Moong Dāl Sambar with Green Beans

This dish supports all constitutions and the digestion process. It nourishes the body and is tridhātu sāmya, balances all three dosha.

Preparation: 45 minutes

Serves: 4

Use heaped measurements except when stated otherwise.

Ingredients 

½ cup/100g whole moong dāl 

8 cups/2-litres water – divided

2½ cups/275g green beans

1½ tsp fine rock salt

2 tsp jaggery

⅓ cup coriander leaves, chopped

Sambar-coconut paste

2½ tsp sambar powder – moderately spiced

½ cup/40g dried shredded coconut 

½ -1 tsp tamarind paste

Voggarane 

2 tsp ghee

½ tsp mustard seeds

⅛ tsp asafoetida powder (hingu)

12 – 15 curry leaves

Preparation

1.  Chop green beans into small uniformed pieces and measure out the remaining ingredients – set aside.

2.  Wash dāl until water runs clear, drain, add 7 cups water, bring to boil, then reduce heat to maintain a rapid simmer. Simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes.

3.  Add beans and simmer until soft and the dāl has broken down – 30 minutes.

4.  Turn off the heat – add salt and jaggery.

Sambar-coconut paste

5.  In an upright blender, place coconut, sambar powder, tamarind paste and the remaining 1 cup water.

6. Blend into a smooth paste – 1 minute.

7.  Add paste to dāl. Swish blender clean using the liquid from the dāl.

Voggarane  

8.  In a small pan over medium heat, heat ghee, add mustard seeds; when seeds start to pop, turn down heat, add asafoetida and curry leaves – fry for a few seconds, swish or stir pan to fry spices evenly.  

9. Add to sambar, simmer for a few minutes.

10.  Add coriander, turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes to allow flavors to develop. Taste, adding tamarind, jaggery or salt, if needed.

Serve

With rice, dosa, chapati or rotti. When serving with rice, add extra water. Suitable morning or evening, in all seasons.

Variation

• Use seasonal vegetables – as a guideline, beetroot, cabbage and beans are best used by themselves, carrot and capsicum can be combined with other vegetables. Mixing too many vegetables may result in an unsuitable taste.  
• Replace whole moong with split moong or toor dāl.