Measure ½ teaspoon of turmeric. In a stovetop pressure cooker, cook ½ cup of rinsed toor dal with half the turmeric and 1½ cups of water under pressure for 9-10 minutes. Let pressure release naturally, then mash.
Put ½ cup of chopped pumpkin, ½ cup of diced carrot, ½ cup of chopped eggplant, 6 pearl onions, and 1 tomato, quartered, in a saucepan.
Add 1 moringa pod, scraped and cut into pieces, the remaining turmeric, ½ teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder, salt and 2 cups of water for the vegetables. Simmer until the vegetables are almost tender.
Add ½ tablespoon of tamarind paste, 1½ tablespoons of sambar powder and the mashed dal. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, adding water if needed. Remove from the heat.
Heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a small pan. Add ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds and let them pop.
Add 1 dried red chili, broken, 10 curry leaves, 5 fenugreek seeds, and 2 pinches of asafoetida. Fry briefly until the leaves are crisp.
Pour the spiced oil into the sambar, cover and rest for 5 minutes.
