Special Sambar for Kerala Sadya

Ingredients for Special Sambar:

1. Coconut oil – 1 big spoon

2. Asafoetida (LG) – 10 gm

3. Bengal gram dal – 5 gm

    Fenugreek – 5 gm

    Black gram dal – 5 gm

4. Coriander seeds – 10 gm

5. Curry leaves – A little

6. Red chillies – 10 gm

7. Pigeon peas – 200 gm

    Turmeric powder – ½ small spoon

    Curry leaves – A stem

8. Tamarind – 40 gms

9. Turmeric powder – ½ small spoon

    Chilli powder – ½ small spoon

    Salt – For taste

    Asafoetida (LG) – 10 gm

    Jaggery – A little

    Curry leaves – A little

10. Coconut oil – 1 small spoon

11. Drumstick – 10 gm

      Bitter gourd – 5 gms

12. Egg plant – 15 gm

      Okra – 15 gm

13. Coconut oil – 1 big spoon

14. Mustard – 1 small spoon

      Red chillies broken – 2

      Curry leaves – 2 stems

15. Coriander leaves – A little

How to prepare Special Sambar?

1. Heat oil in a small pan and add asafoetida.

2. When it’s well fried, add ingredients no: 3.

3. When it’s well fried, add coriander seeds and a little curry leaves.

4. When coriander seeds and curry leaves are well fried, add 10 gm chillies.

5. When red chillies are fried well, put off the flame.

6. Add a little water to this fried mixture and make a fine paste.

7. Boil 1.5 litres of water and add pigeon peas.

8. Add curry leaves and turmeric powder and cook it well.

9. Again add 1.5 litres of water to it and stir well.

10. When dal settles down, transfer the boiled water to another container. You can use it to prepare rasam for sadya.

11. Use the remaining dal for sambar.

12. Put tamarind in hot water and extract its juice.

13. Mix it with 1 litre of water and boil well, adding ingredients no: 9.

14. When it boils, add coconut oil.

15. Put cut drumstick and bitter gourd pieces.

16. When bitter gourd is well cooked, add egg plant and okra pieces and boil well.

17. Add cooked dal to it and boil again.

18. Add the ground paste, boil well and put off the flame.

19. Heat coconut oil in a pan and fry ingredients no: 14.

20. Pour it to the sambar and decorate with chopped coriander leaves.

Courtesy: Vanitha Magazine August 15-31, 2010

Also read a few more vegetarian curry recipes. Click on the images in the gallery to read.