Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Varutharacha Vendakka Sambar



Varutharacha Vendakka Sambar

Sambar is an absolute comfort food and is most common and preferred dish in South India for breakfast or with steamed rice .Sambar is a versatile dish and every house has their own versions of sambar. This one is an okra/vendekka sambar with a coastal touch to it.Varthacha sambar has the extra flavor and taste of roasted coconut and ground spices.

Ingredients
Sambar dal- 1/2 cup
Vendakka/okra chopped- 2 cup
Shallots- 10-12
Potato- 1 medium
Yam cubes-5-6 medium
Tomato- 2 small
(you can add any vegetables of your choice)
Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp
Asefotedia-1/3 tsp
Tamarind- lemon size ball
salt to taste

To roast and grind
Dry red chilly- 5-6
Coriander seeds- 1 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds- a few
Urad dal- 1 tsp
Fennel seeds- a pinch
Shredded coconut- 1/2 cup

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves- a few
Asafoetida- 1/3 tsp
Dry red chilly-2


Soak sambar dal for half an hour.Cook with one and half cup of water in a pressure cooker ( 4-5 whistles) and mash it well and keep aside.
Dry roast all the ingredients listed under 'to roast and grind' till it changes color to light brown. Make this into a fine paste.
Heat a pan and add two tsp of oil. Saute okra till the sliminess disappears and the okra is almost cooked and keep this aside.
Add all the rest of the vegetables into the cooked dal . Add turmeric powder and salt and 1/2 cup of water and cook( add water according to the desired consistency). When the vegetables are cooked add the ground paste and tamarind pulp mix well. Simmer this in medium flame for about two minute . Now add the okra and simmer for one more minute.
Heat and pan and add mustard seeds. When the splutter add curry leaves and dry red chilly and fry. Finally add hing/asafoetida and pour this over the sambar. It goes well with dosa or steamed rice

Try this..
Hope you will all enjoy..