Quick Sambar

I make Sambar a real complicated way. My mom in law taught me a simple 10 min sambar which tastes equally yummy.Here goes the recipe:
Ingredients:(Serves 4)

• 1.5 cups Tur dal
• 2 large tomatoes
• Vegetables for sambar( You can put any vegetable you like potatoes,onions, green pepper/shimla mirchi,beans,carrots, radish,okra/bhindi)
• Sambar powder(I use MTR)-3 spoon fuls
• Chilli powder -1/2 tsp
• 2 spoons thick tamarind extract/concentrate
• Curry leaves( 2 strands)

For seasoning:

• Methi seeds
• Rye
• 2 tea spoon oil

Procedure

• Soak the tur dal in water till we prepare the rest if the sambar.This makes it easier to cook.
• Cut the vegetables into big blocks of one inch. If it is radish/mooli cut it circular. Radish in sambar tastes wonderful so I always have radish.But you can add any of the above veggies.Cut approx 3 cups of veggies.
• In a pressure cooker add chopped tomatoes.You can chop them in larger chunks.
• Strain and add the Tur dal.Add the tamarind extract
• Add the cut veggies and add 3 cups water.
• Put the sambar powder,red chilli and salt to taste.
• Prepare the seasoning in a small kadai/vessel.Heat 2 spoons oil in a small kadai. Add the methi seeds and rye .Once the rye starts popping. Remove from flame and add the seasoning to the mixture in the cooker.
• Add curry leaves if available.
• Pressure cook till 3 whistles.
• Remove and serve hot with dosas or rice.

Delicious dhokla

Dhokla is a traditional gujrati snack I love

• Makes about 20 pieces.
  Ingredients:
  1 cup sooji (semolina flour)
  1 cup yogurt
  1/4 cup water as needed
  1/4 teaspoon salt
  2 teaspoon lemon juice
  Pinch of turmeric (haldi)
  1 green chili finely chopped
  2 tablespoon fine chopped cilantro (hara dhania)
  1 teaspoon Eno’s fruit salt (Sodium Bicarbonate and Citric Acid)
  For seasoning:
  2 tablespoons of oil
  1/2 teaspoon black mustard seed
  2 green peppers chopped into about 1/4 inch pieces
  Utensils to steam Dhokla:
  Large sausepan with cover
  Round cake-cooling rack
  Round 9″ cake pan
  Method:
  
• Mix the sooji, yogurt, salt, lemon juice, green chili, and cilantro together in a bowl and make a smooth batter; add more water if needed.
• Mix well so that no lumps are formed and the batter is of pouring consistency.
• Allow batter to rest for an hour.
• Grease the cake pan and set aside.
• In the saucepan heat about one cup of water on medium high heat. Water should just touch the cake rack. This will be used to steam the dhoklas.
• After water is boiling, turn down the heat to medium.
• Add fruit salt (Eno) to the batter, and mix well. The batter will foam up.
• Quickly pour batter into a greased cake pan.
• Next place cake pan into the saucepan over the cake rack.
• Cover the saucepan. Steam for about 10 minutes on medium heat.
• Check Dhokla with a knife. If the knife comes out clean, dhokla is ready.
• Turn of the heat and remove the cake pan from saucepan.
• Let it cool to room temperature, then cut into triangle or square shapes.

Prepare the seasoning:
Heat the oil in a small pan on medium heat. Add mustard seeds after seeds cracke add green chili stir for few seconds. Pour seasoning over the Dhokla. Serve with green chutney(separate recipe)
Dhokla can be refrigerated for a few days. Before serving, heat Dhokla in a microwave or heat over steam.

Green chutney

Green Chutney
Ingredients:

• Fresh Dhaniya/Corrainder leaves half cup
• Half a green chilli
• One small lemon
• Salt to taste

Procedure: Grind the dhaniya,chilli with salt and 4 spoons of water.Add lemon juice from one lemon and stir. Yummy chutney is ready to serve with hot vadas

Sabudana vada

Sabudana vada
Sabudana vadas have been my favourite since childhood... I tried it once and my vadas were a disaster. Last week my mom in law was here and I demanded her delicious sabudana vadas. They were awesome and I have to share the recipe.
Ingredients

• Sabudana/Sago one cup
• 4 medium sized potatoes boiled
• Raw Peanuts quarter cup
• 3 large Green chillies
• Jeera/cumin seeds 2 spoons
• Pinch of Asafoetida/Hing
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Procedure

• Soak sabudana in water just enough to cover it. Excess water will cause it to split in oil. Let it soak for 5-6 hours.
• After 5-6 hours the sabudana should have soaked all the water.drain any excess water if present.
• Peel the boiled potatoes .
• Mash the potatoes and add them to the sabudana
• Finely chop the green chillies and add it to the mixture above.
• Add jeera and asafoetida and salt to taste.
• Coarsely chop the raw peanuts into smaller pieces.It is better if the peanuts do not have skin.
• Add the peanuts and mash the mixture till it becomes homogenous.
• Now as soon as the mixture is ready , make small flat vadas and fry in oil. Do not let the mixture stay for long else it will drink a lot of oil. One should make the mixture just before frying for vadas to not drink oil.
• Serve hot with green chutney(separate recipe)