radish sambar south indian (for rice)/Tamil Nadu style

There is an interesting history about “sambar”!read the below information

The following Information is from the site named History telling.wordpress.com
(Via The Story of Sambhar by Padmini Natarajan.)(click above line to the site)

“The Marathas were ruling Tanjore. Sambhoji was a great cook (the male clan members to note) and very fond of his amti with a handful of the tart kokum thrown in. In a particular season the kokum that was imported from the Maratha homeland did not reach the bare larder of the king’s kitchen. Sambhoji was cooking and the minions were shivering in their dhothis to tell him that his favourite dish could not be made that day. A smart Vidushak, who had been elected sous chef for the day, decided to solve the problem. He whispered in the king’s ears that the locals used very little tamarind pulp to gain a better sourness to the curry and that Sambhoji should experiment with this variation. Voila, the dish with the tuvar dal, vegetables, spices and the tamarind pulp was cooked and served by the king to his coterie. The court declared the dish an outstanding preparation (they had no choice with the king as Chef) and thus was born Sambhoji’s amti that in time became sambhar.”

 I too was totally impressed and amazed after reading the history behind the creation of this sambar!great new information for me and was totally happy after reading about the real antiquities behind sambar.This is a traditional south Indian lunch item especially Tamilian kind of sambar prepared habitually in every household and the radish sambar is a special of its kind with its own trademark aroma.

This has become one of the important authentic gravy varieties(not only radish instead of it we add other veggies too )that we do it here in our homes mostly once in a week or even twice sometimes.While doing tadka i usually add ghee always instead of oil as it always gives a different lovable taste than adding oil !but its our own wish .while adding tomatoes be careful as we add tamarind as well!if you are adding tangy variety of tomatoes then add less tamarind extract  accordingly.

radish sambar south indian

INGREDIENTS:

Toor dhal/thuvaram paruppu – 1/2 cup(with some drops of castor oil for cooking dhal)
Tomatoes- 2 (small)
Small onions – 1 handful
Garlic pods(crushed) – 3-4
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Radish – 2 no(peeled and sliced)
Sambar powder – 3-4 tsp,chilli powder – 1-2 tsp
Gooseberry sized tamarind soaked and squeezed.

For tempering:

Oil/ghee – 2tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Vadagam – 1-2 tsp
Curry leaves – few
Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp

METHOD:

SOAK TAMARIND AND TAKE EXTRACT

PRESSURE COOK DHAL WITH LITTLE CASTOR OIL

PEEL AND CUT RADISH

ADD NEEDED WATER SMALL ONIONS AND CRUSHED GARLIC TO COOKED DHAL

THEN TURMERIC AND CHILLI POWDER

SAMBAR POWDER

ADD SALT

SQUEEZE TOMATOES TO IT

LET IT BOIL TILL VEGGIE ARE COOKED

ADD NEEDED TAMARIND EXTRACT LET BOIL FOR SOMETIME

HEAT GHEE ADD MUSTARD WHEN IT SPLUTTERS ADD HING

SWITCH OFF ADD CURRY LEAF AND VADAKAM

ADD THIS TO SAMBAR

METHOD:

1.Keep ready by taking extract from soaked tamarind.
2.Pressure cook toor dhal with castor oil by adding needed water.
3.Now after that add water to dhal to bring to desired consistency.
4.Now bring to heat and add small onions, crushed garlic,turmeric powder , chilli powder,salt,sambar powder,tomatoes and sliced radish.
5.Let boil till the vegetable is cooked.
6.Now add the extract and boil till the rawness of tamarind subsides.
7.Now take oil/ghee in a pan.
8.Add mustard seeds and when it splutters add asafoetida.
9.Switch off and add vadakam and curry leaves.
10.Now add this to sambar and switch off ,radish sambar is ready to be served with rice.

radish sambar south indian /Tamil Nadu style(for rice)

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Total Time 25 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

• Toor dhal/thuvaramparuppu - 1/2 cup
• some drops of castor oil
• Tomatoes- 2 small
• Small onions - 1 handfull
• Garlic pods crushed - 3-4
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Radish - 2 no peeled and sliced
• Sambar powder - 3-4 tsp
• Gooseberry sized tamarind soaked and squeezed.
• chilli powder - 1-2 tsp

For tempering:

• Oil/ghee - 2tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Vadagam - 1-2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Instructions

 

• Keep ready by taking extract from soaked tamarind.
• Pressure cook toor dhal with castor oil by adding needed water.
• Now after that add water to dhal to bring to desired consistency.
• Now bring to heat and add small onions, crushed garlic,turmeric powder , chilli powder,salt,sambar powder,tomatoes and sliced radish.
• Let boil till the vegetable is cooked.
• Now add the extract and boil till the rawness of tamarind subsides.
• Now take oil/ghee in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and when it splutters add asafoetida.
• Switch off and add vadakam and curry leaves.
• Now add this to sambar and switch off, radish sambar is ready to be served with rice.
  

Notes

While adding tamarind extract be cautious otherwise it will become more tangy.
I add garlic but its optional.
I have used Bangalore tomatoes and if the tomatoes itself is tangy then reduce the tamarind extract.
I don't add turmeric during pressure cooking dhal,usually I add it later.
I some time add red-chillies for tadka and sometimes I skip adding.
Adding vadakam gives special flavour to this sambar.

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