International Recipes
Spicy Split Peas with Vegetables (Sambar)
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup dried yellow split peas
- 2 tablespoons shredded or flaked coconut
- 1 teaspoon coriander seed
- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seed
- 1 (1/2 inch) stick cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ghee or vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 2 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 small eggplant, diced
- 2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp
- Hot cooked rice
- Snipped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat 4 cups water and the peas to boiling in a 2 quart saucepan; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Cook and stir coconut, coriander, fenugreek and cinnamon in 1 tablespoon ghee in an 8 inch skillet until coconut is light brown.
- Remove from heat; stir in salt and cayenne pepper.
- Crush coconut mixture with mortar and pestle until finely ground; reserve.
- Cook carrots, zucchini, onion and eggplant in 2 tablespoons ghee in a 12 inch skillet, stirring occasionally, until tender.
- Stir 2 tablespoons water into tamarind pulp until softened.
- Stir tamarind mixture, coconut mixture and peas into skillet. Cook and stir over low heat, adding water until of consistency of soup, if necessary, until hot and well blended.
- Serve over rice, then garnish with cilantro.