Polenta aka cornmeal is granules of corn available in grocery stores all around. The Polenta is cooked in many ways like it can be baked, grilled or fried. This recipe is prepared using boiled Polenta which is typically simmered in water with salt and ghee or butter. Polenta takes a little long time to cook and creamy texture.You could each boiled Polenta as is or It can be served many different ways. For this recipe we would prepare a sambar to serve with Polenta. Sambar is a south Indian soup which is prepared using mix of vegetables of your choice, toor daal and special sambar masala. In this recipe, I have also added green pigeon peas along with toor dal to get twist in sambar taste. There are varieties of sambar recipes available and you can use anyone if you like or you can use your own sambar recipe. Polenta used to be one of common meal item when I was young and my grand mother use to make it and serve with toor dal and spicy curry. In northern India is it referred as “Makki ka bath”. I literally love Polenta and every time I make it, it bring memories from childhood. Polenta with sambar was an awesome combination and very delicious, you could also try it with rasam. 
- Cut all the vegetables as suggested in ingredient list and keep all ingredient ready.
- Boil green pigeon peas, toor daal along with 2 cups of water, turmeric powder and salt for 3-4 whistle or until daal is cooked properly. Once its done, let it cool down naturally.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan or kadhai at medium heat. Add mustard seeds, and let it crackle, add red chili and curry leaves. Sauté it for few seconds. Add onion, little salt and hing, sauté till onion gets sweaty. Add all cut vegetables, turmeric powder and sauté it for 2 minutes.
- Add sambar masala and stir it nicely. Add tamarind juice and jaggrey. Saute it for 30 sec. Once it done, turn off the heat.
- Add the fried vegetables from above step into cooked daal and peas mix. Add little water or adjust the liquid consistency as per your taste and also adjust the salt as per your taste. Close the pressure cooker lid and let it cook for 2 whistle.
- After its done, turn off the heat and let it cool down naturally.
- Hot sambar is ready to be served. Pour into serving bowl and serve it hot with plain rice or polenta ( cornmeal).
- Clean cornmeal with water about 2-3 time and soak it for 25 minutes.
- To make polenta (cornmeal), I have used pressure cooker however you can cook it in open pot although it may take little longer. Add polenta (cornmeal) in to 5 cups of water, add ghee and salt. Close the cooker lid and let it cook at medium to high heat. Once steam start building up, reduce the heat at low to medium heat and let it cook for 3-4 whistle. Once its done, turn off the heat and let it cool down naturally. Open the lid of the cooker and once again turn on the heat at medium. Add corn flour, little ghee; stir it nicely and cook without the lid until polenta (cornmeal) gets little thicker consistency.
- Stir it continuously to avoid burning. After done, turn off the heat and transfer it into serving bowl and let it cool.
- Delicious polenta ( cornmeal) is ready to be served with sambar.
- Serve with hot sambar and enjoy your healthy meal.
