Seppankizhangu Sambhar

This is another favourite dish of mine from my mom's kitchen. Seppankizhangu is a root vegetable, which is called as Taro Root in English. also called as Colocasia. Seppankizhangu Roast is the popular dish, but i wonder how come preparing this sambhar came into practice in my home. If you love Seppankizhangu, then you must try this Sambhar. the soft Seppankizhangu in Sambhar will sure impress you all.

My Hubby don't love this vegetable, so i usually prepare this only if he is not going to come home for Lunch. so one such day was today, and i happily prepared and enjoyed the meal today:) Kovakaai is another veggie that i like, but he hates. and Kothavarankaai is one which i hate and he likes it a lot:)

Is there any similar stories in your family?

 

Ingredients:

Seppankizhangu - 6
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Cooked Tuvar Dal - 1/2 Cup
Tamarind - half of a lemon size

Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 tsp
Dry Green Chilli - 3
Curry Leaves - 8

Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Sambhar Powder - 2 tsp

 Method:

Cook the Tuvar Dal with a little asafoetida. If you Pressure Cook, cook it upto for 5 whistles.
Cook the Seppankizhangu with little salt to taste in Pressure Cooker for upto 4 whistels.
After Cooking the Seppankizhangu, wash them with cold water and let it cool and peel its skin. and set aside.
Soak the Tamarind in warm water for about 5 minutes.

In a Pan, heat oil, add mustard and let it pop and add, asafoetida powder, curry leaves and dry green chilli's.
Add Diced onion to the Pan and saute it along.
Add chopped Tomato to the Pan and saute it along onion.
Now add salt to taste, add Turmeric powder, Sambhar powder and mix well.
Add boiled and peeled Seppankizhangu to the pan and mix well.
Now add Pressure Cooked Tuvar Dal to the pan and mix.
Add tamarind water and 1/2 cup of water and mix well.
Let the Sambhar boil in medium flame for about 5 to 7 minutes. and remove from flame.

* Add more water, if like your sambhar little watery.
* Its must to add Asafoetida powder, as it helps to remove gas from the seppankizhangu.


Serve the Sambhar with Hot Rice. some appalam or vadams will make a good combo.

Sambhar Rice ~ Sambhar Sadham

My Favourite Food is always hearty sambhar sadham and cool thayir sadham / curd rice. Sambhar Rice with appalam or with potato curry is a perfect combination. I always prepare this sambhar rice, when i have guests. The secret of tasty sambhar sadham depends on the vegetables we add. Drumstick(murungai kaai), Eggplant(kathrikkaai), Radish(mullangi), knol khol (nookal) and capsicum (kudai milagaai) are must. Adding shallots / pearl onions ( sambhar / chinna vengayam ) is must. the other trick is, boiling these vegetables in tamarind juice. I use Sakthi Masala Sambhar Powder. You can use your own sambhar powder. Try using Ghee / Butter to have a tasty Sambhar Rice.

Ingredients: (Sambhar Rice for 2 people)

Vegetables:

Drumstick / Murungai - 1
Eggplant / Kathirkaai - 2
Radish / Mullangi - 1
Knol Khol / Nookal - 1/2
Capsicum / Kudai Milagaai - 1/2
Carrot - 1
Beans - 6
Broad Beans /avarakaai - 6
Double Beans - 10 (optional)
Potato / Urulai - 1

Other Ingredients:

Tomato - 1/2
Shallots - 15

Raw Rice - 150 gms ( 2 small tumblers)
Toovar Dal / Tuvaram Paruppu - 40 gms

Tamarind - a lemon size

Sambhar Powder - 3 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Ghee / Clarified Butter - 5 tbsp's
Mustard - 2 tsp's
Split Urad Dal - 2 tsp's
Dry Red Chilli - 4
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida powder - 1/ 4 tsp
Curry Leaves - 15

Corriander Leaves - 4 tbsp's (chopped)

Method:

First Pressure Cook the Rice and Dal with 4 cups of water. The whistle count is 6.

Wash the vegetables and dice them in cube shapes.

Soak the Tamarind in warm water for about 5 minutes and extract the tamarind juice.

Now Cook the Vegetables in extracted tamarind juice with little salt.
I Microwave them in high for about 8 minutes. ( Don't cook Capsicum, shallots and Tomato)
Cook the double beans in prior and add along with other vegetables.

Heat a Pan / kadaai,
add 2 tbsp's of ghee, let it melt and get heated,
add mustard and let it pop.
add urad dal and fenugreek seeds, fry them till they turn golden colour.
add the dry red chilli.
add the curry leaves
add asafoetida powder / hing.

Now add the shallots / small onions and fry them till they turn translucent.
add Capsicum and tomato and saute them till they have shrinked a bit.

Now add all the cooked vegetables in tamarind water to the kadaai / pan along with the tamarind water.

Add one cup of water, Turmeric powder and sambhar powder. also add salt to taste. remember salt is already added to vegetables.

Mash the cooked Rice and dal and add to the pan. stir well, to avoid lumps. mix the rice evenly with the vegetables in the pan.

Add 3 tbsp's of ghee and corriander leaves and cover the pan with a lid. slow the flame. and let it rest for 3-4 minutes in slow flame. keep checking and stir in between to avoid burning the rice in the bottom of the pan.

Switch off the flame and keep the lid closed till you serve.

Serve with a dollop of ghee and appalam on side.

This is a great food to pack for picnic. curd rice and potato curry will make a hearty meal togeather.

Sending this Yummy Sambhar sadham to Divya for her Show me your Lunchbox event.

Arachuvitta Sambhar

We are great fans of Saravana Bhavan Sambhar. But ever since i tried Suganya's Sambhar, we both liked it a lot, and iam sure, now Saravana Bhavan Sambhar had taken a backseat. I even enjoy preparing this sambhar, as it just takes very less time. Peeling the shallot's/ Madras Onion's is one small job here. This is best with Idli, Dosa's and Vada's. you can check Suganya's recipe. I have modified the quantity of ingredient's and the preparation method according to my way. i assure you, this is a Fool Proof one.

Arachuvitta Sambhar Recipe

Prep Time: 15 mins 

Cooking Time: 25 mins  
Serves: 2
Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Recipe Type: Breakfast

Ingredients:





Take half cup of Toor Dal and a fist full of Moong Dal and Pressure cook them until 4-5 whistles. till they are fully cooked and become mushy, when mashed.

10-15 shallot's/ Chinna Vengayam
and Keep them aside.
* Have a small lemon size of Tamarind soaked in a cup of warm water. soak for at least 5 minute's.
* Heat a Pan, Fry the Following by adding one by one in the same order. it takes 2 minute's.

• Corriander Seed's / Dhania - 1 tsp
• Chana Dal / Kadala Paruppu - 1 tsp
• Raw Rice / Arisi - 1 tsp
• Cumin / Seeragam - 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek / Vendhayam - 1/4 tsp
• Dry Red Chilli / Kanja Milagaai - 3 no.
• Grated Coconut / Thuruviya Thengaai - 1 tbsp

Grind them into a dry powder.


* Add 3 shallot's and half of a tomato to the above Grounded powder and add 2 tbsp of water and grind them into a thick paste. Keep them aside.

* In a Pan / Kadaai, Heat 2 tsp of oil, add 1 tsp mustard, 1/4 tsp Fenugreek, 1 tsp Urad Dal, 1/4 tsp Asafoetida powder, 2 Dry Red chilli's and 10 curry leaves.

* Now add the remaining 12 shallot's, and saute them, till they are semi-cooked. add a chopped tomato and saute along with shallot's. Now add the Grinded paste and add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and saute them for a minute, till the raw smell of onion's and masala's goes off.

* Add the Mashed Toor and Moong Dal mix to the Pan/ Kadaai. mix well with the masala's.

* Add the cup of Tamarind water and mix well. add half cup of water to make the sambhar little watery.

* Add salt and 2 tbsp chopped corriander leave's. let the sambhar boil for 2 minute's and switch off the flame.


This Sambhar is flavourfull with Fenugreek, Asafoetida, corriander leaves and shallot's. it's heavenly with idli, dosa's.

Now this Araichivitta Sambhar leave's to RCI-Pondicherry, under Tamil Cuisine.

You can send Tamil Cuisine special's, Andhra Cuisine Special's and Kerala Cuisine Special's to RCI-Pondicherry.

Chettinaad Style Potato Sambhar

Being a Sambhar Fanatic, Iam trying as many sambhar varieties as i can, so that my hubby don't get bored of it. During our Hostel Stay, we used to be served with this sambhar so frequently. The Potatoes in Sambhar was new to me those days, and i used to complain to my parents, that the canteen people don't have any other veggie other than potato to put in sambhar. But only now i leant that, It was just Potato Sambhar.

This Chettinaad style of sambhar was different from our regular sambhar. This has three different spices in it, like pepper, Green chilli's and Dry Red Chilli's. This Spicy part, really makes it different and it is best when had along with Idli's and Dosa's rather with Rice.

Ingredients:

• Potato-1(Peel the skin, cut it thin and into small pieces)
• Onion-1
• Tomato-1
• Green Chilli-2
• Dry Red Chilli-2
• Pepper Corns-1/2 tsp
• Tuvar Dal-4 tbsp's
• Turmeric Powder-a pinch
• Corriander Leaves(finely chopped)-2 tbsp's

For Seasoning:

• Oil-1 tbsp
• Mustard-1/4 tsp
• Cumin-1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida Powder-a pinch
• Curry Leaves-8

Method:

Cook the Tuvar/Toor Dal in the Pressure Cooker upto 4-5 whistles, till it is cooked mashy.

In a Wide-Bottomed Pressure Cooker, Heat the oil for Seasoning and add mustard. when it makes sound, add cumin, asafoetida powder and curry leaves and Dry Red Chilli's. saute them.

Add Thin Sliced Onion's and saute along till it gets half cooked. add Green Chilli's and Chopped tomatoes and thin sliced small potato pieces.

Now add the Mashed Tuvar Dal and a cup of water. add the turmeric powder, Salt, Pepper corns and chopped corriander leaves.

Mix well and cook it in pressure cooker upto 2 whistles. Wait for the steam to get released and add a tsp of ghee before serving.

Try this for a weekend Brunch, iam sure you all will like it.

Vazhathandu / Banana Stem Soup

Here the climate in chennai is cloudy and breezy. The Lightning and thunder's are really threatening..i have never heared such fiery thunderstorms all these years. Rain pours and pours with little passes in between. In this case, i just could watch some classic DVD's. and very rarely i get the mood of weB-LOGGING. Though i have lot of recipe's for posting it..these Vazhathandu/Banana Stem Soup recipe is having much priority, as it needs to be introduced to many people, specially for people in chennai.

First i will share about this Vazhathandu Sambhar, this is my favourite sambhar. i remember my grandfather making me eat these vazhathandu/banana stem, by telling, it will clear if any stones are in your kindney. If you have never tried Banana stem before, this is a good way to start, by trying Banana Stem/Plantain Stem Sambhar.

For this, You have to cut the stem in round shapes of medium thickness..just pressure cook them along with tuvar dal/moong dal. and follow your usual Sambhar Recipe. For My Sambhar Recipe, Check Here.

Coming to the Soup Recipe..Cut the Plantain/Banana/Vazhathandu Stem into small small pieces. Let them boil in Water, till they get cooked. you can see the color change. take a spoon of corn flour and mix with a small cup of water. mix well without any lumps. now add the corn flour water to the pan, in which the plantain stem is boiling. add salt and pepper powder to it and let it boil and remove from the flame. if you wish, you can add sauses before serving.

i will soon try vazhathandu juice and post it. I can assure you, that you will like vazhathandu sambhar..Will soon catch up with you all when sun shines again.......

Capsicum Sambhar

Power of capsicum in sambhar is simply amazing. whatever i may tell, it could be felt only on trying it. I prepare this capsicum sambhar whenever  i am in short of time to fry the veggies, i could fry these capsicum slices in no time and the flavor it imparts in sambhar is the speciality of this green veggie. I have used only green capsicum while preparing sambhar's. it goes well for both idli or with rice.

Coconut Milk Sambhar ~ Thengai Paal Sambhar

Believe me or not, this sambhar is made at my mom's place every day for dinner. my father likes this sambhar very much. though i like this sambhar, having it on daily basis is not my take. i prepare this sambhar whenever i feel homesick. This is a very subtle sambhar and pleases you in its humble way. To go with this sambhar, you should either prepare potato fry or some pappad.

Eat this coconut milk sambhar with hot steamed rice, served in a banana leaf along with some vegetable fry and pappad. it is one of blissful south indian meal.

Coconut Milk Sambhar

Prep Time: 15 mins 

Cooking Time: 10 mins  
Serves: 2
Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Recipe Type: Dal

Ingredients:

Tuvar dal - 1/4 cup

Half coconut or first pressed thick coconut milk - 1/4 cup
Turmeric Powder-a pinch

For Tempering:

Ghee or Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard-1/4 spoon
Dry red chilly - 4 (break into half)
Asafoetida powder-a pinch
Garlic - 5 cloves (crushed)
Salt-as required

To Garnish:

Corriander leaves - 2 tsp's (finely chopped)
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

1. Pressure cook the tuvar dal with some water, a drop of oil, a slight pinch of turmeric and asafoetida powder for about 4 to 5 whistle count.  Then mash the dal and set aside.

2. Grate half of a coconut and extract thick coconut milk from it. then dilute it with 1/4 cup of water.
else if you are using packed coconut milk, take 1/4 cup and dilute with 1/4 cup of water.

3. In a pan, add 1 tsp of oil or ghee. when ghee turns hot, add mustard and let it pop. then add asafoetida powder, dry red chilly and crushed garlic.

4. Once the garlic gets half way cooked, add the mashed tuvar dal and stir well. you may add 1/4 cup of water and salt to taste and turmeric powder. let it boil.

5. Once the sambhar starts to boil, reduce the flame to low and add in the coconut milk. check for the consistency of sambhar and add required water. this coconut milk sambhar should be little thicker than rasam.

6. On slow flame let the sambhar simmer for a minute. then add curry leaves and chopped corriander leaves. remove the sambhar from flame.

7. Transfer the sambhar to a serving bowl. make appalam/pappad or some potato fry to go along with this sambhar. serve hot with rice.

Notes:

* Coconut milk sambhar should not be very thick. it should be in a consistency little thicker than rasam.

* Never boil the sambhar after adding coconut milk, as it may get curdle.

My little one Surprised me with a Happy Mother's Day Card, signed by him..his scribbling really meant a lot..and the card was really an energy booster to me. I should become a better and his favorite mom from now on...

King Of Sambhars...Raw Mango and Drumstick

Iam a Sambhar Fanatic. I particularly love the Sambhar's with the combination of vegetables.

I feel this particular combo will impress you all, as it did with my family.

The most important thing i wanted to convey is..the price of Drumstick's. since i was in a hurry..i picked up the drumstick's, without checking it's price. To my Big Surprise the cost of Drumstick was Rs.14.

can you digest..but those two thick and lengthy drumstick's ..made me to take them to my kitchen finally. My hubby was shocked to hear..For buying Drumstick's for 28rs bcoz. he says Iam a big Kanju's.

Any way I Could have named this as Cost Worthy Sambhar.
The combo Raw Mango and Drumstick's work's well as you can feel the smell of both in the sambhar.

Since the method and Ingredients are known to all of us..i am omitting those main parts.

But Few Tips:

1. Pressure Cook the Tuvar dhall along with the Drumstick's.

2. The Raw mango should be cooked so that flesh still remain's and also the skin should be eatable.

3.The water used for cooking Raw mango should be added to sambhar.

4.Avoid Tamarind.

5. Have more Cilantro Toppings.

Enjoy It with Hot Rice and side-dish as potato fry.