Heat oil in the vessel, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds when splutters add garlic and hing. Usually we will make seasoning after preparing sambar. Here I am performing this step at the starting itself, because I like the veggies cooked in oil rather than cooking separately with water.
When the garlic is fried, add chopped onions. Onions should be chopped as cubes or you can directly use small onions by just peeling of the skin.
After 2mins, add tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are half cooked.
Add brinjal and fry for 2-3 mins. Here I am using only brinjal. If you want you can also add carrots along with brinjal or vegetables of your choice like drumstick or ladies finger or radish.
Now add turmeric, chilli powder and salt and mix well. Close the lid and cook on the medium flame till the brinjal is cooked completely. Do not over cook the brinjal as it smashes off.
Meanwhile soak the lemon size tamarind in water for 5 to 10 mins.
Add the smashed dal to the cooked veggies.
Squeeze the tamarind and add the tamarind juice to the dal.
Mix well with out smashing the vegetables and add sambar powder. You can use homemade sambar powder or readily available in the market. I prefer home made sambar powder.
Boil the sambar. Adjust the salt as per your taste. Add coriander leaves.
Boil sambar for 3-4 minutes.
Sambar is ready. Serve hot with white rice or Idly or dosa or vada.