Red Leaves/Amaranth leaves Sambar/Dantina soppu Huli

Amaranth leaves also known as red leaves is very common in Karnataka and it's known as Dantina soppu. Dantina Soppu sambar goes well with rice and ragi mudde. You can prepare either sambar or andhra pappu (without sambar powder) using these leaves.  I generally make sambar (grinded version) and it is my hubby's favourite.

Ingredients
1. 1 bunch of amarnath leaves.
2. 1 onion. I use half for grinding cut into big blocks and other half is cut into long slices
3. 1 tomato. I use half for grinding cut into big blocks and other half chopped into pieces
4. 1/2 cup toor dal
5. Pinch of turmeric powder
6. 2-3 teaspoon of sambar powder (Or go as per your regular quantity)
7. 2 teaspoon grated coconut
8. 2 cloves of garlic
9. 1 teaspoon Tamarind paste
10. 1/4 whole jeera
11. Salt to taste

For Tadka
12. 1-2 whole red chilli cut into halves
13. 1/4  teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
14. 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
15. Oil for tadka
16. Few Curry leaves

How I Prepare
1. Pressure cook toor dal for 2 whistles with turmeric powder.
2. Wash the leaves and chop them into small pieces. If the stem is tender you can chop them too. It taste good.  Add leaves, half cut onion, tomato and little salt to the cooked dal and pressure cook for 1 more whistle. Add little water if required.
3. Heat up little oil in a pan, add onion, garlic cloves and jeera to it. Saute it until onion is translucent. Add remaining half tomato, grated coconut and saute it for 1-2 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool.
4. Grind the above mixture into smooth paste with sambar powder and tamarind paste.
5. Add the grinded paste to the cooked dal. Adjust the consistency by adding some water. Don't make it watery. This sambar should be thick.
6. Cook it on medium flame until the sambar starts boiling. Add Salt as per taste
7. Take a small pan, heat put up oil. Add hing, mustard seeds, curry leaves and whole chill and saute for 1 minute. Add the tadka to the boiled sambar.
8. Serve hot with rice and papad.