Heerekayi Huli Thove -Type 2 (Ridgegourd Sambar)

A fabulous recipe that finds its way to a fat free feast!...This gently flavoured variant of sambar made with tender, deep green ridge gourd feels at home when served with steamed rice or rotis. Huli Thove and its twin “Majjige Huli” are proven partners in South Karnataka feasts.

High in fiber, low in saturated fat, rich in minerals, poor in cholesterol, Ridge Gourd and its juice is nature’s prescription to heal jaundice, cure acne, cool any burning experience associated with urine, combat acidity, contain sugar levels…and much more!

Dish Type:  South Indian Vegetable Stew

Preparation Time:  20 min

Cooking time:  30 min

Serves:  5 persons

Ingredients

For pressure cooking:

Tur dhal                       40 gms

Water                          250 ml

Turmeric powder        A pinch

Tomato                        ¼ kg (i.e. 3 nos. medium size. After cooking, use this for grinding)

Ghee                            A drop

For boiling

Ridge Gourd                ½ kg

Tamarind paste           1 tsp

Curry leaves                1 sprig

Salt to taste                 3 ½ tsps approx. (3 tsps at the start of boiling + ½ tsp when you add ground masala)

Water                          500 ml

For grinding:

Black gram dhal            1 tsp

Bengal gram dhal          1 tsp

Cinnamon                      1” piece

Khus Khus                     1 tsp

Coriander seeds             1 tbsp

Red chillies                    5 or 6 nos.

Dry coconut                  100 gms

Cooked tomatoes           3 nos.

For seasoning:

Ghee                            1 tsp

Mustard seeds              ½ tsp

Red chillies                  2 nos.

Asafoetida                   A pinch

For garnishing

Coriander leaves

Directions

Wash dhal with water, drain and keep aside.

Wash ridge gourd, tomatoes, curry leaves and coriander leaves in salt water. Drain and keep aside.

Cook dhal in a pressure cooker along with water, tomatoes, turmeric powder and a dash of ghee.

While dhal is getting cooked….

Peel the skin of ridge gourd. Chop the vegetable into cubes. Keep the peels aside. They can be used for making Ridge Gourd Peel Chutney. (This recipe will be posted shortly)

Boil the chopped vegetables in a vessel along with water, salt, curry leaves and tamarind paste for about 10 min. till the vegetables become just soft. (Do not overboil)

While vegetable is boiling….

You can do dry frying. For this, first, grate the dry coconut.

Heat a medium sized kadai. Dry fry the grated dry coconut. Transfer it to a plate. Let it cool.

Now start dry frying the rest of the ingredients listed under “For grinding” one after another separately and keep transferring each of them to a plate. Let them cool thoroughly.

While it is cooling ….

Dhal would have got cooked, pressure in the cooker would have subsided. Vegetables would have boiled.

Mix them together and let it boil for 5 to 10 min.

While it is boiling….

Grind the dry fried ingredients (except dry coconut). Now add dry coconut and grind. Now add cooked tomatoes (and just a little quantity of water if required) and continue grinding  to a smooth consistency. Add this ground mixture to the boiling dhal and vegetables. Also add ½ tsp of salt. Continue boiling for another 5 to 10 min. By now, you can feel the “Ah, wow” smell!

Now is the time for seasoning…

For this, heat ghee in a small skillet. Put mustard seeds. When they crackle put broken red chillies and switch off the flame. Add asafoetida. Immediately pour it on to the boiling huli thove.

Garnish it with thoroughly washed and chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Ridge Gourd Huli Thove is now ready.

Tete – a – Tete:

You can adjust the quantity of tamarind paste depending on the taste of tomatoes.

Few other names for Ridge Gourd are Heerekayi, Peerkangai, Torai and Sponge Gourd

Tur dal is also known as pigeon pea

Recipe Contributor: Smt. Saraswathi

Onion Tomato Sambar (Sambar for Idli)

It’s worth taking time off to prepare this simple, spicy mildly sweet sambar recipe, a prime South Indian staple dish that is served with idli, dosa, vada and hot rice too! Idli Sambar and Vada Sambar are “the most called for combination” for breakfast and evening snacks while Sambar when served with rice slots itself in the category of lunch recipe.

Dish Type:  South Indian Vegetable Stew

Preparation Time:  30 min

Cooking time:  60 min

Yield: 1.5 litres  (serves 5 persons approx.)

Ingredients

For cooking:

Tur dhal                       100 gms

Water                          1½  litres ( ½  litre to cook dhal + 1 litre after cooking i.e., at boiling stage)

Turmeric powder        A pinch

Tomato                        ¼ kg (4 nos. medium size)

Curry leaves                2 sprigs

Ghee                            A drop

Tamarind paste           2 tsps (add this after dhal is cooked)

For grinding:

Dry coconut (dry fried)           60 gms

Sambar powder                      50 gms (2 tbsps heapful)

(Refer Sambar Powder recipe to prepare the powder)

For seasoning and sautéing:

Oil / Ghee                   1 tsp (Coconut oil or any other cooking oil)

Mustard seeds            ½ tsp

Curry leaves    1 sprig

Onions             2 nos. (regular variety)

Sambar onion  ½ kg (minimum qty required)

Salt to taste     {approx. 1 tsp (while sautéing onions) and 1 tbsp heapful while boiling fried onions with cooked dhal}

For garnishing

Coriander leaves

Directions

Wash dhal, tomatoes and curry leaves separately in water. Drain and keep aside.

Boil them in pressure cooker along with turmeric powder, ½ litre of water and a drop of ghee.

While dhal is getting cooked….

Wash sambar onions thoroughly in water. Peel the skin and keep aside.

Peel the skin of regular onions, chop them (need not be fine) and keep aside.

Heat a medium sized kadai. Dry fry the grated dry coconut. Transfer the coconut to a plate. Let it cool. Then grind it along with sambar powder and keep aside.

Now the seasoning and sautéing…..

For this, heat oil/ghee in the same kadai. Put mustard seeds. When they crackle put curry leaves and chopped onions (these onions help to bind the sambar well). Saute for 5 min. While sautéing, add salt and a pinch of turmeric. This helps onions to cook faster. Now add sambar onions and continue sautéing till they turn transparent.

By now, the contents in the pressure cooker would have cooked well. When the pressure subsides and the cooker cools, open the lid. Peel the skin of tomatoes and mash the tomatoes. Mash dhal also. Let the contents boil. To this, add the fried onions and continue boiling.

While it is boiling….

Mix the ground sambar powder with 100 ml of water in a bowl. Add this to the boiling sambar. Also add salt and tamarind paste. Continue boiling for few more min. Switch off the stove.

Did you hear your neighbour expressing envy about the awesome aroma of this spicy sambar? That’s good!...Go, garnish it with thoroughly washed and chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Ye…. Onion Tomato Sambar is now ready.

Tete – a – Tete:

You can adjust the quantity of tamarind paste depending on the taste of tomatoes.

Recipe Contributor: Smt. Saraswathi

Khara Kootu (Spicy Sambar with dal and assorted veggies)

You just can’t miss cooking this Kootu! A veritable vegetable medley, this South Karnataka speciality is the spiced up version of sambar. Kootu befriends almost all vegetables, pulses, cereals, grains etc. Together, they make a nutritious, sumptuous, delicious dish that is served even during special occasions.

Dish Type:  South Indian Vegetable Stew

Preparation Time:  20 min

Cooking time:  30 min

Serves:  4 persons

Ingredients

For pressure cooking:

Tur dhal                       50 gms

Water                          250 ml

Turmeric powder        A pinch

Ghee                            A drop

Groundnut                   50 gms (raw variety)

Beans                          50 gms

Cluster Beans              50 gms.

Field Beans                  50 gms.

Cabbage                      50 gms.

Peas                             50 gms.

Potato                          1 no. (medium size)

Sweet Potato               1 no. (medium size)

Knol Khol                     1 no. (medium size)

Carrot                          1 no. (medium size)

Onoin                          2 nos. (medium size)

While  boiling

Salt to taste                 3 ½ tsps approx. (3 tsps at the start of boiling + ½ tsp when you add ground masala)

Water                          500 ml

For grinding:

Black gram dhal            1 tsp

Bengal gram dhal          3/4th tsp

Cumin seeds                  ½ tsp

Pepper corns                  ½ tsp

Khus Khus                    1 tsp

Red chillies                   4 nos.

Dry coconut                  100 gms

For seasoning:

Ghee                            1 tsp

Mustard seeds              ½ tsp

Red chillies                  2 nos.

Curry leaves                1 sprig

Asafoetida                   A pinch

For garnishing

Coriander leaves

Directions

Wash dhal with water, drain and keep aside.

Wash all vegetables, curry leaves and coriander leaves in salt water. Drain and keep aside.

Cook dhal in a pressure cooker along with water, turmeric powder and a dash of ghee.

While dhal is getting cooked….

Peel the skin of Knol khol, carrot, sweet potato and onions. Remove the ends of beans. Chop potato, knol khol, carrot, cabbage and onions into cubes and beans into 1” long pieces.

When tur dhal splits, add the chopped vegetables. Also add salt. Switch off the flame when you hear 1 whistle from the pressure cooker. Let it cool.

While dhal and vegetables are being cooked….

You can do dry frying. For this, first, grate the dry coconut.

Heat a medium sized kadai. Dry fry the grated dry coconut. Transfer it to a plate. Let it cool.

Now start dry frying the rest of the ingredients listed under “For grinding” one after another separately and keep transferring each of them to a plate. Let them cool thoroughly.

Grind the dry fried ingredients (except dry coconut). Now add dry coconut and grind to a fine powder. Mix this powder in a bowl of water uniformly . Add this to the cooked dhal and vegetables. Also add ½ tsp of salt and tamarind paste. Boil for about 5 to 10 min. When you get the fragrant flavour of kootu, its the right time to get ready for seasoning.

For this, heat ghee in a small skillet. Put mustard seeds. When they crackle put broken red chillies, curry leaves and switch off the flame. Add asafoetida. Immediately pour it on to the boiling kootu.

Garnish it with thoroughly washed and chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Khara Kootu is now ready.

Tete – a – Tete:

Onions can also be fried separately and then added to other vegetables and dhal towards the end of boiling.

Other names for a few ingredients are listed below:

Tur dhal: Also known as pigeon pea

Groundnut: Also known as peanut

Knol Khol: Also known as Navala kosu, Navalkol, Alkul, Nookul, Ganth Gobi, Kohlrabi

Cabbage: Also known as Patta Gobhi, Paat Gobhi, Muttai kosu, Ele kosu, kobi, band gobi

Field Beans: Also known as Flat Beans, Broad Beans, Indian Beans, Hyacinth Beans, Avareka. This is mostly available in winter season from October to January

Recipe Contributor: Smt. Saraswathi

Gherkins Sambar (Thondekaayi Huli)

Go Gherkin go….! Sail the Sambar way….a welcome detour from the usual salad or pickle route. This refreshingly flavoured Sambar made from this bright green, smaller version of cucumber variety can be used with steamed hot rice, idli or dosa.

Dish Type:  South Indian Vegetable Stew

Preparation Time:  15 min

Cooking time:  30 min

Serves:  4 persons

Yield: 1 litre (approx.)

Ingredients

For pressure cooking:

Tur dhal                       50 gms

Gherkins                      250 gms

Tomato                        2 nos. (medium size)

Water                          1/2 litre

Turmeric powder        A pinch

Curry leaves                1 sprig

Ghee                            A drop

Tamarind paste           1 tsp (to be put after dhal and vegetables are cooked)

Salt to taste                 10 gms approx.

For grinding:

Raw grated coconut    100 gms

Coriander seeds          20 gms

Red Chillies                 4 nos.

For seasoning:

Ghee                            1/2 tsp (or coconut oil/any other cooking oil)

Mustard seeds             1/2 tsp

Curry leaves                1 sprig

Asafoetida                   A pinch

For garnishing

Coriander leaves

Directions

Wash gherkins, curry leaves and coriander leaves in water. Drain and keep aside.

Wash dhal separately in water. Drain and keep aside.

Cut each gherkin into 2 pieces lengthwise.

Boil dhal and gherkins in a pressure cooker along with water, turmeric powder and ghee.

While pressure cooking….

Grate raw coconut. Grind this along with coriander seeds and red chillies, initially without using water and then continue grinding using approx. 50 ml water.

When cooking is done and pressure in the cooker has subsided….

Add salt and tamarind paste (refer ingredients list for approx. quantities) Let it boil for a few minutes. Now mix the above ground masala to the cooked dhal and vegetables and continue boiling for another 5 to 10 minutes. At this stage, can you feel the fragrance of sambar?

Now it’s seasoning time…..

For this, heat ghee or coconut oil in a small skillet. Put mustard seeds. When they crackle, put curry leaves. Switch off the burner. Now add asafoetida and immediately pour over the cooked gherkins sambar.

Garnish it with thoroughly washed and chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Flavourful Gherkins Sambar is now ready to use!

Tete – a – Tete:

Gherkin, being a condiment vegetable, needs mild and gentle cooking since it loses its intense flavour if overcooked.

Few other names associated with gherkin:

 Ivy Gourd, Tindora, Thondekai, Kovakkai, Horned Cucumbers

Did you know? A London skyscraper is nicknamed gherkin due to its resemblance to this fruit.

Recipe Contributor: Smt. Saraswathi

Eggplant (Brinjal) Sambar

Try this….Sambar. It’s easy, different, delicious! Made without using dal. Just one type of vegetable and a bit of grinding that does wonders!! While the boiling sambar does most of your job, don’t miss taking note of the pointers given at the end of the recipe.

Dish Type:  South Indian Vegetable Stew

PC: Smt. Saraswathi

Preparation Time:  15 min

Cooking time:  30 min

Serves:  4 persons

Yield: 1 litre (approx.)

Ingredients

For cooking:

Brinjal                         250 gms (5 to 6 nos. approx. of green round variety)

Water                          1/2 litre

Turmeric powder        A pinch

Curry leaves                1 sprig

Green chillies              1 no. (optional)

Jaggery                        1/2 tsp (optional)

Ghee                            A drop

Tamarind paste           1/2 tsp (1/4 tsp at the start and 1/4 tsp towards the end of boiling)

Salt to taste                 3/4 tsp approx. (1/2 tsp at the start and 1/4 tsp towards the end of boiling)

For grinding:

Raw grated coconut    125 gms

Dhania (dry fried)       15 gms

Red Chillies                 4 nos.

For seasoning:

Ghee                            1/2 tsp (or coconut oil/any other cooking oil)

Mustard seeds             1/2 tsp

Asafoetida                   A pinch

For garnishing

Coriander leaves

Directions

Wash brinjal, curry leaves and coriander leaves in water. Drain the water.

Cut each brinjal into 8 pieces.

Boil them for about 6 to 8 min. in a vessel along with water, turmeric powder, tamarind paste, salt, curry leaves, green chillies and jaggery.

While boiling…  

Grate raw coconut. Dry fry dhania.

Grind the above ingredients along with red chillies, initially without using water and then continue grinding using approx. 50 ml water.

Mix this ground chutney to the cooked but still boiling brinjal. Also add little more salt and tamarind paste (refer ingredients list for approx. quantities) and continue boiling for few more minutes. Can you sense that splendid smell of sambar?

Now is the time for seasoning…..

For this, heat ghee or coconut oil in a small skillet. Put mustard seeds. When they crackle switch off the burner. Now add asafoetida and immediately pour over the cooked brinjal sambar.

Garnish it with thoroughly washed and chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Wow…. Delicious Brinjal Sambar is now ready!

Tete - a - Tete:

You can adjust the quantity of salt, chillies and tamarind paste depending on your choice.

Do not miss the special instructions given on splitting the total quantity of salt and tamarind paste to be used.

To reduce the bitterness of brinjal (if required) after slicing them, sprinkle salt evenly over it and mix thoroughly. Leave it for 10 min. and rinse well before use.

Green round variety of brinjal used in this recipe is also known as “Matti Gulla”, grown in Udupi district of Karnataka State, India.

Eggplant or brinjal is also called by other names like Aubergine (in the western part of the world) Baigan (in India) etc.

Recipe Contributor: Smt. Saraswathi

Beetroot Sambar

Beetroot Sambar is typically a staple, delicious South Indian dish and goes beautifully with cooked rice and rotis too due to its gravy consistency.

PC: Smt. Saraswathi

Dish type: South Indian Vegetable Stew

Preparation time: 20 mts

Cooking time: 15 mts

Serves: 4 persons

Ingredients

Beetroot                      1/2 kg (or 4 nos. of medium size)

Ginger                         1/2” piece

Green chillies              3 nos. medium size

Curry leaves                1 sprig

Coriander leaves         1 cup

Medium rava              15 gms.

Raw coconut               1 cup

Tamarind paste           1 tsp   

Salt to taste                 1 tsp approx.

Water                          250 ml

For Seasoning

Cooking oil                  1 tsp (preferably coconut or olive oil)

Red chillies                  2 nos.

Mustard seeds             1/2 tsp

Black gram dhal          1 tsp

Asafoetida                   A pinch

Directions

Wash beetroot thoroughly. Peel the skin and grate them.

Wash ginger, peel the skin and grate it.

Soak tamarind in water for about 10 min. Extract the juice to separate it from the fibre and seeds and keep it aside. (This is in case you don’t have tamarind paste ready)

Grate raw coconut. Grind it along with rava (semolina) and transfer it to a small bowl.

(After transferring, add 100 ml. of water to the mixie jar and run it for a few seconds. Pour this water to the same small bowl. By doing this even the remaining contents sticking on to the sides of the jar can be used. No wastage and jar also gets cleaned in the process. Smart cooking!)

Boil the grated beetroot along with 150 ml. water, salt, tamarind paste, grated ginger and slit green chillies for about 10 minutes. Keep stirring gently at intervals.

When cooked, add the ground coconut rava mix.

Let it boil for a few more minutes.

While it is boiling prepare the seasoning.

Heat oil in a small skillet on another burner on low flame. Add black gram dhal followed by mustard seeds. When it crackles, add red chillies, curry leaves. Saute for few seconds and turn off the heat.

Immediately add asafoetida powder and pour this seasoning on to the simmering beetroot sambar. Turn off the flame.

Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Transfer it to a serving bowl.

Beetroot sambar is now ready to be served.

Recipe Contributor: Smt. Saraswathi

Masoor Dal Sambar

Dish type: South Indian Vegetarian Stew

Time taken: 45 min approx.  

Yield: 200 ml approx.

Ingredients

For pressure cooking:

Masoor Dal                 60 gms

Onion                          1 no. (big size, chopped)

Tomatoes                    2 nos. (chopped)

Green Chillies             2 nos. slit

Turmeric powder        A pinch

Water                          125 ml approx.

While boiling:

Water                          100 ml approx.

Tamarind extract        1 tsp approx.

Sambar Powder          1 tsp

Salt to taste                 1 tsp approx.

For seasoning:

Oil                               1 tsp

Mustard seeds             ½ tsp

Red chillies                 2 nos. (byadagi variety)

Curry leaves                3 or 4 nos.

Coriander leaves         1 tsp (fine chopped)

Directions

Cook in a pressure cooker all ingredients listed under “For pressure cooking” upto 4 whistles. Switch off the flame. Once cooled, add all ingredients listed under “for boiling” to the cooked dal. Let it boil well for about 10 min. Now add seasoning using ingredients listed under “For seasoning”.

Masoor Dal Sambar is now ready.

Tete - a - Tete:

Masoor Dal is ideal for using with steamed hot rice but doesn’t suit as side dish for rotis / chapathis

Masoor Dal is a tasty variant of standard Tur Dal used in regular sambar.

Recipe contributed by Smt. Shyla H Rao

Sambar & Rasam Varieties

Hasi Majjige Huli (Sambar with Curd and Chayote)
Sandige Huli (Sambar without vegetables)
Ridge Gourd Huli Thove
Dantina Soppu Bassaaru
Sabsige Soppina Kootu (Dill Leaves Sambar)
Green Gram Rasam with Greens
Masoor Dal Sambar
Beetroot Sambar
Brinjal (Eggplant)Sambar / Badanekaayi Huli
Gherkins Smabar (Thondekayi Huli)
Mung Dal Rasam (with lime and tomato)
Khara Kootu (Spicy Sambar with dal and assorted veggies)
Heerekayi Huli Thove - Type 2 (Ridgegourd Sambar)
Hesarukaalina Bassaaru (Green Gram Rasam)
Tur Dal Rasam (using lime juice)

Sabsige Soppina Kootu (Dill Leaves Sambar)

Kill Dill Kill Dill…..armed with an axe, many hard “dil”led men are all out to slay this soppu.

Oh men, please pause. Why kill them when they help your Lady Love during nursing and menopause?

Excellent for lactating mothers, playing vital role in reducing bone loss, these leaves of Dill that grow in a plant less than 2’ tall look feathery n fernlike, which when cooked turn crispy n strandlike. Striking feature is its texture that’s soft n rich, aroma arising out of it..aah ha… as pleasant as anise. Spicy seeds of this, that look n taste pretty similar to caraway are a great takeaway, for, though they taste slightly bitterly, it’s their distinct sweety flavour that favours us instantly. 

Come Oh men n women, let’s greet these greens right below. They are waiting to dish.hum us back with a super traditional uber tasty treat that straightdrives us to a total retreat.

So what if the weather is cold n cloudy…do we have to turn glum n gloomy? Not really...let’s simply rush to the kitchen and cook this Kootu! Why wait when it can warm our body when cold and lift us up when moody. Simply spiced with strong smelling pepper corns, it’s an uber comfort recipe with super medicinal values. Being a tad bit thicker than sambar, tad more watery than curry, showering its love for us with a healthy taste derived by grinding a spicy paste, tempting us to fallback on it for cooking, even when in a hurry.

Dish Type:  South Indian Vegetable Stew

Time taken:  40 min

Serves:  4 persons

Ingredients

For pressure cooking:

Tur dal                         50 gms

Water                         250 ml

Turmeric powder        A pinch

Ghee                          A drop

Dill leaves                   1 bunch

For grinding:

Black gram dal            1 tsp (dry fry)

Coriander seeds          1 tsp (dry fry)

Cinnamon                    ½” pc 1 no. (dry fry)

Pepper corns               1 tsp (dry fry)

Khus Khus                   ½  tsp (dry fry)

Asafoetida                   A pinch (dry fry)

Raw grated coconut    3 tsps

Rasam powder            3 tsps approx. (adjust to suit your taste)

While  boiling

Salt to taste                 3 ½ tsps approx. (3 tsps at the start of boiling + ½ tsp when you add ground masala)

Water                          500 ml

For seasoning:

Ghee                           1 tsp

Mustard seeds             ½ tsp

Red chillies                  2 nos.

Curry leaves                1 sprig

Asafoetida                   A pinch

Directions

Wash dal with water, drain and keep aside.

Pluck Dill leaves along with its ‘tender’ stalks (discard roots and long thick stalks). Wash them thoroughly in water. Keep aside in a colander for water to drain out. Chop them fine.

Cook dal in a pressure cooker along with chopped Dill leaves, water, turmeric powder and a dash of ghee.

While dill and dal are being cooked…

You can do dry frying. Heat a medium sized kadai. Now start dry frying ingredients listed under “For grinding” one after another separately and keep transferring each of them to a plate. Let them cool thoroughly.

Grind the dry fried ingredients. Add rasam powder, raw grated coconut and water just enough to get chutney consistency. Add this ground masala to the cooked dal and vegetables. Also add ½ tsp of salt and water as required. Boil for about 10 min. Did you get the fragrant flavour of kootu? Yesss….now is the right time to get ready for seasoning.

For this, heat ghee in a small skillet. Put mustard seeds. When they crackle put broken red chillies and switch off the flame. Add asafoetida. Immediately pour it on to the boiling kootu.

Garnish it with thoroughly washed and chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Sabsige Soppina Kootu (Dill Leaves Kootu) is now ready.

Tete – a - Tete:

This type of Kootu (a kind of Sambar) can be made using other green varieties like Spinach, Mountain Spinach (Chakotha Soppu), Malabar Spinach (Basale soppu) and Amaranth (Dantu, Harive)

Apart from greens , other vegetables (except Brinjal and Lady’s finger) may also be used.

Kootu, defined in generic term is a variety of Sambar. Key difference however lies in spice and consistency. It is generally prepared thicker than sambar. Tamarind is not used in “traditional style” of preparing Kootu. 
Recipe contributed by nonagenarian and expert cook  Smt. Lalithamma Ramamurthy

Recipes viewed here are a part of  "Mangala's Potluck" section in this blog  

You may also view in this blog:

Few other Sambar Varieties
 Side Dish Recipes
Dessert Recipes

Breakfast Recipes

Rice Varieties

Gojju Varieties

Spice Powders

Snack Recipes

Few other recipes contributed by Smt. Lalithamma Ramamurthy:

Heralekaayi Gojju (Citron Lime Sauce)

Pulgura (Huli Soppu) or Greens Chutney

Sambar Powder

Rasam Powder
Hasi Majjige Huli

Menthyada Hittu (Fenugreek Powder)

Bisi Bele Baath

Vangibath Powder

Dantina Soppu Bassaaru

Vangibath Powder

SANDIGE HULI (Sambar Variety without vegetables)

Dekho dekho….baar baar dekho, hazaar baar dekho, dubara dubara dekho. Bas bas, ruko…no matter how many times be your dekho at this dish, baar baar you will sign off with a mile of smile! Here’s a sample of an example. Listen to this conversation between a Da and a Dude. Says Dude “Hey ….see this sambar, Da” Replies Da “Ouii, today’s Sambar dolloped by many an ‘Unde’ (balls of ground dal) looks deliciously different Dude” Now listen to this duel between a duo “Oho spousie, don’t be fussy, this dish begs to differ. Come on, it’s not the same old sambar I keep cooking hazaar baar yaar”!

Come “Wedding Week” in some South Indian samsaraas (families), first dish that’s listed on priority in the menu especially on Devarasamaradhane (first festive event prior to actual wedding ceremony that involves offering prayers to the family diety) is the Total Traditional Sandige Huli.

“Sandige” typically is a common summer condiment which when fried, finds itself firmly footed in the “Fryum” fraternity. But the “Sandige” prepared for this rare recipe called “Sandige Huli”, sorts itself out to a different breed, that is ground out raw, rolled as balls of dal and dunked into boiling sambar (needs neither steaming nor sautéing leave alone frying!). While boiling, do your usual rounds in the kitchen for other chores. Come back quick to have fun watching the balls too doing their rounds floating, leaving the liquid boiling right below these fearless, fryless Sandiges.

Dish Type:  South Indian Vegetable Stew

Time required:  25 min approx.

Serves:  5 persons

Ingredients

For grinding:

Tur dhal                       125 gms

Rice                             1 tbsp

Red chillies                  4 to 5 nos.

Raw coconut grated    2 tbsps

Asafoetida                   A pinch

Salt to taste                 1 tsp approx.

Coriander leaves         1 tbsp (chopped)

For boiling:

Water                          1000 ml approx.

Rasam powder            2 tsps

Tamarind paste           extract from a small lime size ball

Jaggery                        2 tbsps (coarsely powdered)

For seasoning:

Ghee                            1 tsp 

Mustard seeds              1/2 tsp 

Asafoetida                   A pinch (if you have forgotten to use it while grinding! J )

Curry leaves                1 small sprig

For garnishing

Coriander leaves         1 tsp (chopped) 

Directions

Wash tur dal and rice with water, drain out the water completely. Using just enough fresh water, soak them together for about 30 min. Grind them along with red chillies, raw coconut, asafoetida, salt and coriander leaves. To achieve perfect consistency, grind them to a smooth consistency using minimum water, just enough to be able to make firm balls out of them.

Transfer the ground mixture from mixie to another bowl. Make balls out of this mixture and keep aside. Grind remnants in the mixie to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.

Add tamarind extract, salt and rasam powder to water and let this boil. While boiling, add those balls into it in raw state itself (no need to steam them). Drop them one by one slowly. As you drop them, you will see each of these balls rising up to the surface. Once you are done dropping all the balls, add the ground paste which you had kept aside. Let boiling continue for few mins. more. Sambar by now would have thickened to gojju (sauce like) consistency.

Now is the time for seasoning…

For this, heat ghee in a small skillet. Put mustard seeds. When they crackle put broken red chillies (optional), curry leaves and switch off the flame. Add asafoetida. Immediately pour it on to the boiling sambar.

Garnish it with thoroughly washed and chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Sandige Huli is now ready.

Tete - a - Tete:

Quantity of tamarind extract depends on your taste.

If consistency of dal/rice ground mix is perfect, they will float on top and not crumble inside the Huli. If they crumble, it will result in a much thicker, gravier sambar than the ideal gojju kind.
As Smt. Vijaya Murthy says, Madras sambar podi (which is devoid of cinnamon) can also be used in place of rasam powder. Thanks Vijaya Murthy for your input

Variation: Sandige balls can be steamed in pressure cooker for about 10 to 15 min. and the steamed sandiges can then be dropped in to sambar just before serving. These steamed balls are more commonly known as “Nuchina Unde” in Karnataka cuisine. Nuchina Unde can also be used as a stand alone all time dish to be served as a healthy snack or during breakfast, lunch or dinner. However, for Nuchina Unde, the dal mixture is ground to a coarse consistency.

Tur dal is also known as pigeon pea

Recipe contributed by Smt. Nagarathnamma, expert cook and mother of my dear friend Smt. Veena Vani Jodidar

Recipes viewed here are a part of  "Mangala's Potluck" section in this blog 

Few other recipes among many in this blog include:
Hasi Majjige Huli
Bisi Bele Baath
Rava Pongal
Puliyogare Gojju (Spicy Tamarind Sauce)
Puliyogare (Tamarind Rice)
Akki Thari Upma
Heralakaayi Gojju (Citron Lime Sauce)
Hum Paanch Lime Pickle
Congress Kadalekaayi (Masala Groundnuts)
Wheat Flour Halwa
Ondelaga Thambuli (Spicy Yogurt with Brahmi Leaves)