CHOW CHOW SAMBAR

SAMBAR is a lentil-based vegetable stew cooked with tamarind pulp.  It is a popular dish in both South Indian and Srilankan Tamil cuisines.  Sambar is usually served with steamed rice as one of the main course of everyday South Indian cuisine.  A two-course meal of Sambar mixed with rice and eaten with some sort of vegetable side dish, followed by curd rice, is a prime South Indian meal.  Now I am going to teach you to make chow chow Sambar using both Toor dhal and Mysore dhal.  This is a very simple and easy to follow recipe.

Ingredients required

Toor Dhal                    :           1/4 cup

Mysore Dhal               :           3 tablespoons

Fenugreek seeds         :           1/4 tsp

Tamarind                    :           Lemon Size

Chow Chow                 :           2 (chopped into square shaped pieces)

Tomato                        :           1 (roughly chopped)

Onion   (Medium)       :           2 finely chopped

Garlic                          :           4 cloves (finely chopped)                    -          

Turmeric powder        :            1/4 tsp

Sambar powder          :           2 tsp

Salt as required

Oil as required     

For Seasoning     

Mustard                      :           1 tsp

Urud Dhal                    :           1 tsp

Toor Dhal                    :           `1 tsp

Red chillies                  :           2

Curry Leaves               :           few

Asafoetida                   :           1/4 tsp

       

Preparation

·         Pressure cook both the Dhals together with 1/4 of fenugreek seeds and 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder for 4 whistles.  Mash the cooked dhal with a ladle and keep it aside.

·         Soak tamarind in hot water and extract 1 1/2 cups of tamarind juice and discard the pulp.

·         Chop the vegetables

Method 

Ø  HHhhhhhfwafafdfdsdHeat 2 tbsp of refined oil and 1 tsp of gingelly oil. 

Ø  AdddfdfadfdfdsdfAdd mustard seeds.  When it splutters, add the rest of the ingredients given under seasoning.

Ø  Now add the finely chopped garlic followed by onions and sauté for few minutes.

Ø  Then add the cut chow chow and tomatoes and fry for some time.

Ø  Now add the extracted tamarind water, turmeric powder, sambar powder, mashed dhal and salt required.

Ø  Simmer the flame and let it boil for approx. 10 – 12 minutes. 

Ø  Once the sambar thickens, add asafeotida  and switch off the stove after 2 minutes.

Ø  Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Ø  Serve hot with steamed rice.

Cooking tips

If your Sambar does not thicken, there is no need to worry.  Take 1½ tsp cornflour in a vessel  and add little water.  Mix well and add this to the sambar and boil for 2 minutes.  The sambar will thicken automatically. There will not be any change in the taste.

Alternatively, you can also fry few vadams or pappads and add this to the sambar.  The sambar will not only thicken, but will also have an enhanced taste.