PREP

Wash and soak 1 cup of Yellow split pigeon peas in water for an hour.

Pressure cook the lentil (in an instant pot or traditional pressure cooker) with 2 cups of water and ½ tsp turmeric. Mash the lentil with a spatula or spoon. Set aside.

ROAST AND GRIND

Roast the following together: ½ tbsp fenugreek seeds, 5-6 dry red chilies, 2tbsp coriander seeds, 1 cup grated coconut in ½ tbsp oil. Roast all ingredients in the exact order for 45 seconds each before adding the next.

Grind all the roasted ingredients into a semi-fine paste by adding little water as needed

COOK 

Boil the following vegetables in about ½ cup water: 1 drumstick cut to 1.5-inch pieces, ½ cup single-sliced pieces of okra, 1 cup diced Winter melon/Ash Gourd, 1 cup diced small eggplants.

Add ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp turmeric. Cook until the melon and vegetables are 80% done. The key is to add the vegetables in the order of required cooking time (the longest one going first followed by the next)

Add 1tsp tamarind paste (either store-bought paste or if using dry tamarind, extract the paste by soaking them in warm water for 10 mins)

Add the ground coconut paste to the vegetables. Cook for about 5-6 minutes until the raw smell is gone.

Add mashed lentils to the pan, 1 cup of water to dilute the mixture, and cook for 5-7 minutes until it comes it a gentle boil (add more water if needed as the stew has to be semi-thin consistency)

TADKA/HOT GARNISH

Heat 1tbsp oil in a pan and add ½ tsp black mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add ¼ tsp asafoetida, 1 sprig of curry leaf, 2-3 dry red chilies.

Pour the hot garnish over sambhar + chopped cilantro leaves + drizzle of sesame oil!

Serve hot with rice