Sambar is one of the complicated things and it has varying tastes across India. This is one version that I make and I like it. So here it goes.

1. Slice the tomatos and onion
2. Slice all the vegetables
3. Clean and wash the dal
4. Put the oil in pressure cooker and heat it
5. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, cinamon sticks, bay leaf, curry leaves
6. Once cumin seeds turn brownish, add onion, ginger, and tomato
7. Cook till tomatos are cooked, add rest of the vegetables
8. Cover the cooker for half a minute and let these cook
9. Add sambar powder, turmeric and salt
10. Mix it well and then add tuar dal
11. Mix it well and add water. Water quantity should be such that all the contents are submerged
    
12. Close the cooker and put the weight on
13. Once the pressure builds up, reduce the flame and let it cook for 20 minutes.
14. After 20 minutes, let the cooker cool down.

Sambar can be served with many south indian dishes or just eaten with rice.