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1
Rinse the toor dal three times in a large sauce pan, then add four cups water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Skim off any foam that appears.
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2
Cook for approximately 40 minutes, or until the lentils are very soft and falling apart. Add water if the lentils look like they are drying out.
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3
When lentils are done cooking, take a wire whisk and whisk them into a rough puree.
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4
While the lentils are cooking, start cooking the onion. Heat the coconut oil, mustard seeds, and green chili in a large heavy-bottomed pot until the mustard seeds turn grey and start sputtering out of the pot.
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5
Turn down the heat, add the sambar powder and asafoetida, and stir for a few seconds.
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6
Add the onion and stir to coat with the spices. Cook the onion for a few minutes, then add 2 1/2 - 3 cups water to cover the onions well.
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7
Dissolve the tamarind concentrate in a bit of water, and add it to the onion mixture. Add some salt, and bring to a boil.
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8
Once the mixture starts to boil, lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the onions are soft, about 20 minutes.
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9
While your onions are simmering, make the coconut/channa dal paste. Heat the 2 teaspoons of oil in a small skillet (reserve the 1 tablespoon for the end), then add the chilies, coconut, and channa dal. Roast on medium heat until the coconut is light brown. Take care not to scorch it.
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10
Puree the coconut/dal mixture in a blender with a small amount of water to make a paste.
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11
When the separate elements are done, you just need to put them together. Add the whisked toor dal to the cooked onions (reserving a small amount of plain dal for your kids if necessary), then add the coconut/channa dal paste, and mix. Add more salt if necessary.
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12
Add the final tablespoon of coconut oil, and simmer the sambar for a few minutes. That's it. Serve with rice and a nice vegetable curry.
