Sambhar/Pappu Charu

Ingredients :

MTR Sambar powder or anything else

1 small cup of toor dal 
Wash well, then add about 4-5 cups of water.
Add
2 cloves of garlic,
1 tsp turmeric
 1 tsp oil
 split 3 green chillies vertically
 also 1 sprig of curry leaves (karivepaku)
and pressure cook it. (cook well, atleast 3-4 whistles)

Now, chop all the vegetables you need.

Onion (not much.. about half onion)
Bottle gourd (about half of a large one)
drumsticks
1 radish
1 tomato
baby Carrots (can use regular ones into about 2 inch long and 1/2 inch wide pieces)
vertically Split 3-4 green chillies
1 sprig of curry leaves

Process: 

Then on the side soak about a standard indian tomato size ...tamarind ball.
To make it soak well, you can put this in a glass bowl and microwave for 30 secs - 1 minute.
set aside
Then take a large sauce pan, and put some oil, add seasonings (jeera, aavalu, turmeric, green chillies,curry leaves)
stir once..dont let it burn.. taste antha pothundhi popu maadithe..
Then immediately add all your vegetables
Dont cover the pan, just stir every few minutes..
All vegetables change colors when they are slightly cooked.. you'll know..  (About 5-10 minutes)

meanwhile, squeeze the tamarind and prepare juice.. Add a couple of cups of extra water. When the vegetables start oozing some liquid, add this tamarind juice..  Let it cook and boil .. add water and salt and mirchi powder.. per necessity.. When the vegetables are 80% cooked, add the cooked dal.. to the liquid.. Then check salt and mirchi, add additional amount as needed. Add sambar powder and also some dhaniya powder. Also, start sambar powder with 1 tsp, stir the sambhar and add more if u feel the need for more.. adjust to your taste..  The sambhar should be bubbling and boiling.. and the vegetables should be all cooked.. and atleast 1 or 2 times pongu ravali.. you reduce flame and stir.. and again increase flame.. for the pongu..  after 2 times this happens, veggies are fully cooked, and taste is perfect, turn off the stove.. Dont over cook the vegetables it spoils the taste.. So, be sure to not over do it.