Kadamba Sambar

Kadamba sambar is something which my patti used to make during any special occasion in our house like somebody's birthday, or wedding day or some family get together. I have never seen my MIL make this sambar. She used to combine two or three vegetables and make sambar, but not with more than 6 or 7 vegetables. I made this kadamba sambar for our wedding day couple of days back. Here goes the recipe..

Ingredients:-

1. Potato - 1( chop it into cubes)
   
2. Drumstick - 6 (acc to taste)
3. Tomato - 1 ( chop it into cubes)
4. Eggplant - 1( chop it into cubes)
5. Pumpkin - a small piece (5 cubes)
   
6. Chow chow - a small piece (5 cubes)
7. Onion - 1( chop it into cubes)
8. Okra - 2 (chop it accordingly)
   
9. Tamarind - a small lemon sized (soak it)
   
10. toor dhall - 1 1/2cups
    
11. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
12. Sambar powder - 1 1/2 tsp (acc to taste)
13. Salt to taste

To Grind:-

1. Coriander seeds - 1 1/4 tsp
2. Channa dhall - 3/4 tsp
3. Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
4. REd chillies - 3 or 4 (acc to taste)
5. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
6. Coconut - 3 tsp
7. Asafoetida powder - a pinch

For seasoning:-

1. Oil - 2 tsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. Red chillies - 1
5. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
   
6. Curry leaves - for garnishing

First pressure cook toor dhall with required amount of turmeric powder and keep it aside. Take a pan, fry the ingredients given to grind, to golden brown and grind it into a fine paste. Keep it aside. Squeeze juice from tamarind for about one and half cups and keep it aside. In a flat bottomed pan, pre heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, red chillies and asafoetida powder and fry it till golden brown. Now add the above given vegetables one by one and saute for a minute. Now add the squeezed tamarind juice to the vegetables, required amount of salt, turmeric powder and sambar powder to it and cook it for atleast 7 to 10 minutes ( or till the vegetables are 3/4th cooked). Now add the grounded coconut paste to the vegetables and let everything cook together for another 3 minutes. Now add the cooked toor dhall to it and boil it for another 5 minutes. Garnish it with curry leaves. Serve it hot with rice.




This recipe goes to CMT - Dhal/Kadi/Sambar/Rasam, hosting by Priya , an event by Jagruti.

Nenthrangai Sambar

When I first heard about this sambar, I was really surprised that I didn't know people make sambar with nenthrangai (plantain). Since I am from Kerala, I have tasted nenthrangai chips which my patti used to make with coconut oil. I have tasted home made chips and also store bought chips. But sambar is something I have not tasted or tried before. We had a small vacation in Atlanta, two week back. We went to my cousin's place and his wife told me about this sambar which her mother-in-law(my mom's cousin) used to make. I wanted to try this sambar immediately after coming back to Calif. Since I was sick all these days, I couldn't make it. Today I tried. Frankly speaking my husband was not sure about the taste and was scared to taste. But atlast he tried and said it came out really well(Thank god!) Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Plantain (nenthrangai) - 1
2. Toor dhall - 1/2 cup
   
3. Tamarind - a small lemon sized
4. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Sambar powder - 1 1/2 tsp
6. Salt to taste

For Grinding:-

1. Coconut *** - 2 1/2 tbsp
2. Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
3. Channa dhall - 1/2 tsp
4. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
5. Red chillies - 1(acc to taste)
   
6. Urad dhall - 1/4 tsp

For Seasoning:-

1. Oil - 1 tsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4tsp
4. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
5. Curry leaves - few

Cook toor dhall with a pinch of turmeric powder and keep it aside. Soak tamarind in two cups of water and take out the juice and keep it aside. In the mean time, fry the ingredients given for grinding, into golden brown and grind it into a fine paste. Remove the skin from plantain and cut it into medium sized cubes. Now take a pan, put the plantain pieces, add the tamarind juice, turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt and let it cook for 10 mts. It may take 7 to 10 mts to cook the plantain. Stir the ingredients ocassionally. When the plantain is 3/4th done, add the grounded paste and add water accordingly to let the mixture boil for another 3 mts. Now add the cooked toor dhall to it and mix everything well. Take a small pan, pre heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida powder, to golden brown and pour it on top of sambar. Now sambar is ready to serve.

*** - I have started replacing coconut with almonds. In this recipe we can use 4 or 5 whole almonds in the place of coconut.

More sambar

This is another recipe I learned from my mother in law. I was first amazed when she told me about this recipe. Here is the recipe

Ingredients:-

1. wintermelon - 1 cup (chopped)
2. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
3. Salt to taste
4. Toor Dhall - 3/4 cup
5. Thick buttermilk (or curd) - 3/4 cup

For Grinding:-

1. Coriander seeds - 1/2 tbsp
2. Channa dhall - 1 tsp
3. Coconut - 2 tsp
4. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
   
5. Red chillies - 2 (or acc to taste)
6. Asafoetida powder - a pinch

For Seasoning:-

1. Oil - 2 tsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Fenugreek greek - 1/4 tsp
4. Curry leaves - few
5. Asafoetida powder - a pinch

First pressure cook toor dhall with a pinch of turmeric powder and keep it aside. Take a small pan, pre heat oil, fry coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, red chillies, asafoetida powder, channa dhall and coconut to golden brown and let it cool. Grind it into a fine paste. Keep it aside.

Take a wide pan, put the vegetables, add required amount of water, turmeric powder and salt and let it cook till it becomes tender. Now add the coconut mixture and cooked toor dhall to it and let it boil for 5 mts. Now add the thick buttermilk to it and turn off the when the foam forms from it. This is more sambar.

Take a small pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida powder and fry it till golden brown. Pour it on top of sambar.

Raddish Sambar

This is another recipe which is very common in our place. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Raddish - 1 (1/2 if its big) (peel the skin and chop it)
   
2. Toor Dhall - 1 1/2 cup (cook it)
   
3. Onion - 1/2 (chop it)
   
4. Coriander Seeds - 1 tbsp
5. Chana dhall - 1 tsp
6. Red chillies - 1
7. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
8. Coconut - 2 tsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
10. Sambar powder - 1 tsp
11. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
12. Salt to taste
13. Tamarind - 2 tbsp (a small lemon sized)
    

For Seasoning:-

1. Oil - 1 tsp
2. Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
5. Curry leaves - few

First take a small pan, pre heat a drop of oil, fry coriander seeds, channa dhall, fenugreek seeds, red chillies to golden brown. Turn off the stove. Add the coconut to it, mix it well and let it cool. Grind it into a fine paste. Keep it aside. Now take a wide pan, squeeze the juice from tamarind (or add 2 cups of water to tamarind paste) add chopped raddish, onion, turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt and let it cook till the raddish becomes tender. Add some water if necessary. When the raddish becomes tender, add the coconut paste to it and let it boil for another 5 mts. Add water if necessary. Now add the cooked toor dhall to it and let everything cook for another 5 mts. This is sambar.

Take a small pan, pre heat the remaining oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add fenugreek seeds, asafoetida powder and curry leaves and let it fry till golden brown. Pour it on top of sambar. Now sambar is ready to serve.

Pearl Onion Sambar

Kutti vengaya Sambar - most of us like this sambar. The main ingredients are as follows..

Ingredients:-

1. Pear Onions (kutti vengayam) - a small cup
   
2. Toor dhall - 1 cup
3. Tamarind - 1 1/2 tbsp
4. Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
5. Channa dhall - 1 tsp
6. Fresh coconut - 1 1/2 tbsp
7. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
8. Red chillies - 2
9. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
10. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Sambar powder - 1/2 tsp
12. Salt to taste

For seasoning:-

1. Oil - 2 tsp
   
2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. Curry leaves - few
5. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
6. Red chillies - 1

First pressure cook the toor dhal with a pinch of turmeric powder and keep it aside. Take out the skin from pearl onions and keep it aside. Take a small pan, pre heat a pinch of oil, add coriander seeds, channa dhal, fenugreek, red chillies, coconut and asafoetida powder and fry it till golden brown. Also take 4 pearl onions and fry it along with the above said ingredients to golden brown. This will increase the taste of sambar. Let it cool and grind it into a fine paste.

Now take a pan, put the remaining pearl onions, add tamarind paste, a cup of water, turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt and let it boil for 7 to 10 mts till the onion become tender. Now add the coconut paste with it and again let it cook for another 2 mts. Add the cooked toor dhal to it and let it boil for another 5 mts. Now sambar is ready. For seasoning, take a small pan, preheat the oil, add mustard seeds when it splutters add fenugreek seeds, red chillies, asafoetida powder and curry leaves to it and fry it till golden brown. Pour it on top of the sambar. Serve hot with rice.

Spinach Sambar

According to me, this is the easiest sambar. For those who use frozen spinach, it will take less time to finish it. I use frozen spinach most of the time. Do not try this sambar with Methi leaves (mendhiya keerai). This is how I do spinach sambar. The main ingredients are as follows:

Ingredients:-

1. Frozen Spinach - 1/2 box (enough for 4 people)
2. Toor dal - 3/4 cup
   
3. Tamarind paste - 1 1/2 tbsp
4. Coriander seeds - 3 tbsp
5. Channa dal - 3/4 tbsp
6. Urid dal - 1/2 tbsp
7. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
8. Red chillies - 3
   
9. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
10. Fresh coconut - 2 tbsp
    
11. Salt to taste
12. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
13. Sambar powder - 3/4 tsp

For seasoning:-

1. Oil - 1 tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
3. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. curry leaves - 10 - 12
5. Asafoetida powder - a pinch

Pressure cook the toor dal with a pinch of turmeric powder. In the mean time, thaw the spinach from freezer and cook it in the microwave according to the quantity you take. If you want to make 1/2 box of spinach then keep it 4 mts in the microwave. In a small pan, pour a drop of oil and pre heat it. Fry coriander seeds, channa dal, urid dal, red chillies, pepper and asafoetida powder to golden brown. Now add the coconut to it and stir it once and turn off the stove. Let it cool and grind it into a paste.

Now in a wide pan, mix the tamarind paste with a cup of water add turmeric and sambar powder and salt to it. Also add the spinach to it and let it cook for 5 mts. Since the spinach is already cooked, we just have to boil it for 5 mts. Now add the coconut paste to it and let it boil for another 3 mts. Finally add the toor dal to it and boil it for another 3 mts.

In a small pan, pre heat the remaining oil, add mustard seeds to it when it splutters add curry leaves, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida powder to it. Do not burn it. Pour it into the sambar. Now the sambar is ready to serve. Above said quantity is enough for 4 people.

Bitter Guard Pitlai - Kerala style

This is how my patti make pitlai with bitter guard. The main ingredients are as follow:
Ingredients

1. Bitter guard - 3 (wash and cut it evenly)
2. Toor dal - 3/4 cup
   
3. Tamarind paste - 1 1/2 tbsp
4. Coriander seeds - 3 tbsp
5. Channa dal - 3/4 tbsp
6. Urid dal - 1/2 tbsp
7. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
8. Red chillies - 2
9. Pepper - 1 tbsp
   
10. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
11. Fresh coconut - 4 tbsp (Kerala iyers use lot of coconut)
12. Salt to taste
13. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
14. Sambar powder - 3/4 tsp

For seasoning:-

1. Oil - 1 tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
3. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. curry leaves - 10 - 12
5. Asafoetida powder - a pinch

Pressure cook the toor dal with a pinch of turmeric powder. In a small pan, pour a drop of oil and pre heat it. Fry coriander seeds, channa dal, urid dal, red chillies, pepper and asafoetida powder to golden brown. Now add the coconut to it and stir it once and turn off the stove. Let it cool and grind it into a paste.

In a wide pan, mix the tamarind paste with a cup of water and add the bitterguard to it. Also add turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt and let it boil for 7 mts. When the bitter guard becomes tender add the coconut paste to it and let it again boil for another 3 mts. Finally add toor dal to it and let it cook for another 2 or 3 mts. Turn off the stove, when the aroma comes out from the sambar.

In a small pan, pre heat the remaining oil, add mustard seeds to it when it splutters add curry leaves, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida powder to it. Do not burn it. Pour it into the sambar. Now the sambar is ready to serve. Above said quantity is enough for 4 people.

Sambar - Arachuvitta sambar

This is another sambar which needs some kind of garnishing This one also a simple one. The main ingredients are as follow..
Ingredients:-

1. Toor Dal - 1 cup
2. Tamarind Paste - 1 1/2 tsp
3. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Sambar powder - 1 1/2 tsp
5. Salt to taste.
6. Vegetables -Drumstick 2 (cut it into one inch size)
7. Onion - 1/2
8. Fresh coconut - 3 tbsp
9. Coriander - 3 tbsp
10. Channa dal - 1 1/2 tbsp
11. urid dal - 1 tsp
12. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
13. Red chillies - 3
14. Asafoetida powdr - a pinch

For seasoning:

1. oil - 2 tsp
2. Mustrd seeds - 1 tsp
3. fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. curry leaves - 10-15 leaves

First pressure cook the Toor dal with a pinch of Turmeric powder in it. Keep it aside. In a small pan, pour a drop of oil and fry, coriander seeds, channa dal, urid dal, fenugreek seeds, red chillies with a pinch of asafoetida powder, to golden brown. Turn off the stove and now add the coconut to the above said ingredients. Grind it into a fine paste and keep it aside.

Take a pan, mix the tamarind paste with a cup of water, add turmeric powder + sambar powder + salt + vegetables and let it boil for 7 to 8 minutes till the vegetables become tender. Now add the coconut paste to it and let it boil for another 3 mts. Now add toor dal, again let it boil for another 3 mts.

Take a small seasoning pan, preheat oil, add mustard seeds when it splutters add fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and Asafoetida and pour it in the sambar. Now sambar is ready to serve. We can also make this sambar with Okra, Eggplant, Winter melon, Pumpkin, instead of Drumstick.

Sambar

This is a simple sambar for normal days. In case of occasion or function, we make araichuvittu sambar. But this one is a simple one. The main ingredients are as follow..
Ingredients:-

1. Toor Dal - 1 cup
   
2. Tamarind Paste - 1 1/2 tsp
3. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Sambar powder - 1 1/2 tsp
5. Salt to taste.
6. Vegetables - Carrot, Brinjal, Tomato (wash and cut the vegetables evenly)
7. Besan flour - 1 tsp
8. Fresh coconut - 1 tbsp

For seasoning:

1. oil - 2 tsp
2. Mustrd seeds - 1 tsp
3. fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. curry leaves - 10-15 leaves
   

First pressure cook the Toor dal with a pinch of Turmeric powder in it. Keep it aside. Take a pan, mix the tamarind paste with a cup of water, add turmeric powder + sambar powder + salt + vegetables and let it boil for 7 to 8 mts till the vegetables become tender. Now add the toor dal and again let it boil for another 3 mts. Now mix the besan flour with 4 or 5 tbsp water and pour it in the sambar and sprinkle the coconut on top of it and let it cook for 3 mts. Take a small seasoning pan, preheat oil, add mustard seeds when it splutters add fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and Asafoetida and pour it in the sambar.

Idly - Sambar

This sambar is different from the sambar we make everyday. Thought would share this with you. The main ingredients are as follows:

• 1 cup Moong dal
• 2 tbsp toor dal
• 10 pearl onions ( Chinna onion)
• 5 drumstick pieces
• 1 carrot chopped into 1/2 inch
• 1 eggplant chopped into 1/2 inch
• 11/2 teaspoon tamarind paste ( if necessary)
• 1 big tomato chopped
  
• 1 teaspoon sambar powder (can use coriander powder+Chilli Powder instead)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• salt for taste

Thalikka

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 1/2 tsp urid dal
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1 red chilli and some curry leaves
  

Method

Take a medium size pressure pan and fry the moon dal for 3 to 4 minutes. Then add Toor dal, vegetable, Turmeric powder, Sambar powder (or coriander + chilli powder) and salt. Pressure cook the above ingredients upto 2 whistles. This finishes the sambar. In a small kadai pre -heat 1 tbsp oil, then add mustard, urid dal, red chilli, curry leaves and asafoetida. Fry them for 10 seconds. Add these to the sambar. Serve this with hot idly or dosa. This sambar can be used as a side dish for pongal also. Try this and lemme know your comments.