Mullangi Podi Potta Sambar

I don’t know why it has taken me so long to post this simple recipe! I guess it is because I hardly prepare sambar using the sambar powder. I almost always prepare the arachuvitta sambar. The Podi potta sambar is always the second choice and I make it only when I am pressed for time or don’t have coconut in stock. That said, it doesn’t mean that the podi potta sambar does not taste good. But to get a good tasting Sambar you need to have a good Sambar Powder. I used to almost always buy the Sambar Powder, some brands resulted in good Sambar some were not so good. So I was always in search of a good Sambar Powder recipe and my search ended with this. And the sambar made with this powder tastes very much like the Arachuvitta Sambar minus the coconut. So here is a simple sambar recipe using radish as the main vegetable. Feel free to use the vegetable of your choice.

What you’ll need

Serves - 4

1. Radish – 2 medium sized, cut into roundels
2. Tamarind – small lemon sized ball
3. Sambar Powder – 2 tbsp
4. Tuar Dal – ½ cup
5. Asafoetida – a generous pinch
6. Jaggery – 1 tsp
7. Salt to taste
8. Curry Leaves –few
9. Coriander Leaves – 2 tbsp, finely chopped

For tempering

1. Oil – 1 tsp
2. Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp

Method

1. Soak the tamarind in 1 cup hot water for 10 minutes. Squeeze and extract the juice and discard the fibers. Add 2 more cups of water to this and set aside.
2. Pressure cook the tuar dal with a pinch of turmeric powder. Mash and keep aside.
3. Heat a heavy bottomed vessel with oil, temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
4. Add the radish pieces and the sambar powder, sauté for a minute on low flame taking care not to burn the sambar powder.
5. Add the tamarind extract to this. Also add the asafoetida powder, salt and jaggery.
6. Bring this to a boil and let it keep boiling on medium flame till the vegetable is cooked.
7. Now add the mashed dal and mix well. Add ½ to 1 cup water depending upon the required consistency. Check for seasoning and add if required.
8. Bring it to a boil and simmer for a couple of minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.
9. Remove from heat.

Serve hot with steamed rice and a vegetable of your choice.

Note:

• Don’t reduce the amount of dal, as we don’t add coconut in this sambar.
• Adding jaggery is optional.