Red Pumpkin Sambar - Gummadikaya Sambar

Sambar is a lentil-based vegetable stew made with tamarind popular in South India. I like my sambar with any one of the vegetables as the base - that way the sambar gets the taste and aroma of that vegetable. On Sunday we have a tradition of sitting together and eating our lunch at the dinning table as the rest of the week we all have different schedule for lunch. So i try to make proper South Indian lunch menu. The kids love it as I serve everything on the plate and we enjoy our lunch.  Red pumpkin sambar is easy as I use only that vegetable so not much cutting and once the dal is ready you can put everything together in 20 minutes.

Preparation time - 40 min

Serving 6 people

Ingredients  
250gm Red Pumpkin cut in to cubes
1 small Tomato cut to medium pieces
2 green chillies   

1 1/2 cups Toor dal 

1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder 

1 lemon size Tamarind 

1 1/2 Tsp Sambar powder

Salt to taste

 For Seasoning (Popu)

1 tsp Cooking oil

1/2 tspMustard seeds

1/2 tsp urad dal

1/4 tsp methi seeds

1-2 red chillies

2-3 pinches Hing/ asafetida 

Curry leaves few

coriander leaves to garnish 

Procedure

1. Soak the tamirind and extract the juice.
2. Peel the red pumpkin and cut it in to cubes.
3. Pressure cook the toor dal with 2 cups of water for 3 whistles on medium flame .
4. In a kadai or pan add the red pumpkin and tomato Add enough water to cover the pumpkin and cook it on high till it is cooked but not mussy. This might take 8 minutes.
5. Add the tamarind extract, salt, and boil for 5 minutes.
6. Mash the pressure cooked toor dal mix it in the cooked red pumpkin, add the sambar powder, coriander and simmer it for 7-8 minutes.
7.  If the mixture is to thick then add some water. 
8. Heat a small pan on medium add the oil and put on the ingredients for seasoning in the same order mentioned and fry.
9. Add to the sambar and switch of the flame.

Enjoy this with hot rice. I also use this as a side for idly or dosa. I like my sambar a little thick but u can adjust the water depending on the consistency you like.