chickpea sambar with pumpkin and celery

1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 Tbsp ginger, finely chopped 

1 cup ripe tomatoes, finely chopped

3 cardamom pods

¼ cup moong dal/red lentils, well rinsed

2 stalks celery

2 medium carrots

1 cup pumpkin, finely chopped

1 tsp jaggery/brown sugar

½ tsp tamarind paste

1 tsp rock salt

¼ cup coriander leaves, chopped

sambar-coconut paste

1 – 2 tsp Sambar powder, moderately spiced

¼ cup dried shredded coconut

1 cup water

voggarane

1 Tbsp ghee

1 tsp black mustard seeds

⅛ tsp asafoetida powder

10 fresh curry leaves

preparation 

1.   Drain the chickpeas and bring them to the boil in a deep pot of water – simmer for a 1 – 2 hours or until soft.

2.  Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot, when hot, add the turmeric, ginger and tomatoes, lightly crush the cardamom pods and stir them in.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning – the liquid from the tomatoes keeps everything moist.

3.  Add the dal, celery, carrots, pumpkin and drained chickpeas along with 3 cups water, bring to boil, then turn down heat and simmer uncovered until dal is soft – 20 minutes.

prepare the sambar-coconut paste

4.  Place in a blender, the coconut and sambar powder with 1 cup water, blend into a smooth paste -1 minute.

5.  Add to dal and swish the blender clean using the liquid from the dal.

prepare the voggarane

6.  In a small pan, heat ghee, add the mustard seeds; when they turn grey and pop, add asafoetida, fry for a few seconds then add the curry leaves – fry until fragrant.

7.  Add to sambar, stir in the tamarind paste, jaggery, salt and coriander leaves. Taste, adding more tamarind, jaggery or salt, if needed.

Serve with brown basmati or in winter, whole barley.  Drizzle lavishly with ghee.  Serve with a lemon-dressed green, leafy salad with steamed broccoli and a sprinkling of sesame and pumpkin seeds.

Goodness shared from Stacey