Spicey Sambar

A home made sambhar is such a delicious bundle of spice and flavours. It is spicy,with undertones of heeng and imli.You can sneak a bunch of veggies into it. Unsuspecting children will eat them willingly ! A tadka with Verka Ghee adds the final,all important touch ! Serve it with dosaa ,idli or vadas. Or you can simply serve it with boiled rice for an uncomplicated and nourishing meal.

Spicy Sambar

• 1 cup arhar daal
• 1½ cups chopped veggies, boiled
• a lump of imli (lemon sized)
• 1½-2 tbsp sambar powder
• a pinch of heeng
• Salt, chili powder and haldi to taste
• 3 tbsp Verka Ghee
• 4 dry red chillies
• 1½-2 tsp black mustard seeds
• ½ tsp methi seeds
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 15-20 curry patta

Method

• Pressure cook the daal with salt, haldi, chili powder and heeng.
• Stir well to make it mushy, then add the boiled veggies.
• Soak imli in hot water till softened, then de seed and blend to a pulp.
• Add imli pulp and sambar powder to the daal. Cook further till fragrant.
• Heat Verka Ghee and make a tadka with dry red chili, mustard seeds, methi seeds, garlic and curry leaves.
• Add to the sambhar and simmer further to infuse the flavours.

Note : Drumsticks, Pumpkin, radish, carrots and beans taste delicious in a sambhar. The sambhar powder can also be incorporated into thetadka. Care must be taken so it doesn’t get scorched. A spoonful of extra ghee drizzled over the ready bowl makes it an ‘Oh-My-God’ experience !