Begin with pressure cooking toor dal. Pick, rinse and wash toor dal well. Take it in a small pressure cooker and add enough water to it. Add a pinch of salt and turmeric powder. Close the pressure cooker and pressure cook the dal for up to 4 whistles. The dal should be completely cooked.

While the dal is cooking let us do the other prep work for pumpkin sambar. Soak about 1 small lemon sized tamarind in 1/2 cup warm water for 20 minutes, extract thick juice and set aside, alternately you can use 2 tablespoons thick tamarind extract that is readily available or premade. Peel and cut pumpkin into small cubes.

Heat a thick bottomed pan or kadai with 2 tablespoons sesame or gingely oil. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle. Add methi seeds and fry till they turn a bit dark. Add asafoetida,dried red chilies and curry leaves. Saute for 3-4 minutes.

Add the pumpkin cubes and mix well.

Add turmeric powder and sambar powder. Mix well and saute very well till the raw smell of sambar powder and turmeric powder goes off.

Add thick tamarind extract and mix well. Cook in medium flame for 6-8 minutes. Add about 3 cups water and mix well. Let the sambar boil very well for about 10-12 minutes and thicken.

Take the cooked toor dal and mash it very well. Add it to the boiling sambar and mix well. Add salt and cook further for 8-10 minutes. Once the sambar reaches thick consistency add 2 tablespoons of coriander powder and mix well. Remove from flame and serve pumpkin sambar ith rice or idli or dosa.