Andhra-Style Sambar | Pappu Charu Recipe | Dal Rasam | How to make Sambar

To make Andhra-Style Sambar (also known as Pappu Charu or Dal Rasam) you will need the following ingredients:

• 1 cup toor dal
• 1/4 cup tamarind paste
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 2 cups water
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp jaggery or brown sugar (optional)

For the Tempering:

• 2 tsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4-5 curry leaves
• 2-3 dried red chilies
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida

For the masala powder:

• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp chana dal
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 2-3 dried red chilies
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup grated coconut
• 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves

Instructions:

1. Rinse the toor dal and pressure cook it with 2 cups of water, salt, and turmeric powder for about 4-5 whistles or until the dal is soft and mushy.
2. While the dal cooks, prepare the masala powder by dry roasting the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, chana dal, urad dal, dried red chilies, and asafoetida in a pan until fragrant. Then add the garlic, grated coconut, and coriander leaves and roast for a minute more. Cool and grind to a fine powder.
3. In a separate pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, dried red chilies, and asafoetida. Let them splutter.
4. Add the chopped tomato and sauté until it becomes soft.
5. Add the tamarind paste and jaggery (if using) and cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add the cooked dal, masala powder, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until the sambar thickens.
7. Serve with rice or idli, dosa, or vada.

Note: You can adjust the amount of tamarind paste according to your taste preference. You can also add other vegetables like drumsticks, pumpkin, or eggplant to the sambar. You can also add some sambar powder instead of the masala powder for a variation.