Dals,Sambars and Lentil Sauces

-- SAMBARS-DHALLS ---


COCONUT MILK KOZUMBU (with brinjals) CHETTINADU SPECIAL

This is a pure chettinadu preparation but surprisingly it does not have Star Anis and Black pepper. I was a bit apprehensive about the taste as this recipe has very simples spices.But the end result was a surprise to me. It tasted superb with both rotis and Rice. Try and you too would like it.

(For a family of 4 , two servings.)
Coconut milk 1cup +1 cup + 1 cup (1st , 2nd and 3rd milk from 1 full coconut.)
Brinjals 250 gms
Onion 1 no.
Tomato 1 no.
Tamarind 1 large marble sized (extract juice 1 cup)
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Ghee 3 tbsp
Salt to taste

Masala powder of the following
Thoram parappu 1 tbsp
Kadalai parappu 1tbsp
Ulundu parappu 1 tbsp
Dhania seeds 1 tbsp
Red Chillies 5 to 6 nos
Cinnamon stick 1" 1 or 2 nos.
Poppy seeds 2 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 3/4 spoon
Oil for frying 2 spoons

Tempering
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Ghee 2 to 3 Tbsp.

Get Brijals which are tender and sweet .It is important that they have few seeds or no seeds. Cut them length wise in 1.5 inch pieces and set aside. Cut onion and dice tomato also .Take oil in a kadai and roast all the ingredients for three to four minutes only. Take care not to brown the dhalls .When frying is over, cool the masala ingredients and powder. Extract 1 cup juice from a large marble sized Tamarind and set aside.
Grate a Muthal coconut very fine. Remove 1st milk after reworking in a mixi adding 1 cup of water and set aside.(1 cup) Use a nylon/steel strainer to filter coconut paste.
Add one more cup of water to coconut paste and rework in a mixi. Remove 2nd milk and set aside.
Similarly make 3rd cup of 3rd milk and set aside. Discard useless pulp.
Now take Ghee in the same kadai and add the temperings .When mustard starts popping , add Asafoetida and immediately add cut brinjals and onion. Fry till brinjals become soft but not cooked more than 50 percent. Add tamarind extract and salt .Also add curry leaves and diced tomato and set to boil for four to five minutes. Now add the 3rd and 2nd milk along with the masala powder. Add salt and let it boil for four minutes. Now check if brinjals are cooked. Add 1st milk and let it simmer for further three to four minutes. Switch off the stove.
Check for salt and chilli taste. If less add at this juncture. A fine aroma would spread by now.
Cover the vessel and let the spices permeate for 30 minutes. Re heat and serve with Rice. This chettinadu kozumbu seems to be a blend of Malay and Tamil cuisine.
DHALL MAKHANI (whole black urad with Rajma)

Dhall makhani is a very rare Dhall where not even a single whole spice is used and still it has a fantastic taste when eaten with Paratha, Phudina Paratha and Rice.

150 gms. Whole Black Urad (ulundhu) 50 gms. Rajma Beans
50 gms. Butter 50 gms. Ghee
8 cloves of Garlic sliced in thin strips 2" Piece Ginger sliced in small strips (or grated)
150 gms .Tomato (diced) 1 spoon Red chilli Powder
1/2 spoon Turmeric 4 Nos. Green chillies
2 small Onions sliced 3 spoons Salt ( to taste)
1 spoon of Dry Mango powder / fresh lime

Soak Rajma for twelve hours in water with a pinch of Soda Bi-carb. Soak Whole Urad (ulundhu) for six hours in luke warm water. Add sliced ginger and Garlic in soaked Urad and Rajma and add half spoon of Turmeric and one spoon of salt. Add enough water and pressure cook for three to four whistles. Take care that Urad cooks well and when cooked set aside. Take 50 gms of Ghee in a kadai and sauté Diced Onion till it turns pink. Now add diced Tomatoes and turn till Tomatoes become soft and the mix starts leaving ghee ..You may add half a spoon of Freshly cut ginger at this stage and turn for a minute. Add this to cooked Urad Rajama Mix. Add some more salt, one spoon of chilli powder and sliced Green chillies now and set the vessel to a boil for about fifteen minutes .Keep on stirring or else the Dhall will stick at the bottom. At this stage you may add Amchur/Lemon (but remember that this is optional)
Now add 50 gms. of Butter. Mix thoroughly and leave the Dhall Makhani for one hour. After an hour , reheat and Serve hot.






HARIYALI -PILI-MUNG DHALL

150 gms .Mung Dhall (paiyar parappu)
1 No. Onion sliced( fairly large onion)
2 Nos. Tomatoes (diced)
1 cup Kothumalli/cilantro chopped finely
1 Spoon Red chilli powder (teaspoon)
1 Spoon Turmeric powder
3 to 4 Nos. Green chillies
1 Spoon Pure Ghee
1 Spoon Asafoetida (if the Perangayam is strong, use only 1/4th spoon)
1 Spoon of Lime Juice OR one spoon of Amchur powder
Salt to taste
Enough water for cooking

Cook Dhall in a cooker along with one spoon of Ghee, Salt, Red Chilli powder and Turmeric. When the Dhall is cooked, transfer to a Patela and add Green Chillies and Tomatoes .Cook for 5 to 7 minutes on a medium flame. Keep stirring or else the Dhall will stick to the bottom. Now add finely chopped Kothumalli and cook for another 2 minutes .Cover the vessel and remove from Stove and set aside. Take some ghee in a kadai and sauté sliced Onion till light pink. Add a spoon of Asafoetida (perangayam) just when the Onion is turning Pink. Now add the Onion to Dhall and reheat the Dhall for a couple of minutes. Finally add a spoon of Fresh lime Juice and stir it well and keep for 15 minutes.

Reheat for a couple of minutes just before the food is served. This Dhall goes great with any type of Roti, Paratha, Naan, Phulka or Rice. This recipe is strictly followed in UP and Haryana. Bengali method and taste come a way back and is poor second in taste to this Dhall. Please try and send in your feed back.




KADHI

Kadhi is Mor Sambar or Mor Kozambu of Gujarat. Usually it is made without any addition to it but a variation is also there where in you add ompodi and it is called as Sevli Kadhi. This is eaten with Roti/Chapathi and Rice.

300 gms. of fresh curds of not sour type
3/4 to 1 Tea spoon of Jeera powder/Jeera
Three to four cloves of Garlic
One inch of Ginger finely crushed
Two table spoons of Kadalai Maavu
Quarter cup of Kotthumalli
One spoon of Sugar
Salt to taste

For tempering
One table spoon of Ghee 1/2 spoon of Fenugreek seeds
1/2 spoon of Jeera 6 Cloves
Two red chillies (broken) Tej patta One or two sticks of Cinnamon
1/2 " Ginger piece (grated) One sprig of Curry leaves 2nos.Green Chillies

Mix Two spoons of Kadalai Maavu in Buttermilk made out of Curds. See that you add only about 400 ml of water. The maavu should be uniformly mixed and break any lumps if there are. Don't use mixi to mix these two but churn with a matthu. Add powdered Jeera or whole jeera now. Add crushed Garlic now. Boil this mixture on a medium to low flame for at least ten minutes. Add salt to taste along with a spoon of sugar. Now add curry leaves.

Kadhi will turn light yellow with addition of Jeera/Jeera powder. Remember never add Manja to Kadhi to make it yellow. It spoils the taste. Now Temper the Kadhi with cloves, jeera, Red chillies Cinnamon and Tej patta and Fenugreek seeds. When the cloves start bursting, add the tampering to Kadhi and immediately cover the vessel with a lid. Use only Ghee to temper and not oil.

Leave kadhi aside for at least an hour . Now garnish with freshly cut Kotthumalli and serve hot.

Variation of sevali kadhi
You can make fresh dough of Channa flour with salt, chilli powder and Hing .Make only one big laddu sized dough. This should be of Kaimurukku consistency. Make ompodi with a machine and drop it in kadhi at the primary stage of boiling. The other method remains the same.

Precaution
Kadhi preparation demands constant vigil while boiling . If you are nor attentive, the Kadhi will start overflowing on the gas stove. Kadhi tastes great with Chappathi, poori and also with Rice. If you don't like sweet kadhi, you may avoid using sugar and use sour curds instead of fresh curds.


KARAKKOZUMBU (Chettinadu special)

Calling KARAKKOZUMBU a samabar would be doing injustice to a distinctly different preparation .The spices and the ingredients are a bit different and the way it is prepared is also different. It is as different as CHETTIAR MANAIS in the Great Chettiar Country in Ramnath Puram and adjoining districts is from Typical Tamiz House. Enjoy it carefully as you are likely to be carried away and sssssssssweat later on

For 4 people 2 servings
Onions (sambar vegayam) 150 gms.
Brinjals/Muringakkai 150 gms/ 1 number cut in 1.5 " pieces
Tomatoes 4 nos.
Garlic 6 to 8 cloves
1 sprig of curry leaves
6 to 8 Green chillies
3 spoons Sambar Powder
1/4 spoon of fresh Black pepper powder (optional)
Salt to taste

For tempering
2 tbsp of gingly Oil for tampering
1/2 spoon channa dhall
1/2 spoon of mustard seeds
1/4 spoon of Roughly broken pepper
½ spoon Perangayam
1 or 2 broken dry chillies
1 lemon sized ba*ll of Tamarind (add water and extract thick juice)

Make a paste of
Coconut 2 bathhe (2"pieces)
Gasa gasa (poppy seeds) 1.5 spoons

Vegetables to be added
Muringakkai 1 no cut in 1.5" pieces or any other single vegetable.

Cut Muringakkai, dice tomato. Use Brinjals (if you are using them) which are not acidic and must be seedless. Cut in rather large pieces . Take Garlic, make long slices and set aside. Take Sambar Vegayam, clean and peel them . Make a fine paste of coconut and poppy seeds. and set aside. Make extract of Tamarind and set aside. Take a kadai and put tampering oil, add mustard seeds, vendiyum and red chillies broken in it. Heat at medium flame, when mustard starts to crackle, immediately add Asafoetida and coarsely broken Pepper. Immediately add onions , Green chillies (make single cut on each green chilli. This will prevent them from exploding. Fry for about two to three minutes. Now add Muringakkai and other vegetables. (if you are using Muringakkai, better boil it first and semi cook it separately and use it along with its boiled water). Stir and let it fry for about two to three minutes in hot oil. Now is the time to add tomatoes , add them and fry till tomatoes are loose, immediately add extract of Tamarind, mix and let it simmer for about three minutes, now add Chilli powder, Turmeric and Pepper powder( optional). After about one minute, add sambar powder. let it simmer for two minutes till fine aroma of sambar powder is felt. Now add water and let it boil .This will take about five minutes .Now add ground paste of Coconut and poppy seeds. Mix thoroughly.Bring to boil and let it simmer for another three minutes. KARAKKOZUMBU is ready.


MILAGU-TANEER

Please understand that there is a difference between Milagu Taneer and Milagu Rasam. Milagu Taneer is prepared without any Dhall.

400 ml of water
One Tea spoon of Black Pepper coarsly powdered
One tea spoon of Jeera coarsly powdered
One small lemon sized Tamarind Ball (extract juice with water)
Six pods of Garlic (optional)
Two springs of Curry leaves
Two spoons of Rasam powder
Half a cup of Kothumalli nicely cut
Ghee/oil for seasoning
Salt to taste
Quarter spoon of Turmeric
Asafoetida half spoon (optional)

Take water in a vessel and add Tamarind extract and salt. Boil till raw smell of Tamarind goes off. Now add Rasam powder and Turmeric. Boil till the liquid starts to froath. Reduce the flame and add Pepper and Jeera powder. Let the mixture boil on a low flame for about four to five minutes. Now heat ghee/oil in a Thalikku karandi and add a quarter spoon of Jeera and Asafoetida. Season the rasam. Finally add kothumalli and cover the Vessel. After about 45 minutes, reheat the Rasam to a boil. Take a steel filter and filter the liquid. The filtered Rasam is CLEAR MILAGU TANEER. This milagu taneer is to be used as an appetizer. It is to be served about 30 minutes before the dinner is served. Cook

PACHHAI PAYIR KOZUMBU ( MASALA -KHATTE MOONG)

Today I am posting a very delicious version of Pacchai payir Kozumbu. This is generally not prepared in south. This is basically a West Indian dish but I have taken liberty to post it here. I am sure you would enjoy once you prepare and relish this unique kozumbu.

Green gram (Pachai payir) 150 gms.
Six to eight cloves of garlic (f the cloves are small, use ten to twelve cloves)
Ginger 2 inches piece
Dhaniya seeds 2 Table spoons
Jeera 1 Tea spoon
Green chillies 4 to 6 as per personal need
Sour Curds 150 ml.
Oil for tempering
Jeera one spoon for tempering
1/4 spoon of Mustard seeds
Broken Red chillies 3 nos.
Half cup of finly cut Kothumalli
Half spoon of Turmeric
Salt to taste
Two springs of curry leaves

Pressure cook payir with at east six whistles to see that they are slightly over cooked. Payir (moong) should not remain whole after cooking. Keep the payir aside and prepare the following masalas Crush Ginger, Garlic and Green chillies in a mortar and make a paste. If you do not have a mortar, at least crush Garlic with a stone or something heavy. Don't use sliced garlic as the taste will differ. After crushing garlic, make a paste in a mixi/blender. Keep it aside. Now churn the payir (MOONG) till froth is formed. The payir consistancy should be as thick as thick sambar. Slighly roast Dhaniya and Jeera seeds and powder it and add immediately to payir. Boil for three to four minutes Now add salt, Turmeric. Curry leaves and paste of Ginger and Garlic and green chillies. Let the kozumbu boil on a medium heat for atleast six minutes. Now add beaten curds and let the mixture boil for another six to seven minutes. Now temper with one spoon of Jeera and quarter spoon of Mustard and broken chillies. After that garnish with green Kothumalli and set it aside for one hour. After an hour serve after reheating. I am sure that this would be a very different and refreshing change . This kozumbu is to be eaten with Poori, chappathi and Rice.


PULUSU (mix vegetables in Tamarind sauce)

What is Aviyal to a Keralalite, Pulusu is to an Andhravadu. Both are mix vegetable sauces but are as different and poles apart as the North and the South. But believe me , both are very elegant preparations. Source of this recipe is again Lady Suryakanthamgaru my late land lady and one of the greatest actress south has ever produced.

So here it is for your enjoyment. I must thank my wife for preserving the tradition of Andhra cooking as learnt from her.

Thoram Parappu 3/4 to 1 cup (cooked)
Sweet potato 1 no.
Drumstick 1 no.
Potato 1 no.
Onion 1 no.
Capsicum 1 no.
Tomato 1 no.
Beans 50 gms.
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Tamarind extract from a large marble sized Tamarind qty.
Sugar 1 Tea spoon
Salt to taste

Spices
Black pepper powder 1/4 Tea spoon
Chilli powder 1 Tea spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 Tea spoon
Kothumalli 1/4 cup

Tempering
Groundnut oil 1/4 cup
Fenugreek seeds 1.5 Tea spoons
Mustard seeds 1/4 Tea spoon

At the onset, prepare all the vegetables. Cut sweet potato, potato in about 1.5 to 2" large pieces. Cut Drumstick in same length pieces. Cut Capsicum in thickish slices. Cut tomato in 1/4 inch pieces. Cut beans also in longish cross cut pieces. Cut onion also in long slices . Pluck Kothumalli (coriander/cilantro) .Remove leaves from 1 sprig of curry leaves for tempering and keep the other sprig for boiling with sauce. Extract concentrate from Tamarind.

Cook about 75 gms of Thoram parappu (toor dhall) in a pressure cooker. When cooked, churn and use.

Take oil for tempering in a Kadai (wok) and set the flame on medium. Add mustard seeds first. After five seconds, add fenugreek seeds. When fenugreek starts turning light brown, mustard seeds would start popping. Add onion slices ,Capsicum and plucked curry leaves and fry till onion becomes creamish. Now add all the vegetables and turn the vegetables for about a minute in tempering .Now add all the dry spices , cooked and churned dhall and salt, turn for further five minutes.

Now add tamarind extract and curry leaves and boil the Pulusu for about fifteen minutes on a low/medium flame. Keep the kadai partially open and cook till all the vegetables are cooked. Now taste for salt and sourness.

Add Asafoetida (raw) now and boil for further two to three minutes. When you are sure that all the vegetables are properly cooked, add sugar and Kothumalli. Stir well , put off the flame and let the spices work up for about an hour.

Reheat the pulusu and serve piping hot with rice. Tastes equally great with chapathis and rotis.

This Pulusu would bring a new taste to your kitchen. But remember one thing. Never prepare pulusu without Drum stick and sweet potato.

One variation of Pulusu does not use thoor dhall and pepper powder. Also no asafoetida is used.


SALEM SAMBAR
Thanks to Mrs. MANO for this recipe

Pressure cook 3 handfuls of lentils. Fry 1/2sp of cummin seeds, 1/2sp of coriander seeds, 1/2sp of peppercorn, 1sp of black gram, 1sp of Bengal gram, 5 red chillies and a pea-sized asafoetida in a spoon of oil to a golden brown colour and then grind them with 3 sambar onions, 3tsp of shredded coconut and 4 garlic pearls coarsely. Soak a lime sized tamarind for half an hour and extract its thick juice. Heat a vessel and pour the cooked lentils with enough water and add 1sp of turmeric powder When the dal begins to simmer, add finely cubed pieces of radishes with one cup of finely crushed tomatoes and ½ cup of sliced small onions.. Add enough salt. When the vegetables are 3/4th cooked, add the tamarind extract and cook for a few minutes. Now add the ground masala with a little of chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves. Let the sambar cook for a few minutes. Heat a small kadai and pour 3sp of gingelly oil. When the oil becomes hot add 1sp of mustards seeds. When they splutter add this to the sambar.



ANDHRA SAMBAR

I have enjoyed sambars all thro' south India. There is such a great variety in taste that I always marvel at different preparations. Coimabatore, Salem Madurai, Udipi, Mangalore, Hyderabad and for that matter every single town or village will have something different in its preparation. This is because you can do anything with ingredients . Andhra sambar as I have been enjoying goes a bit off the beaten road of its traditional method followed by Tamilnadu and Karnataka etc. There is a basic difference in Tampering and it sets it apart from all its cousins. There are three varieties of Andhra Sambar, HOT.....HOTTER.......HOTTEST. This is the hot variety.

100 gms .Thoram parappu (Toor dhall)
3 Spoons of Sambar powder (Please refer to my sambar powder recipe)
4 nos. of onions (medium)
1 sprig of curry leaves
6 to 8 Green chillies
1/4 cup of Kothumalli
1.5 spoon of Perangayam(Hing)
3/4 spoon Jeera powder freshly made
1/4 spoon of Pepper powder
1 medium sized Tomato diced in 1/2 inch pieces
2 tbsp of gingly Oil for tampering
1/2 spoon of mustard seeds
1/4 spoon of Fenugreek seeds
1/2 sp (asafoetida)Perangayam for tempering
1/2 spoon of Turmeric powder
5 to 6 broken dry chillies one spoon chilli powder
Salt to taste
1 lemon sized ball of Tamarind (add water and extract thick juice)

Cut Muringakkai, dice tomato. Use Brinjals (if you are using them) which are not acidic and must be seedless. Cut in rather large pieces . Soak in water for some 30 minutes and then cook in a pressure pan after adding a bit of salt and quarter spoon of sugar till ¾ cooked. Set aside. (this will prevent them from becoming mushy) Cook the dhall after adding one small spoon of Perangayam (hing) very well. Keep it aside in the cooker for thirty minutes. Now churn the dhall till the froth and keep it aside. Take the onions and dice two onions , take green chillies, press them hard without breaking them on flat surface and add and saute in a little oil and add it to sambar. Take care that you don't cook the onions and chillies

There is another variation of adding the raw onions in the Dhall and let it get cooked in dhall itself. I have found the second variation better for sambar taste. Take other two onions and roast them over fire till outer cover burns to black. Remove the burnt cover and make a fine paste of roasted onions and set aside. Now add extract of Tamarind to Dhall along with salt. Boil the dhall till the raw smell of Tamrind goes off. Add 3/4 cooked vegetables now and add required salt. Add chilli powder, Turmeric powder and jeera powder also Pepper powder now. Let it simmer for a bout two minutes. Now add semi cooked onions and chillies and half sprig of curry leaves. Let it boil for about two to three minutes. Now add Sambar powder with freshly made paste of Roasted onion to it and set it to boil. Let the whole thing simmer for about six minutes. Add diced tomato and freshly cut bunch of Kothumalli last. Mix well and let it simmer for three minutes. Temper with mustard, chillies, fenugreek(vendhiyum) seeds, and Perangayam in Gingly oil. You may use groundnut oil also. The chillies are to be added first and when they start turning brown, add the other tempering. Add Asafoetida last in the oil. Tamper and cover it with a lid immediately. Serve hot.

Points to remember
Sambar must be made at least two hours before you are to serve to self or the guests. The real taste of sambar comes only after two hours of cooking. Reheat the Sambar and serve hot.!!!





ARICHUVITTU SAMBAR (Hemant Style)

I have enjoyed sambars all thro' south India. There is such a great variety in taste that I always marvel at different preparations. Coimabatore, salem Madurai, Udipi, Mangalore, Hyderabad, and for that matter every single town or village will have something different in its preparation. This is because you can do anything with ingredients. Arichuvittu sambar as I have been preparing goes a bit off the beaten road of its traditional method .I use soaked Masalas and pastes of coconut and chilli and Kothumalli. There is no roasting of ingredients here. Try once and chances are you will fall for it.!!

150 gms. of Thoram parappu (Toor dhall)
100 gms. of sambar vengayam (small onions) shallots
1 sprig of curry leaves
2 Green chillies
1.5" pieces of coconut 2 nos
1/2 cup of Kothumalli
1 spoon of Perangayam(Hing)
3/4 spoon Jeera powder freshly made
2 tbsp of gingly Oil for tempering
1 medium sized Tomato diced in 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 spoon of mustard seeds
1/4 spoon of Fenugreek seeds
3 broken dry chillies
one spoon chilli powder
1/2 spoon of Turmeric powder
1 lemon sized ball of Tamarind (add water and extract thick juice)
3 Spoons of Sambar powder (Please refer to my sambar powder recipe)
1/2 spoon of broken Dhania seeds
1/2 spoon of Perangayam for tempering

Vegetables to be added
Baby Onions (shallots) 150 gms.
Muringakkai 1 no cut in 1.5" pieces
Beans 50 gms.
Avarekkai 50 gms.
Radish 1 no cut in rounds (long white/red variety)
Brinjal 1 no. long variety (four nos. if small round)

Soak in 30 ml of water, Sambar Masala powder, Jeera powder,1 spoon of perangayam (hing), Turmeric powder& Chilli powder for one hour. Make a fine paste of Coconut pieces and green chillies and 1/2 sprig of Curry leaves. Set aside. Make coarse paste of kothumalli and set aside. Cut Murankka, dice tomato, cut beans in 1 ' pieces, and use Avarakkai pods which are tander. Use Brinjals which are not acidic and must be seedless. Cut in 1" pieces and then cut in four. Soak in water for some 30 minutes and then cook in a pressure pan after adding a bit of salt and quarter spoon of sugar till ¾ cooked. Set aside. Cook the dhall after adding one small spoon of Perangayam (hing) very well. Keep it aside in the cooker for thirty minutes. Now churn the dhall till the froth and keep it aside. Take the baby onions and sauté in oil for about three to four minutes. Take care that you don't cook the onions . There is another variation of adding the raw baby onions in the Dhall and let it get cooked in dhall itself. I have found the second variation better for sambar taste. Now add extract of Tamarind to Dhall along with salt. Boil the dhall till the raw smell of Tamrind goes off. Add 3/4 cooked vegetables now and add required salt. also add semi cooked baby sambar onions and half sprig of curry leaves. Let it boil for about two to three minutes. Now add the paste of Sambar powder, with all the powders you have kept in sambar. Add freshly made paste of Coconut and Green chillies to it and set it to boil. Let the whole thing simmer for about six minutes. Add diced tomato and freshly made paste of Kothumalli last. Mix well and let it simmer for three minutes.

Tamper with mustard, chillies, fenugreek (vendhiyum) seeds, broken dhania seeds and Perangayam in Gingly oil.

Garnish with finely chopped kothumalli and set aside.

Point to remember
Sambar must be made at least two hours before you are to serve to self or the guests. The real taste of sambar comes only after two hours of cooking. Reheat the Sambar and serve hot.!!!


AVAREKKAI SAMBAR

Karnataka has some fascinating dishes of which I have come to love AVAREKKAI SAMBAR very much. It comes under EO & ET category. People who love real spicy, hot and tasty Kozumbu/sambar would never forget the taste. I have been experimenting with the different recipes given to me by different friends and I have come to like the following recipe most. I am sure that you would try this fiery sambar once and post your reactions. Hurry up because the season of Avarekkai would be over within another month or so. Hubbers who are in the US or other countries can substitute Avarekkai with any green beans.

Green Avarekkai shelled 350 gms. Onions 2 nos. (medium)
Garlic (cut in large pieces) 10 cloves Green Chillies 6 to 7 nos. (hot variety)
Tomatoes 3 nos. Poppy seeds 1 table spoon
Coconut grated 2" pieces 3nos Salt to taste
Cooking oil 2 ladlefuls

dry spices
Cloves 6 to 7 nos., Cinnamon sticks 2" 5 sticks

Dry spices for tempering
Cinnamon sticks 1" 4 nos., Cloves 5 to 6 nos.

First soak Avarekkai seeds in hot water for three to four hours and then shell the skin of each seed. Keep it aside. Take about a ladle and half of oil in a kadai. frying pan and add the dry spices as mentioned above. When the cloves puff up, add onions, garlic, Green chillies and turn for about a minute and half only. Now add grated coconut and fry for further 30 seconds.

Remove from fire and let it get cold. When cold, make a fine paste of the whole thing and keep it aside. Make paste of poppy seeds and keep it aside. Dice the tomatoes in small pieces and keep aside. Take some water in a vessel and add shelled Avarekkai and steam/pressure cook the Avarekkai till they become soft but not soggy or too soft. When ready, add the masala paste. Add salt and over a slow/medium fire let it simmer for about ten minutes only. Now add diced tomatoes and paste of Poppy seeds and let it simmer for another four or five minutes or so. Now take some oil in a tempering ladle and add spices for tempering. When cloves puff up, add the tempering to Avarekkai sambar. Cover immediately and leave it for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, reheat the sambar and serve steaming hot with rice/poori /paratha or Rotis. Remember that this is a Hot dish and take in quantity which is good for you.

THIS SAMBAR SHOULD BE REALLY THICK LIKE KURAMA

Variation
Some people add 2 ' piece of ginger made in paste at the final stages to give an EXTRA KICK along with finely chopped green chillies. The taste is really good but let me warn you that this can be very hot.


BELL PEPPER SAMBAR ( capsicum sambar )

In my quest to find exotic tastes and exotic ingredients to be incorporated in South Indian cuisine has made
me try a lot of different ingredients ,culminating into some fine tasting dishes,. One of them is this BELL PEPPER SAMBAR (podumozakka sambar). Mind you, I failed to achieve the desired flavour from Capsicum on three or four trials. But ultimately I devised a way to get the right method. I am happy to bring the same to you.
So folks!!! Try this Capsicum or Bell Pepper Sambar and let me know.

(for a family of four 2 servings)
Thoram Parappu 100 gms. Capsicum (2 nos. Medium) 200 gms.
Green chillies (sliced) 2 nos. Onion (diced) 1 large
Asafoetida 1 spoon Sambar powder (Karnataka/Madras sambar powder) 3 Spoons
curry leaves 1 sprig Kothumalli 1/4 cup
Chilli powder 1/2 spoon Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Fresh Jeera powder 1/2 spoon 1 medium sized Tomato diced in 1/2 inch pieces (optional)
Tamarind 1 marble sized

Tor tempering
2 tbsp of groundnut Oil for tempering 3 nos. of Red chillies (broken)
1/2 spoon of mustard seeds 1/4 spoon of Fenugreek seeds
1/2 spoon of Perangayam for tempering

Cut Capsicum in 1. 5cm square pieces slice green chillies in thin strips. Dice Onion similarly and keep aside. Dice tomato in small pieces. Pluck kothumalli and set aside. Soak Tamarind and extract juice.
Take a roti/dosai tawa and add a spoon or two of cooking oil. Heat on a medium flame. When the tawa is hot, add Capsicum pieces along with sliced green chillies. Sprinkle two or three pinches of salt on Capsicum . Tawa fry the capsicum thoroughly ,Using a flat bottomed ladle(rice ladle) and press the underside of the ladle on flatly spread oiled capsicum pieces. See that the capsicum is slightly browned. The capsicum would have cooked to 3/4 and would be almost soft. A fine aroma of fried capsicum will spread. Remove from fire and keep in a bowl.

Cook the dhall after adding one small spoon of Perangayam (hing) very well. Keep it aside in the cooker for thirty minutes. Now churn the dhall till the froth and keep it aside. Add half sprig of curry leaves in the Dhall and Now add extract of Tamarind to Dhall along with salt . Boil the dhall till the raw smell of Tamarind goes off.

Add Turmeric powder , chilli powder and jeera powder and half a sprig of curry leaves. Let it boil for about two to three minutes.

Now add Sambar powder . Let the whole thing simmer for about six minutes. Add diced tomato and freshly cut bunch of Kothumalli . Mix well and let it simmer for three minutes. Take about two ladles of oil in a kadai and add Red Chillies,mustard, fenugreek(vendhiyum) seeds,when mustard starts to crackle, add Asafoetida and diced onion. Fry till onion pieces become translucent. Add the onion along with tempering to sambar Finally add 3/4 Tawa fried/cooked Capsicum pieces now ,and cover it with a lid immediately. check for salt . The Capsicum will cook in residual heat and also add the flavour to sambar.

Your Capsicum Sambar is ready!!

Point to remember
Sambar must be made atleast two hours before you are to serve to self or the guests.
The real taste of sambar comes only after two hours of cooking.

Reheat the Sambar and serve hot. !!!












MURINGAKKAI SAMBAR (DRUMSTICK SAMBAR)

Many of you would have wondered as to why your Muringkkai and Mulangi sambar tastes different and why no original flavour of Muringakkai or Mulangi (radish) is missing from sambr.

The secret lies in the method of preparation of those two sambars. Today I would be posting the correct method to prepare Muringakkai sambar. I hope you would try it out and let me know. (use the same method for Mulangi sambar)

(For a family of four 2 servings)
100 gms Thoram Parappu
3 Spoons of Sambar powder (Karnataka/Madras sambar powder)
Muringakkai 2 or 3 nos
1 sprig of curry leaves
1/4 cup of Kothumalli
1/2 spoon of Chilli powder
1/2 spoon Turmeric powder
1/2 spoon of Fresh Jeera powder
1. 5 spoon of Perangayam (Hing)
1 medium sized Tomato diced in 1/2 inch pieces (optional)
Jaggery/sugar 1/4 spoon

For tempering
2 tbsp of groundnut Oil for tempering
3 nos of Red chillies (broken)
1/2 spoon of mustard seeds
1/4 spoon of Fenugreek seeds
1/2 spoon of Perangayam for tempering

Cut Muringkkai of 2" length. Soak in water for about 30 minutes. Take about 150 ml of water in a vessel and add salt, sugar and Muringakkai pieces, boil on slow sim flame for ten to fifteen minutes till the Muringakkai pieces are 3/4 cooked. Set aside. Dice tomato in small pieces. Pluck kothumalli and set aside.

Cook the dhall after adding one small spoon of Perangayam (hing) very well. Keep it aside in the cooker for thirty minutes. Now churn the dhall till the froth and keep it aside. Add half sprig of curry leaves in the Dhall and Now add extract of Tamarind to Dhall along with salt . Boil the dhall till the raw smell of Tamarind goes off. Add 3/4 cooked Muringakkai pieces now along with water which was used for cooking Murungakkai and add required (extra)salt. Add Turmeric powder , chilli powder and jeera powder and let it simmer for about two to three minutes. Now add half sprig of curry leaves. Let it boil for about two to three minutes.

Now add Sambar powder . Let the whole thing simmer for about six minutes. Add diced tomato and freshly cut bunch of Kothumalli and addJaggery last. Mix well and let it simmer for three minutes.

Tamper with Red Chillies,mustard, fenugreek(vendhiyum) seeds,and Perangayam in groundnut oil. Add Asfoetida last in the oil. Tamper the sambar and cover it with a lid immediately.

Point to remember
Sambar must be made at least two hours before you are to serve to self or the guests.
The real taste of sambar comes only after two hours of cooking.

Reheat the Sambar and serve hot. !!!


PACHHAI SAMBAR (Using only Green Ingredients)

This sambar is from my own experiments and probably none of you would have ever tasted this sambar before. I started off with Green Thoram seeds and over the last two seasons of experimenting, I have perfected this sambar. I am very pleased to post the recipe for dear Hubbers. This sambar can be prepared only during Sep-Nov period in India when all the Green ingredients are available.

Geen Thoram Seeds 200 gms Spring onions 1 bunch
Green Methi kirai 1 spoon
Green chillies 6 to 8 nos.
Kothumalli/cilantro 1/2 bunch
Green Tamarind 3 to 4 fruits
Green Tomatoes (unripe) 2 to 3 nos.
Curry leaves 2 springs
Salt to taste
Perangayam (Asfoetida) LG one spoon
oil for tampering 1.5 ladles
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon

Steam cook Thoram seeds to six whistles in a pressure pan or four whistles in a cooker. When cold, mash the thoram thoroughly and use a blender to churn nicely. The hard covers of Pachai Thoram will separate when you sieve thro' a sieve. Dicard the cover mass and collect the Thoram Parappu soft mass in a large katora and set it aside.

Cut spring onions till four inches from the base in small 1 cm pieces. Don't use old leaves .Like wise, pluck and cut finely Coriander and vendayum (Fenugreek) leaves and keep aside. Dice unripe tomatoes and keep aside. Now prepare Pachai Puli (Green Tamarind) and Green Chillies paste. Add about two large cups of water to Thoram parappu paste and place it on a medium flame after adding salt to taste. Add spring onion pieces and Green Tomato pieces directly to it and let onions and Tomatoes be cooked in Thoram liquid. Add Springs of Curry leaves and Methi leaves after about seven to eight minutes. Please ensure that the sambar is being cooked on a low /medium flame. Please also ensure that the onions are properly cooked. Now add Paste of Pachhai puli and Pachhai Mozaka (tamarind and green chillies ) and boil for about four or five minutes. Finally add finely chopped Kothumalli/cilantro heat for under a minute and put off the flame.

Now take oil in a tampering ladle and put half a spoon of Mustard seeds, sliced Green chilli. When the mustard starts to crackle add a spoon of Asfoetida powder , Tamper the sambar. Immediately cover the samabr

Your ALL PACHHAI SAMBAR is ready. Enjoy!!!

Varation I
You may add precooked Green beans /Pachhai Avarakkai/Green Brinjals, Green Radish kirai(leaves only)or only kirai of your choice.This would give a variety to your cooking of which I am very sure.

Variation II
If you use Sambar powder, and grilled onion /Coconut paste, the sambar would taste entirelly different and would make all the members happy that you have brought variety in sambar. Please revert to me after you have enjoyed for feedback.

Important point
If you have a problem getting Pachhai Thoram kaai, you may substitute with Green peas or Pachhai Avarakkai seeds, If you don't get Fenugreek leaves, you can use fenugreek seeds.


RAYAR SAMBAR

3 Spoons of Sambar powder (Please refer to my sambar powder recipe)
1 fairly large onion to be grilled on fire till outer cover is black and make paste of it in a mixi
150 gms. of Thoram parappu (Toor dhall)
100 gms of sambar vengayam (small onions) shallots
2 sprigs of curry leaves
4 Green chillies sliced into half
1 spoon of Perangayam(Hing)
3 medium sized Sambar Tomatoes diced in 1/2-inch pieces
Oil for tempering
1/2 spoon of mustard seeds
1/2 spoon of Fenugreek seeds
1/2 spoon of broken Dhaniya seeds
1/2 spoon of Perangayam for tempering
3 broken dry chillies
one spoon chilli powder
1/2 spoon of Turmeric powder
1/2 cup of Kothumalli paste (approx 50 gms.)
1 lemon sized ball of Tamarind (add water and extract thick juice)
2 teaspoons of freshly made paste of Coconut

Cook the dhall after adding one small spoon of Perangayam (hing) very well. Keep it aside in the cooker for thirty minutes. Now churn the dhall till the froth and keep it aside. Take the baby onions and saute in oil for about three to four minutes. Take care that you don't cook the onions.

There is another variation of adding the raw baby onions in the Dhall and let it get cooked in dhall itself. I have found the second variation better for sambar taste.

Now add extract of Tamarind to Dhall along with salt .Boil the dhall till the raw smell of Tamrind goes off. Now add semi cooked baby sambar onions and sprigs of curry leaves and sliced green chillies. Let it boil for about two to three minutes. Now add three spoons of Sambar powder, one spoon of chilli powder and diced tomatoes and turmeric powder.

Let the whole thing simmer for about six minutes.
Take down the half cooked sambar and keep it aside.
Take the grilled onion, remove the burnt outer cover and make a paste of the onion in a mixi.
Add the paste of coconut and onion now to sambar and also paste of Kothumalli at this stage and boil the samabar for three to four minutes.
Temper with mustard, chillies, fenugreek (vendiyum) seeds, broken dhaniya seeds and Perangayam. Garnish with finely chopped kothumalli and set aside.

Point to remember

Sambar must be made at least two hours before you are to serve to self or the guests. The real taste of sambar comes only after two hours of cooking.
Reheat the Sambar and serve hot.!!!

Real Taste of RAYAR SAMBAR lies in the fine treatment of sambar with Kothumalli and Roasted Onion Paste. So please take care to select the best Kothumalli .


SPRING ONION SAMBAR

Spring Onion Sambar is a delicacy which very few people have tried so far. Today, I am posting another Vengaya Sambar version as perfected by me. I promise you that the result will be really superb

One bunch of tender spring onions with green leaves.
3 Spoons of Sambar powder (Please refer to my sambar powder recipe)
3 medium sized Sambar Tomatoes diced in 1/2 inch pieces
1 fairly large onion to be grilled on fire till outer cover is black and make paste of it in a mixi
1 lemon sized ball of Tamarind (add water and extract thick juice)
150 gms of Thoram parappu (Toor dhall)
2 sprigs of curry leaves
4 Green chillies sliced into half
1 spoon of Perangayam(Hing)
Oil for tempering
1/2 spoon of mustard seeds
1/2 spoon of Fenugreek seeds
1/2 spoon of broken Dhaniya seeds
1/2 spoon of Perangayam for tempering
3 broken dry chillies
one spoon chilli powder
1/2 spoon of Turmeric powder
1/2 cup of Kothumalli
2 tea spoons of freshly made paste of Coconut

As informed to you in my last posting of VENGAYA SAMBAR all the ingredients will remain common except the Onions. In this version, take a bunch of spring onions. After washing it, cut the onion bulb portion in 1.5 inches length. Do not slice the onion bulbs. Cut the tender leaves of Onion in 1/4 inch or slightly still smaller length. Please remove two or three Muthal layers from tops of the bulbs. If you don't do that, the skin layers will not get cooked and will cause chewing problems. Please remember to use only tender leaves. Now saute the onions and the leaves in oil for three minutes. Add the onions to the Dhall.

Please follow all the other steps as written before. You will have a very exotic Sambar, which would really tickle your taste buds for a long time.

Enjoy and let me know the result You can avoid using coconut paste in this version of Sambar.


UDIPI HOTEL SAMBAR - Ist Version

South Canara, Mangalore and Udupi Brahmins have a special sambar which is different in many aspects from most of the other Sambars you would have tasted so far. This Brahmins sambar goes a bit off the beaten road of other traditional method followed by Tamilnadu , Andhra and Karnataka etc. There is a basic difference in usage of Onions along with othe ingredients.. This is a sambar that is generally available in Udipi Hotels and is known as UDIPI HOTEL SAMBAR. Mind you, only genuine Udipi Hotel with a reputation would serve you this sambar.Otherwise, in Bangalore, you would get only rice Kanjee mixed with pottukadali powder and fiery sambar powder mixture with about one ton of jaggery in one katora .!!! (sorry for exaggeration but it is the truth)

100 gms Thoram Parappu
1no. of 2" pieces of Coconut
100 gms of sambar onions
3 Spoons of Sambar powder (Karnataka sambar powder)
1 large onion
1 sprig of curry leaves
1/4 cup of Kothumalli
1. 5 spoon of Perangayam(Hing)
1/2 spoon of Chilli powder
1/2 spoon Turmeric powder
1/2 spoon of Jaggery
1/2 spoon of Fresh Jeera powder
1 tbsp of Rice powder
1 medium sized Tomato diced in 1/2 inch pieces

For tempering
2 tbsp of groundnut Oil for tempering 3 nos of Red chillies (broken)
1/2 spoon of mustard seeds 1/4 spoon of Fenugreek seeds
1/2 spoon of Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon of Perangayam for tempering
Salt to taste 1 lemon sized ball of Tamarind (add water and extract thick juice)

If You want, omit Asafoetida and add 7 to 8 cloves of Garlic and a spoon of Poppy seeds made in paste. This is to be added when you add Onion paste.

Vegetables to be added
You can add any vegetable like Murunkai, Brinjals etc but not more than two varieties in any version.

Cut Murankai, dice tomato. Use Brinjals (if you are using them), which are not acidic and must be seedless. Cut in rather large pieces . Soak in water for some 30 minutes and then cook in a pressure pan after adding a bit of salt and quarter spoon of sugar till ¾ cooked. Set aside. (this will prevent them from becoming mushy)

Cook the dhall after adding one small spoon of Perangayam (hing) very well. Keep it aside in the cooker for thirty minutes. Now churn the dhall till the froth and keep it aside. For paste of coconut and first make slices and then make a very fine paste in a mixi. Set aside . Now a days, Hotel Sambar does not use coconut paste.

Take the sambar onions , clean and cut ends , take green chillies, press them hard without breaking them on flat surface and keep aside. Take cleaned sambar onions and add the raw onions and half sprig of curry leaves in the Dhall and let it get cooked in dhall itself. . Take other large onion and roast it over fire till outer cover burns to black. Remove the burnt cover and make a fine paste of roasted onion and set aside.

Now add extract of Tamarind to Dhall along with salt . Boil the dhall till the raw smell of Tamarind goes off. Add 3/4 cooked vegetables now and add required (extra) salt. Add Turmeric powder and chilli powder and jeera powder and let it simmer for about two to three minutes.

Now add greenchillies and half sprig of curry leaves . Let it boil for about two to three minutes.

Now add Sambar powder with freshly made paste of Roasted onion and rice powder to it and set it to boil. If needed, mix rice powder first with little water and then add to sambar. . This rice powder gives body to HOTEL SAMBAR.

Let the whole thing simmer for about six minutes. Add diced tomato and freshly cut bunch of Kothumalli and Jaggery last. Mix well and let it simmer for three minutes.

Temper with Red Chilies, mustard, fenugreek(vendhiyum) seeds,and Perangayam in groundnut oil. tempering. Add Asfoetida last in the oil. Tamper and cover it with a lid immediately. Serve hot.

Point to remember
Sambar must be made at least two hours before you are to serve to self or the guests.
The real taste of sambar comes only after two hours of cooking.

Reheat the Sambar and serve hot. !!! ENJOY!!! And post in your feedback when happy.


UDIPI SAMBAR 2nd Version

South Canara, Mangalore and Udupi Brahmins have a special sambar which is different in many aspects from most of the other Sambars you would have tasted so far. This Brahmins sambar goes a bit off the beaten road of other traditional method followed by Tamilnadu , Andhra and Karnataka etc. There is a basic difference in usage of coconut and Onion. This is a mild sambar which is generally not available in Hotels. So if you are from Kerala, Palakkad or a coconut buff, You must try this beautiful creation..
(for a family of four 2 servings)

100 gms of Thoram parappu (Toor dhall)
4 nos of 2" pieces of Coconut
4 nos of onions (medium)
3 Spoons of Sambar powder (Karnataka sambar powder)
1 sprig of curry leaves
5 to 6 nos Green chillies( hot variety)
1/4 cup of Kothumalli
1.5 spoon of Perangayam(Hing)
2 tbsp of groundnut Oil for tempering
1 medium sized Tomato diced in 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 spoon of mustard seeds
1/4 spoon of Fenugreek seeds
1/2 spoon of Perangayam for tempering
1/2 spoon of Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 lemon sized ball of Tamarind (add water and extract thick juice)

Vegetables to be added
You can add any vegetable like Murunkai, Raw banana, yampieces or beans bhopala, Brinjals etc but not more than two varieties in this version.

Cut Murankai, dice tomato. Use Brinjals (if you are using them) which are not acidic and must be seedless. Cut in rather large pieces .Soak in water for some 30 minutes and then cook in a pressure pan after adding a bit of salt and quarter spoon of sugar till ¾ cooked. Set aside. (this will prevent them from becoming mushy) Cook the dhall after adding one small spoon of Perangayam (hing) very well. Keep it aside in the cooker for thirty minutes. Now churn the dhall till the froth and keep it aside. Remove brown skin off the coconut and first make slices and then make a very fine paste in a mixi. Set aside the coconut paste.

Take the onions and dice two onions , take green chillies, press them hard without breaking them on flat surface and add and sauté in a little oil and add it to sambar. Take care that you don't cook the onions and chillies ..

There is another variation of adding the raw onions in the Dhall and let it get cooked in dhall itself. I have found the second variation better for sambar taste. Take other two onions and roast them over fire till outer cover burns to black. Remove the burnt cover and make a fine paste of roasted onions and set aside. Now add extract of Tamarind to Dhall along with salt .Boil the dhall till the raw smell of Tamarind goes off. Add 3/4 cooked vegetables now and add required salt. Add Turmeric powder and let it simmer for about two to three minutes.

Now add semi cooked onions and chillies and half sprig of curry leaves. Let it boil for about two to three minutes.

Now add Sambar powder with freshly made paste of Roasted onion to it and set it to boil. Let the whole thing simmer for about six minutes. Add diced tomato and freshly cut bunch of Kothumalli last. Mix well and let it simmer for three minutes.

Temper with mustard, fenugreek (vendhiyum) seeds and Perangayam in groundnut oil. temperings. Add Asfoetida last in he oil. Tamper and cover it with a lid immediately. Serve hot.

Point to remember
Sambar must be made at-least two hours before you are to serve to self or the guests. The real taste of sambar comes only after two hours of cooking.
Reheat the Sambar and serve hot.!!!


VENKAYA SAMBAR

Cook the dhall after adding one small spoon of Perangayam (hing) very well. Keep it aside in the cooker for thirty minutes. Now churn the dhall till the froth and keep it aside. Take the baby onions and saute in oil for about three to four minutes. Take care that you don't cook the onions.

There is another variation of adding the raw baby onions in the Dhall and let it get cooked in dhall itself. I have found the second variation better for sambar taste. Now add extract of Tamarind to Dhall along with salt .Boil the dhall till the raw smell of Tamarind goes off. Now add semi cooked baby sambar onions and springs of curry leaves and sliced green chillies. Let it boil for about two to three minutes. Now add three spoons of Sambar powder,one spoon of chilli powder and diced tomatoes and turmeric powder. Let the whole thing simmer for about six minutes.

Take down the half cooked sambar and keep it aside. Take the grilled onion, remove the burnt outer cover and make a paste of the onion in a mixi. Add the paste of coconut and onion now to sambar and slowly heat it on medium flame til it boils for about three to four minutes. Temper with mustard, chillies, fenugreek (vendiyum) seeds, broken dhaniya seeds and Perangayam. Garnish with finely chopped kothumalli and set aside.

Point to remember
Sambar must be made atleast two hours before you are to serve to self or the guests. The real taste of sambar comes only after two hours of cooking. Reheat the Sambar and serve hot.!!!

3 Spoons of Sambar powder (Please refer to my sambar powder recipe)
150 gms of Thoram parappu (Toor dhall)
100 gms. of sambar venkayam (small onions)
2 springs of curry leaves
4 Green chillies sliced into half
1 spoon of Perangayam(Hing)
3 medium sized Sambar Tomatoes diced in 1/2 inch pieces
Oil for tempering
1/2 spoon of mustard seeds
1/2 spoon of Fenugreek seeds
1/2 spoon of broken Dhaniya seeds
1/2 spoon of Perangayam for tempering
3 broken dry chillies
one spoon chilli powder
1/2 spoon of Turmeric powder
1/2 cup of Kothumalli
1 lemon sized ball of Tamarind (add water and extract thick juice)
2 teaspoons of freshly made paste of Coconut
1 fairly large onion to be grilled on fire till outer cover is black and make paste of it in a mixi/blender

Optional additives
You can add vegetables like Brinjal, Lady's finger .Radish, kirai(bhaji) beans , carrots, etc for different variations of sambar. But VENKAYA SAMBAR means pure venkaya sambar without any additives.


TADKA DHALL (Yellow Dhall spiced and Tampered)

Anyone who has enjoyed TADKA DHALL once with TAWA PARATHA or with plain rice would never forget the superb taste and flavour of simple spices. Tadka Dhall is probably the easiest Dhall to make and yet it is among my most favourite of Dhalls. I have enjoyed this Dhall prepared by Pujabis, Bengalis and almost at all the places in Deccan .But the following really caught on my fancy .I think this was in JALANDHAR in Punjab. I am posting this gem for you all. Try and you would never regret .

Thoram Parappu (toor dhall) 175 gms.
Onion 1 no.
Garlic 10 cloves
Ginger 1.5 " piece ( Thumb thick)
Lime Juice from 1/2 lime.
Green Chillies (thin round slices) 3 to 4 nos.
Cloves 6 nos.
Red Chillies 2 nos.
Jeera 3/4 spoon
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp. (optional)
Kothumalli optional as above
Ghee/oil 2 ladles
Salt To taste

Pressure cook Dhall for five whistles with 500 ml of water. When the steam subsides, remove from cooker and check if it has cooked properly .Add needed salt now and slowly mix it with ladle. Under no circumstances it should become homogenous mass . So you should not churn it .If you feel that the Dhall is too thick, you may add half a cup of water now. But remember that you have to enjoy this dhall in its thick form only.

Slice onions, Green chillies and set aside. Make a rough paste of Ginger and Garlic. Set aside. Now take Ghee/oil in a Kadai and add red chillies on a medium flame. As soon as Chillies start becoming dark brown , add Jeera and Cloves After five seconds cloves would puff up. Now add Onion slices and turn for about two minutes till onions are semi cooked. Now add sliced Green Chillies and immediately add Ginger Garlic paste. Turn for about 20 seconds at the maximum. Do not over fry Ginger Garlic paste. Pour the tempering on top of the cooked Dhall. Immediately cover the Dhall.

After five minutes, squeez half lime on top of the Dhall and with a ladle , now mix very slowly. The tempering with onion, etc. should mix properly. Re heat before serving. Enjoy with Paratha, Rotis and Plain Rice. Usage of Turmeric is optional. You may use kothumalli for Garnishing .



TUVER-NI-DAAL (Gujarati daal )

Tuver-ni-daal is one of the pillars of Gujarati diet. A Gujarati thaali consists of Dall, Bhat, Shaak and Rotli Gujarati dall is thinner in consistancy and is sweet and sour
Surprisingly the usage of spices in Gujarati dall is minimalIt tastes great with Rotli (Phulkas) and Bhat (rice)
So here is the Gujarati version of Thuver Daal

Thoram Parappu 1/2 cup
Ginger 1/2 " piece
Green Chillies 2 nos
Kokum/Tamarind 4 slices/small marble sized
Tomato 1 no
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Peanuts (optional) 1 tbsp
Sugar/Jaggary 1/2 to 1 tspoon
Salt to taste
Jeera powder 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida powder 1/4 tsp

Tempering
Oil 1 ladle Mustard 1/4 tspoon
Jeera 1/2 tspoon Fenugreek seeds 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1/2 tspoon

Cook thoram parappu in pressure cooker after adding a little Asafoetida and a little Jeera powder When cold, churn and keep aside. Cut ginger and Green chillies in small pieces first and then using a stone/pound-mortar, make rough paste and set aside Cut tomato in small pieces and set aside. Soak peanuts in a little water
Soak Kokum in little water for ten to fifteen minutes to make it softer and facilitate release acids faster while boiling. If you don't have Kokum, use required amount of Tamarind
Take churned dhall in a vessel (patela/tapela) add about 500 ml of water Add salt, Chilli-Ginger paste and soaked peanuts and Kokum, Turmeric and chilli powders
Set to boil on a medium flame for about ten to fifteen minutes. Now add rest of Jeera powder and sugar or jaggery and boil for two to three minutes. Taste for salt and other spices
Now take the tempering ladle and add oil and tempering spices. When mustard starts popping, add Asafoetida and curry leaves and temper the dhall. Immediately cover the vessel and set aside. Serve after one hour after re-boiling


VATRAL KOZUMBU

This kozumbu can fiery taste but equally great & tasty preparation. This is prepared in two variations. One using no Garlic/Onions, another using Both Garlic and Onions. This is more on Sour side and also a little HOT. Tastes great with steaming rice.

1/4 Cup (40 ml) of Thick Tamarind extract
2 Spoons of Sambar Powder
1.5 Spoons of Rice powder
1 sp. Jaggery
30 ml. Gingely oil
1/4 cup Sambar Vengayam
1 spoon Perangayam (asafoetida)
Salt to taste
3 to 4 Table spoons of Vatral (Manathakkali or Sundakkai or any other Vatral, but in my opinion Sundakkai and Manathakkali are the best tasting Vatrals)

For tempering
1/2 sp. Mustard seeds
1/2 sp. Fenugreek seeds
3 to 4 Red Chillies (broken)
Two strands of Curry leaves for Garnishing.

Fry Vatral in little oil till dark brown and keep aside. Fry Sambar Vengayam in little oil and cook for about five minutes. Set aside. Now take oil for tampering in a kadai and add Mustard, Fenugreek and Broken red chillies. When the mustard starts popping, add Sambar powder and immidiately, add Vatral which you have fried and add Tamarind extract. Add partially cooked Onions now. Take care not to burn the sambar powder.Now on a medium flame let the whole thing simmer till raw tamarind loses its smell. Now add water and salt and let the whole thing simmer for about four minutes. Now add rice flour and stir well. Let the whole mass become thicker. You may add Asafoetida now. Some people prefer to add asafoetida in Tampering but I prefer towards the end. Add Jaggery, stirr well and your Vatral Kozumbu is ready. Now Garnish with curry leaves and serve hot. Vatral Kozumbu is not used as much as sambar in quantity .So take care not to cook as much as Sambar. People who prefer the Kozumbu to be hot, they may add a spoon of Chilli powder extra ,over and above the Sambar powder used.