Vegetable sambar with coconut and tamarind – Meera Sodha

Ingredients

• 150g toor dal or split yellow lentils
• 4 tablespoons rapeseed oil
• ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 ½ teaspoons cumin seeds
• 4 dried kasmiri chillies
• 2 tablespoons dessicated coconut
• 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 12-15 curry leaves
• 4 banana shallots, finely diced
• 450g vegetables (200g butternut squash, diced. 100g snake beans (or drumsticks or green beans) cut into 5cm pieces 150g aubergine, diced)
• 3 medium sized tomatoes, sliced
• 1 ¾ teaspoons salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons tamarind paste