Idli Sambar

Instructions

1. 1 Grind soaked rice and urad dal into a smooth, thick batter. Combine them with salt and let the mixture ferment in a warm place for eight to twelve hours until it doubles in volume and smells pleasantly sour.
2. 2 Grease the idli molds lightly with oil and pour batter into each cavity, filling them three-quarters full. Steam in an idli steamer for twelve to fifteen minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
3. 3 For the sambar, pressure cook toor dal with turmeric until completely soft and mushy, about three whistles. Mash the dal smooth and set aside for adding to the vegetable mixture later.
4. 4 In a separate pot, cook the drumstick, carrot, and tomato with sambar powder and tamarind paste in two cups of water until the vegetables are tender, roughly fifteen minutes of simmering.
5. 5 Add the mashed toor dal to the vegetable mixture and simmer for ten minutes until everything comes together into a unified, aromatic soup with a consistency that coats a spoon lightly.
6. 6 Prepare a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chilies in hot oil. Pour this sizzling tempering over the sambar and serve alongside the freshly steamed idli cakes.