½ cup rinsed water.

Strain and add tamarind extract.

Boil well for 12-15 minutes or until thick.

Now sambar has become thick, it will further thicken while cooling down so this is perfect.

To a tadka pan - heat 1 tablespoon oil, add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds let it splutter.

Now add ½ teaspoon urad dal, ¼ teaspoon hing, few curry leaves and 2 red chilies. Let it splutter. Switch off and remove from flame.

Add tadka to boiling sambar along with 1 and ½ tablespoon coriander leaves. Give a quick mix and switch off.