Firstly, pressure cook ½ cup toor dal, 1 tomato, ¼ tsp turmeric and 1½ cup water for 5 whistle.

In a kadai heat 3 tsp oil and saute 1 tsp mustard, pinch of hing, 1 dried red chilli and few curry leaves.

Also saute 2 green chilli and ½ onion for a minute.

Now add ½ cup tamarind extract, ½ tsp jaggery and 1 tsp salt. mix well.

Boil for 10 minutes or till tamarind extract gets cooked well.

Add in whisked dal and tomato. mix well.

Also add 1½ cup water and adjust consistency. boil well.

Furthermore add 1 tbsp of sambar powder and stir well.

Boil for 2 minutes

Finally sambar is ready to serve with vada or idli.

PART 2-Next is Vada recipie

1-firstly, in soak 1 cup urad dal in enough water for 3 hours. do not over soak, as the vadas will absorb oil.

2-drain off the water and grind to fine fluffy paste adding water as required. I have added 4 tbsp of water to make smooth thick paste.

3-transfer the urad dal paste into large mixing bowl. beat and mix the batter in circular motion till they turn light. this helps to incorporate air into batter and make medu vada soft and fluffy.

4-further add 1 inch ginger, few curry leaves, 2 tbsp coriander, 1 tbsp dry coconut, pinch of hing, 2 tbsp rice flour and ½ tsp salt.

5-mix the batter well with the help of spoon.

6-heat the oil in large kadai. wet your hands with enough water and take a small ball sized dough and make it round.

7-now slowly shape the edges.

8-drop the vada in oil and deep fry the medu vada on medium flame.

9-fry on both sides till they turn golden brown and crisp

10-drop the fried vada into warm water and add ¼ tsp salt.

11-soak for 10 minutes or till vada absorbs water.

12-squeeze off the water and place the vada into a plate.

Now the recipie for IDLI

1-Wash the rice and dal separately. Soak them, separately, in enough water for 4-5 hours or overnight.

2-Drain the rice and with little water, grind them to a coarse paste in the mixer.

3-Drain the dal and again adding water little by little, grind it to a fine paste. While the rice paste is coarse, the lentil paste is very fine. Grind it till there are bubbles in the paste. Add water accordingly but not too much.

4-Mix together the rice and lentil paste. Add in salt. This batter should be of thick dropping consistency. Keep the batter in a warm place for 8-10 hours (or overnight). The batter will rise and become sour.

5-This entire passive process takes about 24 hours or so.

6-Gently mix the batter once. Don’t mix it vigorously or too often as it would remove all the air in the batter. Rub a little oil on each of the idli moulds.

7-Drop spoonfuls of batter in each mould. Add about 1” deep water in your idli steamer. Place the idli stand in the steamer and close. Steam on high for 5 minutes.

8-Reduce heat and steam on low for 10 minutes. Open the steamer carefully and check the idli by inserting a clean knife. If the knife comes out clean, idli is done. Else steam for another couple of minutes.

10-Serve warm with sambar or chutney.