Sambhar - Worth remembering and preparing the dish!

South Indian cuisine especially Idli /Dosa Sambhar is one of the most famous and very easily accessible throughout India or even abroad!

But Mom makes the most delicious and very complicated type of Sambhar – it might not be authentic cos I don’t know how it is prepared in authentic south India, but I have tasted Sambhar from Chennai – Cochin – Banglore or any Udipi hotel in Mumbai but I feel Moms Sambhar is the BEST!

This is how I jot down Mom’s instructions for important recipes. (Ignore the DAAG done while preparation - proof I prepared the Sambhar ;) )

You Need:

Toor Dal (split yellow peas): 1 cup cooked in pressure cooker (once done in cooker smash it a bit)

Veggies: 1 to 1 ½ cup – (I used) : Brinjal , Bhendi, Shirala (Snake  Gourd), Tomato, Drumsticks, Green Chillies, Pumpkin

Red Chillies,Curry Leaves, Mustard Seeds, Asafoetida (Asafoetida - bit more than used normally used - Mom mentioned this to me again and again): Tempering stuffs

Tamarind and Jaggery Pulp: 4-5 tbsp

Turmeric Powder: 1tbsp

Red Chilli Powder: 1 tbsp

Coriander Leaves: Garnishing

Oil for tempering

Salt to taste

Vatan/ Required for Grinded Paste:

Grated Coconut: 3-4 tbsp

Uncooked Rice – Not cooked one: 1tbsp

Chana Dal: 1 tbsp

Urad Dal: 1 tbsp
Red Chillies: 3-4

Coriander seeds: 3-4tbps

Cumin Seeds: 1tbsp

Mustard Seeds: 1tbsp

Fenugreek Seeds: 1 tbsp

You Do:

1. Heat Oil in Big Kadhai, Put the Tempering stuffs.

2. Add the veggies to this - one after other (let the easiest cooking veggie go in the last eg - i put pumpkin last). Cover and let it cook.

3. In the mean time, Heat oil on frying pan then roast the vatan together for more than couple of minutes.

 Then grind this into smooth powder.

4. Add Tamarind and Jaggery pulp and grind to make a fine paste.

5. Once the veggies are half cooked add this smooth paste/vatan in the mixture and all other masalas along with salt and then cover and let it cook.

6. Then mix Cooked Toor Dal with the gravy.

7. In accordance with the required density mix water.

8. Let it simmer for sometime then garnish with Coriander leaves.

For my standards it’s very complicated recipe but I mean it - It is more than worthy!

When I prepared this over the weekend , the quantity was huge for both of us but we really din't mind as we had it with Idlis then Dosas then just Sambhar :D

As on Saturday Brunch The Foodie said I can’t have more than 3 Idlis so please don’t force me, and the same guy ate more than 8 !!!!

Sambhar is totally incomplete without Red Chilies - its required in vatan and also during tempering ! So me sending this as an entry to Lakshmi and Sunita for their Think Spice - Think Red Chillies .

There is always one dish/recipe very close to you that you always want to make just as your Mom does!

This is THE dish that I knew would take lot of preparation time but I just wanted to do it the right way!! (Read Moms way) O:-)

So I would like to send it to Dew Drop in Kitchen for her Just not any other dish event !