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Sambhar- this delicious, mouth watering gravy is the main dish in everyday and in conventional and formalistic food of South India. It can be served with steamed rice, idly , dosa along with chutneys. Ideal ingredients for this gravy includes thoor dhal otherwise known as ( toovar dal, thuvar dhal toordal, tuvardal, toor, tuvar,dal),and various spices along with veggies. There are various ways to make sambhar and here is one simple sambhar with easy steps.
Ingredients
- Cooked Thovar dhal- 1 cup
- Onion -1(cut into length wise)
- Tomato- 1(cut into small chunks)
- Green chilly – 1(slit into length wise)
- Carrot -1(cut into coin size)
- Green peas- 1/4 cup
- Radish -1(cut into medium chunks)
- Tamarind paste -2 teaspoon or 1 small lemon size tamarind soaked in water for 15 minutes. Extract the juice and remove the pulp.
- Curry leaves- few
- Mustard seeds- 1teaspoon
- Cilantro leaves -2 stem (cut into small pieces)
- Oil -1 tablespoon
- Salt to taste
Things to be grinded
- Fenugreek seeds – ½ tea spoon
- Channa dhall -2 tea spoon
- Red chilly 3 or 4
- Coriander seeds 1 ½ teaspoon
- Coconut grated 1 tablespoon
Directions
1. Add 1 tea spoon of oil and roast fenugreek seeds, channa dhall red chilly, coriander seeds.
Grind the things given above with small pieces of ginger and grated coconut into smooth paste and keep aside.
2. Set a heavy pan by adding 1 teaspoon oil and add mustard seeds , curry leaves and wait till it splutter .Now add onion , splitted green chilly ,followed by tomatoes, vegetables and fry well.
3. Now add 1 cup of water and cook the veggies for 10 minutes.
4. At this point add tamarind paste or soaked tamarind water followed by salt and the ground masala paste and bring to boil for 5 more minutes .
5. When the masala paste and tamarind are cooked well, add cooked thuvar dhall and mix well and bring to boil for 10 to 15 minutes
6. Now switch off and garnish with cilantro leaves.
7. Serve hot with rice, breads, rice crepe etc.
Notes.
1.In place of tamarind paste fresh tamarind extract can be used. In this recipe fresh tamarind pulp is used.
2. Any kind of veggies can be added (like drum stick, potatoes, radish, and mangoes).
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I decided to make couscous today but wanted to add some proteins and nutrition to it. What can be more apt than lentils and butternut squash? It is a good source of fiber vitamin C, manganese and potassium. It is also an excellent source of Vitamin A It tastes better with a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg. So, here’s the version of my couscous with vegetables.
Ingredients
- Couscous – 1 ½ cups
- Butternut squash – 1 cup (cubed into small pieces)
- Zucchini- 1 (cubed finely)
- Bell pepper – 1 (cubed)
- Lentils – ½ cup (soaked for 2 hours and cooked till soft, not mushy)
- Onion – 1 (chopped)
- Garlic – 2 (minced)
- Scallions- 1 bunch (chopped)
- Chili flakes- 1 teaspoon
- Cinnamon – 2 (½ inch piece)
- Nutmeg powder – ¼ teaspoon
- Dried oregano – 1 teaspoon
- Raisins – 4 tablespoons (optional)
- Salt to taste
- Olive oil – 2 tablespoons
Directions
1. Cook couscous in 3 ¼ cups of water / vegetable stock. Cook for 5 minutes and switch off the stove. Fluff the couscous with a fork. (The ratio for couscous to water is 1:1 ½). Set aside.
2. Set a pan, add oil. Once hot, add cinnamon sticks and minced garlic along with chopped onions. Stir fry until onion becomes translucent.
3. Stir in chili flakes, oregano and nutmeg powder. Stir in chopped zucchini and bell pepper and butternut squash. Let them cook for 5 minutes until tender but not mushy. Stir occasionally.
4. Now add cooked lentils, raisins and scallions. Add salt stir fry for a couple of minutes. Add the cooked couscous and toss well. Turn the flame down. Serve warm.
Notes
1. Half cup of toasted almonds can be added for the crunchy taste.
2. Garbanzo beans can be added in place of lentils.
My another version of couscous.
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Fenugreek leaves have so much nutritional and medicinal value. We try to incorporate them in our recipes as much as possible. Since fenugreek leaves have characteristic bitter taste, we add them to dishes in which the other ingredients counteract the bitter taste and make the dish tasty.
This recipe uses a combination of rice and lentils with fenugreek leaves.
Ingredients
- Basmati rice – 1 cup (soaked in water for 30 minutes)
- Moong dhal -1/4 cup
- Fenugreek leaves / methi- 1 cup
- Celery seeds – 1 teaspoon
- Ginger – 1 small piece, grated
- Garlic- 2 pods, minced
- Onion -1(chopped)
- Tomato- 1(cut into small chunks)
- Green chilly- 1 or 2(slit into 2 in length wise)
- Oil – 2 tablespoon
- Salt to taste
Directions
1. Soak the basmati rice with moong dhal for 30 minutes.
2 Wash the fenugreek leaves and chop them finely.
3 Sauté the leaves well with 1 tablespoon oil. Once the leaves get wilted, add onion and stirfry. Then add green chilly, ginger, garlic and celery seeds.
4 Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook for 4 minutes or until the tomatoes turn mushy.
5 Now add 2 3/4 cup of water with salt and bring to boil.
6. When the water boils add the soaked moong dhal and rice and cook for 5 minutes in high flame by closing the lid.
7. Now reduce the flame and cook for 15 minute. Switch off the flame when the rice is done.
9. Serve hot with mango sauce.
Notes:
1. Cumin seeds can be substituted for celery seeds.
Mango sauce
Mango sauce has the sweet and sour taste, and is a perfect companion for this rice.
Ingredients
- Mango- 1(ripened well)
- Red chilly – ½ teaspoon or (tablespoon Paprika)
- Sugar- 1 tablespoon
- Dash of salt
- Brown sugar
Directions
1. Remove the skin from mango and use only the pulp.
2. Cut the pulp into small pieces and bring to boil by adding 1 cup of water.
3. When the water boils add red chilly, salt, sugar and mix well.
4. Cook it for 10 to 15 minutes.
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Some of my favorite soups are the simplest. This carrot and red lentil soup has a glorious flavor on its own without any added ingredients. This hearty soup could be served at any time of the day on all occasions.
Ingredients
- Carrots – 3 (chopped)
- Onion- 1 (chopped)
- Garlic – 2 pods (chopped)
- Red lentils / masoor dhal – 4 tablespoons
- Soy milk/ rice milk – 1 cup
- Salt to taste
- Ground pepper
- Olive oil – 1 teaspoon
- Vegetable broth/ water – 2 cups
Directions
1. Add oil to a pan. Once hot, stir in garlic and onions. Stir fry them for 3 minutes.
2. Add carrots and sauté them for 3 more minutes. Add red lentils and fry for couple of minutes. Stir in vegetable broth/ water and let it cook for 20 to 25 minutes.( the lentils must be cooked properly)
3. Switch off the stove. Let cool. Puree carrots, lentils, onion and garlic in a blender.( use water/ vegetable broth to thin out the consistency required)
4. Bring the pureed mixture to a boil adding a cup of soy milk.
5. Switch off the stove and add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve with croutons.
Notes
1. If using pressure cooker, cook carrots with lentils for two whistles.
This is my entry for Courtney’s My Legume Love Affair 10th helping and Susan’s My legume love affair .
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Schools had been called off on Monday due to heavy snow. What a way to start a Monday! My son and I made quick plans as what to do and make the best out of it. We were to shovel the snow in our front yard, and then settle for a movie. I knew we would be cold and hungry after the snow removal. So I decided to make smoky hot sweet potato and lentil stew. We did have a perfect time in front of TV with the stew.
Ingredients
- Onion – 1 (chopped)
- Dried lentils – ¾ cup (washed and rinsed)
- Sweet potato (medium sized) – 1 (chopped into medium sized cubes)
- Vegetable broth / water – 3 cups (I used 1 cup of vegetable broth and 2 cups of water)
- Curry powder – 1tablespoon
- All purpose flour – 2 tablespoons
- Apple juice – ½ cup
- Salt to taste
- Olive oil – 2 teaspoons
Directions
1. Heat oil in a sauce pan on medium sauce pan. Cook onion and curry powder for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in all purpose flour and add broth in small doses, stirring constantly. Bring it to boil.
2. Stir in lentils and salt . Add 1 cup of water. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
3. When about 50% of the water evoporates, add the sweet potatoes and 1 more cup of water and let it simmer for 25 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and soft. Stir in ½ cup of apple juice. Turn off the stove.
Serve with rice noodles or can have as such with crackers.
The apple juice enhances the flavor of curry powder and adds some sweet notes to the stew.
Sweet potatoes which are rich in carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta carotene and vitamin A make this dish wholesome and tasty.
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My son’s friends were visiting him. During the summer, they play basket ball and hang out in the garden. But, now it is midwinter and they had no other option than to stay inside the house  . I wanted to make snacks that would entice them and decided to make warm burgers and chocolate cup cakes. Here is the recipe for veggie burgers with split green peas and lentils.
Ingredients
- Split green peas- ½ cup (Soaked overnight)
- Lentils – ¼ cup (soaked overnight)
- Potato- 1(chopped)
- Onion – 1 (chopped)
- Bell pepper – 1(chopped finely)
- Bread crumbs – ½ cup
- Lemon pepper – 1 tsp
- Ground pepper – 1 tsp
- Corn starch – 2 tablespoons (made into thin paste by adding ¼ cup of water)
- Garlic croutons – ½ cup (powdered in a blender)
- Salt to taste
- Olive oil to fry
Directions
1. Cook the lentils and peas along with the chopped potatoes. Cook them till soft but not mushy. Drain the water and mash it in a blender. (Do not worry if the peas and lentil mixture look sticky.)
2. Heat some oil in a skillet and add the onions. When the onion become translucent, add chopped bell peppers and cumin powder. Sauté for 4 minutes. Switch off the stove.
3. Add the onions to the peas and lentil mixture. Stir in ½ cup of bread crumbs, lemon pepper, pepper and salt. Mix well. Now the batter of the patty will not be sticky. Place it in a bowl, cover it and set it in a fridge for an hour.
(Now you will find the pattie mix to be little tightened up)
4. Roll the patties of the size you want, flatten it a little bit and dip it in the corn starch paste and roll it on the crouton crumbs.
5. Heat the skillet and cook the patties by adding 1 spoon of oil on both the sides. Let them cook for 6 to 7 minutes. Flip the Pattie to the other side and cook it until golden brown.
One advantage about the pattie is, you can make them in advance and store them in the fridge. Fresh burgers can be made by cooking it on the skillet. The garlic croutons provide a good crunch to the burgers by making it extra crunchy and tasty. The lemon pepper provides a subtle tanginess. If you don’t have lemon pepper, add ½ spoon of lemon juice. I am sending this to Susan’s My legume affair :8 th helping.
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