Sambar Sadam

I was never a fan of Sambar Sadam and rarely prepared it at home. But after tasting the Sambar Sadam which was given as prasadam in the Guruvayoorappan temple in Nanganallur, I started liking it. The prasadam we got in the temple was really delicious, spicy, with a lovely flavor of nalla ennai (gingely oil). I asked my MIL to get me the recipe for the sadam from the person who prepared it in the temple. He also shared it happily. And from then, sambar sadam has been a regular in my kitchen. Tastes best when served along with urulaikizhangu Kara Curry and some chips or vadams. Do try it and let me know how it turned out.

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What you’ll need

1. Rice – 1 cup
2. Tuar Dal – 1/3 cup
3. Tamarind – a small lemon sized ball
4. Jaggery – 2 tsp (optional)
5. Shallots/Chinna Vengayam – ¾ cup, peeled
6. Tomato – 1, finely chopped
7. Carrot – 1 Medium, diced
8. Potato – 1 Medium, diced
9. Drumstick – 2, cut into finger sized pieces
10. Green Peas – ¼ cup
11. Green chilly – 1 or 2, slit

To roast and grind

1. Channa Dal – 1 tbsp
2. Coriander Seeds – 1.5 tbsp
3. Fenugreek Seeds – ¼ tsp
4. Dried Red Chilly – 2 to 3 (increase or decrease according to taste)
5. Scraped fresh Coconut – 2 tbsp (optional)
6. Asafoetida – a small piece
7. Oil – 1 tsp

To temper

1. Oil – 2 tbsp
2. Ghee – 1 tbsp
3. Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
4. Curry Leaves - few

Method

1. Pressure cook the rice and dal separately for 3 whistles. Mash the rice and dal lightly and keep aside.
2. Soak the tamarind in hot water for 10 minutes. Squeeze and extract the pulp and discard the waste. The tamarind extract should be around 2.5 cups. Add water to make this quantity.
3. Heat a Kadai with a tsp of oil, add the asafoetida, once it puffs up, add the channa dal and on medium flame, once it starts changing color, add the coriander seeds and fenugreek seeds and fry finally add the red chillies and fry till the dal has turned nice golden brown and a good aroma wafts through. Add the scraped coconut and fry for a minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Grind to a powder and keep aside. Take care not to burn the spices while frying, else the taste will change.
4. Heat a big Kadai, with 2 tbsp oil and half of the ghee for tempering. Add the mustard seeds, once they splutter add the curry leaves and slit green chillies.
5. Add the onions and fry till they turn translucent, then add the chopped tomatoes and sauté till they turn mushy.
6. Add in all the vegetables, turmeric powder and sauté for a minute, cover and cook until the vegetables are partially cooked.
7. Now add the tamarind extract, salt and jaggery. Let this boil until the vegetables are completely cooked but not mushy.
8. Add the ground spice mixture and mix well.
9. Now add the cooked rice and dal, check for salt and add if required. Mix well and remove from heat. Drizzle with ghee at the end and mix well.
10. Let it be of slightly lose consistency, as the rice will thicken on cooling.

Delicious sambar sadam is ready. Serve with spicy potato curry and some fried crisps.

Note:

1. You may use your choice of vegetables, like, beans, chow chow, brinjal etc. Highly recommend using drumstick and avarakkai, though I didn’t use avarakkai this time.
2. Also tempering in Nalla ennai, or gingely oil gives a good flavor to the rice.
3. Keep the consistency loose, don’t keep it on heat for a long time after adding the rice and dal, just mix well and remove from heat as this has a tendency to thicken.
4. If you feel the rice has thickened too much add little hot water and adjust the consistency.
5. If making for poojas skip the onions.