Madras Ratna Cafe Sambhar

When it comes to South Indian breakfast in my home, my little one always gives a big thumbsup for Idly and Sambhar. Sambhar is a lentil based vegetable stew which is cooked in an addition of tamarind pulp and usually served with Rice, Pongal, Idly and Dosa. Sambhar is made in many ways in different state and region. And also, the preparation of Tiffin sambhar is different from the regular sambhar which is served with Rice. Moong and Toor dal are added in tiffin sambhar whereas only Toor dal is used for the one which is serve with rice.

Each state serves different flavours of Sambhar and being brought up from Chennai, I always love the  hotel style sambhar especially from Saravana bhavan, Vasantha bhavan and Ratna Cafe. While surfing Veena's page for a recipe to recreate for an interesting blogger event Recipe Swap Challenge, happened to see this delicious and Madras Ratna cafe style sambhar. And also, having a little sambhar lover at home, this recipe tempted me so much to try.  Recipe swap challenge is an interesting event happening among bloggers where couple of bloggers are paired and have to recreate the recipe from their partner's page. I was paired with a lovely blogger Veena Krishnakumari who owns a fabulous webpage which is filled loads of amazing recipes. Thanks Veena for sharing this delicious sambhar recipe. The taste was absolutely delicious and exactly like the way it is usually  served in hotels. My son enjoyed this flavourful sambhar with a crispy ghee dosa.

Recipe Source : Veenasvegnation

Ingredients :

1/4 Cup Moong dal 
1/4 Cup Toor dal 
1 Tomato, finely chopped 
1 Carrot, Chopped into small cubes 
Coriander leaves for garnishing 

For Seasoning :

1 Tsp Oil / Ghee
1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds
1 Dry red chilli 
A pinch of Hing powder 

For Sambhar masala Paste :

1 Tsp Oil 
1/2 Tsp Urad dal 
4 Red chillies 
1 Tsp Coriander seeds
1/4 Tsp Methi seeds
2 Tbsp Coconut, grated 
1 Tomato, chopped 
1 Onion, chopped 
1 Green chilli, chopped 
1/4 Tsp Hing powder 
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 Tsp Chilli powder 
Salt to taste 
1 Tsp Jaggery powder 

Method :

To make Sambhar masala paste, heat oil in a pan and add urad dal followed by red chilli, coriander seeds and methi seeds.

Fry and add the remaining ingredients.

Saute well until the tomatoes turn soft and remove from the flame.

Cool and grind into a fine paste by adding 1/4 cup of water. Keep aside.

Pressure cook moong and toor dal dal for 3 - 4 whistles or until it turns mushy.

Now add carrot and tomato into the pressure cooker along with the ground paste and required amount of salt.

Add little water and pressure cook it again for 2 whistles.

Heat oil or ghee for seasoning and add mustard seeds.

Once it starts spluttering, add red chilli followed by hing powder.

Fry and add it to the prepared sambhar.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve with Idly, Dosa or Pongal.

Nellikai Sambhar / Gooseberry Sambhar - Without Sambhar powder and Tamarind

Have you tried Sambhar without sambhar powder, Chilli powder and Tamarind ?

 

My today's recipe "Nellikai Sambhar" is prepared without sambhar powder and Tamarind juice. Just an addition of few green chillies and lemon juice enhances the taste of sambhar and gives a refreshing flavor. This can be served either with hot rice, Idly or Dosa. 

Ingredients :

• 2 Onions, sliced
• 1 Tomato, Finely chopped
• 5-6 Green chillies, sliced ( adjust according to taste bud )
• 1 Small Lemon - squeeze out the juice and keep aside.
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder 
• 1 Cup Toor Dal 
• 1 Tbsp Oil
• 1/4 Tsp Jeera
• A pinch of Hing powder
• Few curry leaves

Method :

Wash and pressure cook dal by adding 2 cups of water for 5-6 whistles.

Remove and mash it. Keep aside.

Take a deep kadai or vessel and add sliced onions followed by tomato, gooseberry / nellikai, green chillies, 1 Tsp salt and Turmeric powder.

Add 1 - 1/2 Cups of water and cook it for 10 minutes or till the gooseberry gets cooked in a medium flame.

Now add the mashed dal and mix well.

Adjust salt and add water, if the sambhar is very thick.

Cook it for another 3-4 minutes and garnish with curry leaves.

 Heat oil in a small pan and add Jeera followed by hing.

Add it to the sambhar and switch off the flame.

Now add lemon juice and mix well.

Serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve with hot rice.

Vellai Sambhar / Easy Sambhar without using sambhar powder.

Everyone must be in confusion that why this sambhar is called vellai sambhar. Am I right ? This sambhar has no chilli powder and coriander powder or sambhar powder.  The spiciness of sambhar is due to the addition of green chillies and color of sambhar is also light yellow without red chilli powder so we used to call this as vellai sambhar. This is my grandmom's recipe which we follow till now on special occasions. Sometimes, we add ash gourd or bottle gourd to this sambhar and it tastes really delicious. This goes well with hot rice along with spicy side dish like yam fry,potato fry or vazhakai(Plantain) fry. And this can also be served with Idli and dosa. Addition of Tamarind juice and green chillies can be adjusted according to taste buds.

Here is the recipe for simple Sambhar with no veggies...

Ingredients :

• 2 Onions, sliced
• 1 Big Tomato, chopped
• 2-3 Green chillies, slitted or sliced
• 1 Cup Toor dal
• 1/4 Cup Tamarind Juice ( Soak one small lemon sized Tamarind in water and extract the juice)
• 1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Water as needed
• Few Curry leaves and Coriander leaves
• 1 Tbsp Oil
• 1/2 Tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1/4 Tsp Methi seeds / Fenugreek seeds
• 1/4 Tsp Jeera / Cumin seeds

Method :

• Wash Toor dal and add 2 cups of water. 

• Pressure cook it for 4-5 whistles and remove from the flame. keep aside.

• Add sliced onions, tomato and green chillies in a pan.

• Add Turmeric powder and salt.

• Add 1-1/2 Cups water, close the lid and cook it for 5 minutes in a medium flame.

• Now remove dal from cooker and mash it using masher or ladle.

• Add mashed dal to the sambhar followed by Tamarind juice.

• Mix well and cook it for another 10 minutes in a medium flame.

• Add curry leaves and coriander leaves. 

• Switch off the flame and serve.

Serving Options :

Serve with hot rice, Idli or Dosa.

Linking this recipe with mykitchenodyssey's " First Anniversary Giveaway ".

Mullangi Sambhar / Mooli Sambhar / Radish Sambhar

I have planned to celebrate Raksha Bandan by posting my Brother's favorite recipes and in that order, posting his favorite sambhar as first Virtual treat :)

Mullangi / Radish Sambhar is one of a flavorful sambhar and has a delicious taste. This is my mom style of preparation which my brother likes the most and our family's favorite recipe. Veggies are cooked along with sambhar powder which is called kuzhambu Milagai Thool and then added with dal and Tamarind extract. The unique taste of radish enhances the flavor of sambhar. Vadagam, an Indian seasoning can also be added as tempering instead of Mustard and Jeera. We do not saute veggies for some varieties of sambhar but it can also be done. This flavorful sambhar is served with hot rice along with spicy side dish or pickles.

Ingredients :

• 1 Cup Toor Dal
• 2 Medium sized Onions, sliced
• 1 Big Tomato, Finely chopped
• 2 Green chillies, slitted
• 2 Radish/ Mullangi, chopped into round shape
• Big lemon sized Tamarind
• 1 1/2 Tsp Sambhar Powder (Kuzhambu Milagai Thool) 
• 1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Water,as needed
• 1/2 Tbsp oil
• 1/4 Tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/4 Tsp Jeera / Cumin Seeds
• A pinch of hing
• Few curry leaves

Method :

• Cook Toor dal in a pressure cooker for 5-6 whistles or till it turns soft and keep aside.

• Soak Tamarind in one cup of water.

• Add Onions, Tomatoes, Green chillies and Radish in a pan or cooking vessel.

• Add sambhar powder / Kuzhambu Milagai Thool followed by Turmeric powder and salt.

• Add 2 cups of water,close and cook till the radish gets cooked. 

• Meanwhile, extract Tamarind water from the soaked Tamarind and keep aside.

• Once radish gets cooked, add the cooked dal followed by Tamarind extract.

• Cook for another 5 - 10 minutes in a medium flame and add curry leaves (or Coriander leaves).

• Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds.

• Once it starts spluttering, add cumin seeds / jeera and hing.

• Add this seasoning to the sambhar and mix well.

• Switch off the flame and serve.

Serving Options:

Serve with hot rice and any curry/fry like potato fry, Raw plantain fry or pickles.

Linking this recipe with Gayathri's "WTML"