Masala Ingredients:
1 c. coconut (shredded) 1 tsp. chana dhal 1 tsp. fenugreek 2 red chilies 3 tsp. coriander seeds 1/8 x 1/8 inch asafoetida 3/4 c. toor dhal 1 potato 1 small ball tamarind (size of lime) 2 carrots 1/8 tsp. turmeric 1 bell pepper 1 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tomato 3 Tbsp. oil 1 onion 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds 1/4 eggplant
Fry a11 masala ingredients in 1 tablespoon of oil in a fry pan over medium heat until golden brown and grind them in a blender adding 1 cup of water into a fine paste. (In place of this you can also use sambar powder. If using sambar powder, use 1/2 tablespoons of it and also the ground paste of 1 cup shredded coconut sauteed in 1 tablespoon of oil.) In a pressure cooker, cook toor dhal with 4 cups of water for 5 minutes and keep it aside. Soak tamarind in 1 1/2 cups of warm water for 1/2 hour and take the essence out of it. Remove the pulp by pouring it through a strainer. Cut all vegetables (potato, carrots, bell pepper, tomato, .onion and eggplant) in small sizes. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, cook vegetables in 1 1/2 cups of tamarind water mixed with turmeric and salt. When vegetables are cooked, add the ground masala paste (or masala powder and coconut paste) and cooked toor dhal. When the whole mixture comes to a full boil, remove from heat. In a fry pan, saute mustard seeds in oil. When mustard seeds crack, remove the fry pan and add into the mixture of toor dhal and vegetables. Serve it hot with rice.