Kabocha Squash Sambar

Serves: 4

Soak Toor dal

1 cup toor dal

Overnight soak toor dal.

Tamarind Water

tamarind
1 cup water

Boil tamarind in water for 5 minutes, allow to cool and make tamarind water.

2 pounds and 4.30 ounces pumpkin (4 cups chopped)

Remove the skin and cut into large pieces. If you cut into small pieces, while cooking, it will shrink and mash with the dal.

1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3 cups water

Cook toor dal, pumpkin, turmeric powder, water for 3 whistles.

1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 cup shallot, chopped
1 serrano pepper, chopped into 2 lengthwise pieces

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when it starts to splutter, add fenugreek seeds, shallots, serrano pepper sauté till shallots becomes translucent.

1 cup tomatoes, chopped

Add tomatoes, cook till tomatoes softens. Add tamarin water.

5 tsp sambar powder
asafetida
2 tsp salt

When it starts to boil, add sambar powder, asafetida, salt, cook for 10 minutes.

1 cup water

Add water, cooked dal and pumpkin, cook for another 5 minutes.

cilantro, chopped

Garnish with cilantro.

Taste Note: Tastes AWESOME, even with 5 tsp sambar powder, the sambar was sweet. I didn't add serrano pepper today, but thought it will be good, if I added it.
Source: spiceindiaonline