Pachcha Maanga Sambhar

Living in a gated community has, among other many benefits, the interaction with like minded people and more importantly, sharing experiences, ideas and food.  There are days when I am wondering what to cook for lunch or even breakfast, the solution comes from a neighbour who brings a bowl full of something, a variety rice or side dish. Sometimes the number of dishes are so many, that I save them in the refrigerator. As of now, inside my fridge are a variety of thokkus ,preserved chutneys and pickles from few of the people who put delicious food on their table everyday.

We have quite a few mango trees in the compound which are of different varieties of mangoes. Thus, come March, these trees yield fruits in different stages of ripening. One of our neighbours shared two tangy raw mangoes one day and asked me what I would be using those for, other than making a pickle. I requested her to suggest a recipe and she shared this Pachcha Maanga Sambhar. I made it the same day and we liked it very much.  The following is the quick recipe that is a good side dish to go with hot, steamed rice.

 

 

Pachcha Maanga Sambhar.

(vegan and seasonal recipe)

 

Ingredients:

Serves 2 people

1 medium raw mango (sour mangoes are best)(otherwise use a tablespoon of tamarind extract for sourness)

1/2 cup thur dhal (pressure cook to soft and mash)

2 teaspoons sesame oil (any cooking oil)

2 teaspoons sambhar powder

2 green chillis 

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/4teaspoon asafoetida powder

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (optional)

1 clove garlic crushed (optional)

Salt to taste

For tempering:

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 sprigs of curry leaves

 

Method:

Cut the mango in big chunks. Use the stone also in cooking.

In a pan add 2 teaspoons of oil. When the oil is moderately hot, add turmeric powder, asfoetida powder, fenugreek seeds, garlic, slit green chillis and salt. Saute for a minute or two.

To the above add sambhar powder and 2 cups of water. Let it boil for about 10 minutes.

Once the raw  feel of ingredients has subsided, add the mango. Bring to a boil. Do not let it boil for long. The mango has to hold shape and let the  sourness blend with the liquid.

Add the cooked dhal and bring it all to a boil. Switch the heat off.

In another pan heat the oil for tempering.

Add the mustard seeds and let the crackle.

Switch the stove off and drop the curry leaves.

Add the tempering to the sambhar.

Serve with hot steamed rice.

 

Note: If the mango is not sour enough and you are adding tamarind extract, boil the extract in the first stage itself.

Vengaya Sambhar made with Koli Masala

There is more than just a few sessions of FOCUS FOOD BLOGGING, goodies that filled bag loads
(for which I paid excess fare to carry home), two days of fun, food and wonderment that the IFBMeet gave me. I got to connect with people whom I share common interest with. Some of them I had known, others not even on networking platforms; all of whom only through their respective blogs.
I had known Anjali through her blog Annaparabrahma,  and through friends who had her on their list of friends. We had not been introduced even virtually, until few messages that were on a group chat in connection with the Meet at Bangalore, and arrangements for our stay during the period. I met her at the serviced apartments with other friends. It was an immediate connect with her. Through the two days, I observed that she was very committed to her goal and took in all of the sessions with a seriousness of a student. The IFBM just whizzed by and we were saying our goodbyes; that is then she handed me a bulky packet of her home made masala that wafted an aroma through the packing. That was the koli masala that she makes and distributes through her e-shop.

This is a fine compound of 18 spices in certain specific proportions that are ground together; it has a heady aroma and adds such good flavour to curries. I believe it is a basic masala they add to fish curries and such, while Anjali being vegetarian has posted more vegetarian dishes using the masala. I had actually read up her recipes and recreate a dish, but then I was also raring to try giving my regular dishes an added twist. The outcome of such an idea is this vengaya sambhar.
I have never before used sambhar powder or any powder in my vengaya sambhar. I may add an extra spice, sometimes ginger, sometimes cloves, yet grind fresh for the sambhar and no compromise on that for the vengaya sambhar. Then there has to be a first for anything and I chose to try cooking my vengaya sambhar with the Koli masala. I am happy with the choice that we enjoyed the flavour packed, pungent with browning shallots and the subtle sweet from the coconut milk, that I had added to it.

Vengaya  Sambhar made with Koli masala and Coconut milk
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (120-125 ml) thuvar dhal/ split yellow lentils
1 tablespoon tamarind -tightly packed
200 grams shallots/ chinna vengayam/ sambhar onions/ Madras onions
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1&1/2 teaspoon Koli Masala
1/3 cup coconut milk, made slightly thin with addition of a little water
2 tablespoons sesame seeds oil/ gingelly oil (any cooking oil)
Salt to taste

For Tempering:
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 sprigs curry leaves

Method:
Rub a few drops oil over the shallots to make it easy to peel them. Peel the shallots.
Soak the tamarind in 1/4 cup of water for a little while. Squeeze out the pulp; add some more water and extract most of the pulp. You may repeat this to achieve more from the tamarind.
Wash the thuvar dhal and pressure cook adding the turmeric powder and sufficient water until very soft and almost mash-able. Allow to cool and mash coarsely.
Take the gingelly oil in a pan and heat it. Add the shallots and sauté until they turn pale and shining. Allowing them to brown just so little will add to the taste, but do not overdo that.
Add some water to the sautéed onions and cook them till slightly soft.
Add the tamarind extract, salt, and the koli masala and allow to simmer over medium heat to let the raw taste subside.
Add the cooked dhal, adjust the water and cook for 7 to 10 minutes.
Pour in the coconut milk, reduce the heat and allow the sambhar to thicken to required consistency.
In a separate pan heat the oil for tempering and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the curry leaves and toss for a few seconds. Temper the sambhar with the same.

Serve the sambhar with hot steamed rice, idlis and dosais as desired.
The combination of vengaya sambhar and urulai kizhangu roast kari (shallow fried spicy potato dry curry) is an unbeatable pair. Try them, you will sure enjoy.

Araiththu vitta vengaya sambhar - Tamilian's delight

Of the sambhar varieties I prefer the araiththu vitta sambhar, meaning ground and added type.

The Masala is initially roasted either dry or adding very little oil, ground to a coarse paste and added to the tamarind -dhal mix, that has been cooked along with the vegetables.

The Madras onions (shallots) add somewhat exotic flavour to sambhar and the sweet yet pungent taste of the shallots is by itself delectable. Mostly people cook this sambhar and serve with roasted potato dry curry and hot rice with a small amount of ghee.

When I make this sambhar, I grind along with the usual ingredients, a small piece of ginger and few raw shallots, a tip from a magazine. That enhances the flavours.

Ingredients:

A lemon size ball of tamarind

1/4th of a cup thuvar dhal

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

100 grams shallots

Oil to saute the shallots

Salt to taste

For tempering:

2 teaspoons cooking oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 red chilli

Few fresh curry leaves

Dry roast the following:

1 table spoon coriander seeds

6 pieces medium hot dry red chillis

1 teaspoon channa dhal

3 table spoons coconut scrapped

Roast these until the coconut is golden brown and aromatic and the dhal looks oil coated and shining.

Add few raw shallots and 1/2'' piece of fresh ginger and grind to a paste adding little water.

Method:

Soak tamarind in water for some time and extract the pulp thoroughly.

Pressure cook thuvar dhal with the turmeric powder added to it until soft.

Peel shallots and retain whole. Heat oil in a pan and add the shallots. Saute them until they are brown on all sides, add some water, cover and cook till they are tender.

To this add the salt and tamarind extract and simmer on medium flame until all raw taste of tamarind subsides.

Add the cooked dhal coarsely mashed, allow to blend and add the masala that has been ground.

Bring to a boil. Allow to boil for further two minutes. Remove pan from fire.

Temper with the mustard seeds and fresh curry leaves.

Cook the sambhar a bit ahead of serving, this enhances flavours.

My aunt used to cook her sambhar about an hour before serving, but she will keep the rasam on the coal stove (kumutti aduppu), until the coals might be dying out until about to be served. You may serve lukewarm sambhar with hot rice and re-heat the rasam just before consumption.

Udipi Sambhar

I had seen the Udipi sambhar powder and rasam powder in a particular issue of the Mangaiyar Malar magazine. But what was given there was bulk quantity. I was wanting to make it for my everyday use, but kept putting it off. Then Sia announced the RCI-JULY event and had suggested few recipes. One of them was her Udipi Sambhar and there was the recipe for the powder just for one serving. I hopped upon it and tried duplicating her recipe. I followed as much as possible only substituting vegetables and the variety of red chillies. My tamarind is a bit aged and hence the sambhar is more brown than her recipe's picture. But I am delighted that it tasted excellent.

So Thanks Sia and I am sending ....rather rushing it last minute to your event.

I served with hot soft idlis so they feature in the picture too.

Ingredients:
1 large Brinjal cut in large pieces

3 or 4 Drum Sticks, cut into long pieces

A fistfull of Madras onions/Sambar Onions

Any desired vegetable cut into slightly big pieces.

2-3 Green Chillies

½ cup Thuvar dhal

A small lemon size tamarind.

2 teaspoons udipi sambhar powder (see recipe below)

1tsp Jaggery (or more to suit your taste)

½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder

Small bunch of Coriander Leaves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon Oil (Preferably Coconut Oil)

¼ teaspoon Asafoetida powder

Few Curry Leaves

Salt to taste

For Udupi Sambar Powder:

1 tablespoon Urad Dhal

½ tablespoon Channa Dhal

2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

1 tablespoon Coriander Seeds

½ teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds

4-6 Dry Red Chilli (Preferably Byadagi variety, but I have used normal long variety, hence the brown colour to the sambhar)

1/4 cup fresh coconut scraped or dessicated coconut.

Tempering:

1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds

1 Dry Red Chilli

¼ teaspoon Asafoetida

Few Curry Leaves

1 tablespoon Oil (preferably Coconut Oil)

Method:

Wash and pressure cook the thuvar dhal and mash it. Soak tamarind in water for some time and extract the pulp.

Peel sambhar onions.
Heat some oil in a pan and add slit green chillies onions, turmeric powder, asafoetida powder and few curry leaves.

Saute on medium flame for about 3 minutes till the onions turn glossy and translucent.

Microwave vegetables and add them to the above. Pour the tamarind extract and let it boil for a while on medium heat. Add the salt and then jaggery. Allow to cook for further few minutes. .

Meanwhile, heat the pan and dry roast all the ingredients for the sambhar powder, initially only the dry ingredients and later adding the coconut.

Allow them to turn golden brown.

Cool and grind to a smooth paste by adding very little water at time. Keep aside.

When the tamarind pulp has boiled enough, add the cooked dhal to it. Then add the ground sambhar paste. Simmer on medium heat adding some water if required. the sambhar should neither be too thick nor very thin in consistency.

Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds first, when they crackle add the red chilli and then the curry leaves. Once the curry leaves shine, take off the fire and add the tempering to the sambhar. Add chopped coriander leaves keep sambhar covered so the flavour is locked in.

Serve this Udupi Sambar with Idlis, Dosais or Rice

I hope this Udipi sambhar will make it in time for the RCI - July event, hosted by Sia of Monsoonspice initiated by Lakshmi.