Vattal Kozhambu

Ingredients 

• 2 tablespoons vattal
• 4 tablespoons sesame oil (til oil)
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
• 2 dried red chillies broken
• 14-16 curry leaves
• 10-12 shallots
• 4 tablespoons tamarind paste
• 2 teaspoons sambhar powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons split pigeon pea (toor dal/arhar dal), boiled
• 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon rice flour
• 4 tablespoons peanuts

Method

1. Heat oil in a non stick pan and add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add fenugreek seeds and sauté.
2. Add dried red chillies and curry leaves and mix. Add peanuts, shallots and vattal and mix well.
3. Sauté till the shallots are cooked. Dilute the tamarind paste with a little water.
4. Add sambhar powder, tuvar dal, asafoetida and salt to the pan and mix well. Add the diluted tamarind paste and mix.
5. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes, on low heat. Mix rice flour with a ¼ cup water and add it to the pan.
6. Mix well and cook further for 2-3 minutes or till the oil separates. Serve hot.