Wednesday 28 May 2014

Arachu vitta sambar (My home style)

The next 3-4 weekends are going to be really hectic to me, with loads of weddings and other family functions lined up. This also means that I would not get my usual relaxed weekend time to try out new and different recipes. But there is no stopping to my blog! Yes, I am going to squeeze in some time during the weekdays and post some interesting traditional recipes made at home, that have been passed on from my great grandmothers!! I feel this is also a good way in which I can save all these lovely recipes. The first in the series is Arachu vitta sambar. This is the most regularly made sambar recipe at home. We do not use any sambar powder (in fact mom doesn't even store any sambar powder in our kitchen) it is always freshly roasted and ground spices that add flavor to this authentic sambar.



INGREDIENTS:
  • Any vegetables of your choice(carrot, capsicum, potato, pumpkin, drumstick, radish etc are generally used) - cut into cubes - 2 cups
  • Grated Coconut - 3 Tbsp
  • Toor Dal - 1/3 cup
  • Tamarind - small gooseberry sized
  • Salt - as needed
  • Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp
  • Jaggery - 1/2 Tsp
  • Oil - 1 Tbsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp
  • Curry leaves - a few
To roast and grind:
  • Red chillis - 6 - 7
  • Asafoetida - 1 small piece
  • Cinnamon - 1/2" stick
  • Coriander seeds - 1/4 cup
  • Fenugreek (vendhayam/methi) seeds - 1/4 Tsp
  • Split bengal gram (Kadalai paruppu/chenna dal/senaga pappu) - 1 Tbsp
  • Poppy seeds (gasa gasa) - 1-2 Tsp, optional

METHOD:
  1. Wash and soak toor dal for 15 minutes
  2. Soak tamarind in warm water for 15 minutes and then extract the juice. Keep aside
  3. Heat a Tsp of oil in a pan and roast all the ingredients except poppy seeds, under the "To roast and grind" list. Switch of the flame and add poppy seeds (if adding) in the last and give it a toss. Cool them for a while and grind into a coarse powder
  4. Add grated coconut to the powder and grind into a smooth paste along with water
  5. Boil the vegetables and dal (You can pressure cook them together)
  6. Mash the cooked dal
  7. Take a heavy bottomed kadai and add the boiled vegetables and tamarind juice along with water. Add salt, turmeric powder and boil till the raw smell of tamarind goes (Off late we are not using a lot of tamarind in our cooking at home and hence the tamarind juice is replaced with 1 heaped Tsp of dry mango powder or amchur powder mixed with water. You can also use readymade tamarind paste)
  8. Add cooked and mashed dal, ground paste, jaggery and water as needed and allow it to boil
  9. Temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves
  10. Serve hot with rice and any dry curry or pappad! This also goes well with idli and dosa :)

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