Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   2      cups          masoor or arhar -- (toovar) dal (hulled
                        -- and split)
     1/2  teaspoon      ground turmeric
   3      tablespoons   chopped cilantro
   2      teaspoons     salt
                        ***ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING VEGETABLES***
   3      medium        zucchini -- sliced
                        OR 2 medium yellow squash -- sliced
                        OR 1/2 pound mushrooms -- sliced
                        OR 1 medium-sized eggplant -- cut int 3/4 inch
                        -- cubes
                        OR 1 medium onion -- cut in half, sliced
                        -- and sauteed for 5
                        -- minutes in 2
   1      tablespoons   oil
   4      tablespoons   tamarind paste
     1/2  teaspoon      sugar
   3      tablespoons   vegetable oil
  10      whole         black peppercorns
     1/2  teaspoon      whole cumin seeds
     1/2  teaspoon      whole black mustard seeds
  10      whole         fenugreek seeds
   1      whole         dried hot peppers -- up to 3

Preparation:

Clean and wash dal. Put dal in a 4-quart heavy-bottomed pot with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. If there is any scum, remove it with a spoon. Add the turmeric and cilantro and cover. Lower heat and simmer gently until tender, about 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Add the salt, the vegetables you are using, tamarind paste, and sugar. Cook another 15 minutes or until vegetable is tender. In a skillet, heat the 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the peppercorns, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and the red peppers. When the mustard seed begin to pop and the fenugreek and red pepper darken (this should take just a few seconds), pour the contents of skillet into the pot containing dal and vegetables. Stir. Cover again and turn off heat.