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                                     SAMBHAR

		It is lentils to go on rice.  The longer it cooks the
		better.  Remember to keep the water level up.  Making
		it is easy and won't have you breathlessly scurrying
		around the kitchen.  It keeps well, freezes and reheats
		well.  This is my own version, after many years.
		The recipe is a big batch, so half or even quarter it:
		it will scale properly.  It also freezes well.

	INGREDIENTS:

		4 lbs      European (brown) lentils, or other,
			   washed picked through in water, enough to
			   cover double depth.  Medium heat and cover

		6+ 	   Large onions, halfed lengthwise and sliced
			   into thin crescents.  Add to lentils

		1 TBS+	   Tamarind paste ("tamcon") or meat, or whatever
			   approximation with Lemon (juice + zest) and
			   Orange (juice + zest) A paste made from dried
			   apricots and lemon and orange juice is a good
			   approximation to tamarind paste.

		1.5 TBS    Salt

		Add the Sambhar Powder (prepared as below)
			or of commercial sambhar powder, 1 cup = 16 TBS

		Cook until lentils are just beaking up.

		There's a little finishing to do before serving.


                             SAMBHAR POWDER
		[For smaller batches, use 4 TBS powder per lb. lentils]


	Dry Roast in an iron skillet, then pulverize to finest powder:

		4 tsp      Black Peppercorns
		1 TBS      yellow/brown mustard seeds
		6          Turkish Bay Leaves, crumbled

		3 tsp      Fenugreek


	Mix in with roasted:
		6 TBS      Ground Coriander
		3 TBS      Ground Cumino
                8 tsp      Hot Pepper Powder (more/less as you like)
		4 TBS      Turmeric

		2 tsp      Asafoetida Powder or (1 tsp Asafoetida Tincture)
			   If this is new to you, smell the powder first,
			   and think about knocking back to 1/4 tsp.  It
			   is intensely "garlicky", and an acquired taste.



                             FINISHING THE SAMBHAR
				  (The Tadka)

	About 15 minutes before serving -


	ca 4-5 TBS         Ghee in a sauce pan (3+ qts) with tight cover
			   Heat Ghee to the smoking point.

	Add immediately and cover *quickly*:

		In a small bowl:
		2 TBS	   Hulled Urad Dal
		2 TBS	   Black Mustard Seed

	Take the pot off the heat immediately and swirl vigorously for
	about 10-15 seconds, the lid held on.
	The Urad Dahl should brown a bit and the Mustard seed should
	explode like popcorn.  If it doesn't, the mustard seeds are old
	and dried out; it will still be all right.  Just as the popping
	sound dies down, quickly add this (step back) to the already
	cooking Sambhar.  This is the most exciting part of the whole
	recipe!  Stir well.

	Cook at least 10 minutes further - but you can leave at low heat
	for an hour or more.  Time is not critical.  Actually - time
	doesn't exist, so what's the rush?

	Add and test for salt.


	NOTES:

	1. Notes?  Sometimes, one does not need notes, strange as
	   that may seem, coming from TSC.  The idea of sambhar is
	   is very old, and maybe TSC will return to an analysis of
	   of its many various variations, even using buttermilk.

	   It is basically "spiced lentils"; after that you are on
	   your own.

	   OK - one nice possible addition: extract and strain the
	   juice of one lemon.  Add the lemon juice to the sambhar,
	   and drop the left over lemon halves into the soup.
	   Similaelrly, you could do the same, additionally or
	   separately with an orange.

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            © February 2006 by Bill Hammel (bhammel@graham.main.nc.us).
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