Onion Sambar

• Pressure cook the dal with salt, turmeric powder, and 2 cups water for 5 whistles or until the dal is done.
• Mash the toor dal and set aside.
• Pour a teaspoon of oil into the pressure cooker.
  • Add the pearl onions.
  • Roast the pearl onions for about 4 - 5 minutes until a roasted aroma permeates the air.
  • Add the tomatoes and the homemade sambar powder, salt, turmeric powder and the tamarind water.
• Cover the pressure cooker.
  • Let the masala pressure cook for 2 whistles.
  • Turn off the heat.
  • Release the pressure.
• Open the cooker.
• Add the mashed toor dal and the onion sambar.
• Adjust salt to taste.

For tempering

• Heat a small tadka pan with oil.
  • Add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chilli and pinch of hing.
  • Cook until they start to crackle.
  • Add the curry leaves.
  • Turn off the heat.
• Pour the tempering over the onion sambar.
• Give the sambar a brisk boil.
• Stir in the chopped coriander leaves

Trivia

Onions were used as currency, for goods and services during the middle age.