Ingredients:

For Sambar:

• 4 cups yellow split pigeon lentils (also known as arhar dal or toor dal)
• 4  onions, sliced 
• 4 to 8 pinches asafoetida
• 16-20 okra (bhindi or lady finger), cut into 1” pieces
• 2 to 4 large eggplant (8-16 small eggplants) cut into slices
• 4 large tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
• 10 curry leaves
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 2 cups tamarind pulp – made with ½ cup water and 1 lemon sized ball of tamarind.

(Alternative use 1 cup of Sunbay Salan Gravy)

• 10 to 12 cups water or add as required
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons sambar masala (from packet)

For Tempering:

• 4 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 4 teaspoons urad dal (split and husked black gram)
• 4 curry leaves
• 8 to 12 dry red Kashmiri chillies
• 8 tablespoons coconut oil or any vegetable oil 

For Sambar Masala:

• 2 coconut, grated, will yield about 1 to 1.5 cups of grated coconut
• 12 to 16 pearl onions or shallots – chopped
• 20 curry leaves
• 8 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 4 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 12 to 16 dry red chilies, I used 4 Kashmiri red chillies
•  4 tablespoons coconut oil

Instructions:

To Make Sambar Masala

1. On a shallow frying pan, heat up 4 tablespoons coconut oil. Add all the shallots and fry until they become translucent. Add the rest of the spices and fry until they are light brown.
2. Now add the grated coconut and roast it with the rest of the spices until everything is fragrant. Let this mixture cool.
3. Once, cooled, grind this roasted spice mixture in the grinder with some water. 

To Make Sambar

1. Boil the yellow pigeon lentil in a pressure cooker with the sliced or chopped onion and asafoetida, once the dal is soft and well cooked. Mash the cooked dal slightly with a spoon when done.
2. Cook the dal with the vegetables until they are half cooked. This takes about 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Now add the chopped okra, tamarind (or salan gravy if using), and the ground masala. Add some more water if the sambar has become thick.
4. Add salt and give the sambar a rolling boil once and then simmer till the veggies are cooked. This will approximately take about 15-16 minutes. 
5. Temper as below.

Tempering For Kerala Sambar

1. In a small pan, heat 8 tablespoons coconut oil. Add the mustard seeds and let them pop. Then add all the other ingredients and fry them till they become fragrant.
2. Pour the hot oil and spices on the hot sambar.
3. Serve the sambar with boiled rice and papadums.