Varutharacha Naadan Sambar

VARUTHARACHA NAADAN SAMBAR

Sambar is one of the must items among Onam sadhya items. This recipe is a flavorful sambar with spices and coconut freshly roasted and ground into a paste. Roasted coconut is the highlight of this recipe. 

Ingredients:

1. Mixed vegetable cubes (Carrot, Potato, Tomato, Onion, Ladies finger, Drumstick, Ash gourd, Pumpkin, Cucumber etc)- 1/2 cup each

2. Lentil- 1/2 cup

3. Curry leaves- 1 spring

4. Salt- as needed

5. Sambar powder- 1 tsp (optional)

6. Grated coconut- 1 cup

7. Shallots- 5

8. Garlic- 5

9. Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp

10. Cumin seeds- 1/4 tsp

11. Peppercorns- 1/2 tsp

12. Chilli powder- 3 tsp

13. Coriander powder- 1 1/2 tbsp

14.Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

15. Asafoetida / kayam- 1 small piece

16. Coconut oil- 1 tbsp

17. Mustard- 1 tsp

18. Red chilli- 2

19.Tamarind- 2 tsp

Add lentil, curry leaves and mixed vegetables into a pressure cooker. Pour enough water to cook vegetables. Add some salt and sambar powder. Close cooker and cook till done. 

Soak tamarind in 2 tbsp of water and squeeze out its juice.

Roast coconut, shallots, garlic, cumin, fenugreek and peppercorn till dark golden brown. Reduce flame into low and mix chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Slightly roast it. Make sure not to burn the masala powders. Switch off the flame and let it cool completely. Transfer it into a blender. 

Fry kayam in 1 tsp of oil till light golden. Add it into the blender along with the fried coconut and grind into a fine paste adding some water. 

Open cooker and add ground coconut paste and tamarind water. Adjust salt and bring it to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes and turn off the flame.

Heat coconut oil. Splutter mustard. Add red chilli and slightly roast it. Pour this over the prepared sambar and stir well.

Serve hot with rice, dosa, idli etc.