Spinach Sambhar.

H friends,

Hows the festive season coming on for you? Mine was enjoyable with a nice family get-together. 🙂

So, I tried this recipe, modified it, after having my gran’s keerai Kuzhambu. Now the difference between sambhar and Kuzhambu is in the latter the Dal/lentils arent boiled , just roasted and powdered unlike sambhar where it is boiled. Kuzhambu is also little thick in consistency.

Anyways I loved that so much that I tried this variation and it came out better than I expected. The health quotient goes up a notch because of the spinach and it tastes very good too.

So let’s get started on the recipe, shall we?

Preparation time :- 15 minutes.

Cooking time:- 15 minutes.

Serves 3

Ingredients :

Spinach roughly chopped and blanched : 1 and half cup.

Tur Dal (pigeon pea) boiled and cooked : 1/4 cup.

Tamarind paste : 2 tablespoons.

Red chillies : 4-5

Grated coconut : 2 tablespoons

Coriander seeds : 1 tablespoon

Cumin seeds : 1 teaspoon

Black pepper: 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds : 1 teaspoon

Curry leaves : 8-10

A pinch asafoetida.

2 Drumsticks – . cut into 2 inch pieces.

Coriander leaves: 1 sprig

Sesame oil : 2 tablespoons for tempering.

Salt to taste.

1 spoon jaggery

Method:

Blanch the spinach. (Put the fresh and washed spinach in boiling water. Let it be for 4-5 minutes. Take it out and dip it immediately in cold water)

Drain the spinach out and grind it along with boiled tur Dal, jaggery, red chillies, black pepper, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, grated coconut, and 4-5 curry leaves. (Keep the rest for tempering)

Heat the oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. After it crackles,add 2 red chillies, asafoetida and the remaining curry leaves. Next, Add the ground spinach puree.

Add tamarind paste and give it a nice mix.

Add drumsticks and 2-3 cups water. (I have used drumstick. You can use any sambhar vegetable or little bit of all of it)

Add salt as per taste and boil for 5-8 minutes. Keep stirring in between. Add water if required, as per sambhar consistency.

Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice and potatoes stir fry.

Do try this recipe and share your views in the comments below.

#Tip : You can add Sambhar powder instead of freshly grinding the ingredients. (Coriander seeds, red chillies, cumin and black pepper)

Rice and Moong Dal Idli

Idli is the one of the most popular & healthier breakfast recipes in India. Originated in South India, it is a world famous versatile recipe with which one could experiment a lot by adding different types of vegetables or fruits even. Each one of them tastes deliciously different. I am gonna share one such variant today.  Rice and green moong dal idli is rich in protein , is great to taste and will be loved by one and all. 

Lets get started. 

Makes 16 idlis. 

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup Rice 

1/2 cup green moong dal ( green gram) 

1/2 cup grated carrots 

1 tbsp coconut 

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)

Salt to taste

1 tsp baking soda 

1 tbsp curd

Method:

• Soak the rice, moong dal & fenugreek seeds using required water for 6-7 hours.
• Drain and blend to a smooth paste using little water.
• Add grated carrots, coconut, turmeric and salt to the paste and mix well using a spatula till everything is incorporated.
• In another bowl, Mix the curd and baking soda. Keep it aside for five minutes.
• Add the curd-baking soda mixture to the batter and mix well. 
• Add little water if required.
• Pour a spoonful of batter in the greased idli plates and steam in a steamer for 10-12 minutes.
• Cool, demould and serve hot with chutney or sambhar.