From the Temple Town: Udupi Sambar

Udupi Sambar

Tucked in between the majestic mountains of Western Ghats on the east and mighty Arabian Sea on the West, there is a beautiful small town called Udupi. There are not many places like Udupi that has rich history, colourful diversity, vibrant people, virgin beaches, incredibly charming buildings and simply irresistible cuisine. I remember visiting the Krishna Temple with my parents and grandmother once in every six months when we were small and a walk on a Ratha Maarga (Chariot Street) was one of my favourite parts of the trip. Dad would take us to small shops on Ratha Maarga looking for any unusual piece of art and craft for his antique collection and promise us to take to our favourite hotel on a way back home for sinfully delicious, crisp Masala Dosa. A lazy stroll along the streets of Ashta Matha (8 temples) with Ajji while she narrated an amazing story of Saint Kanakadasa and Lord Krishna is something I will always cherish. It’s been quite some years since I visited the temple but the memories are as fresh as morning dew on rose petal.

Another part of our trip to Udupi that is one of my wonderful childhood memories is the food served at Udupi, be it at Krishna Temple or at my favourite restaurants Diana and Kidiyoor. For a foodie like me Udupi is food paradise. Even simple every day food has magical feel to it. According to history, the Udupi Cuisine has its origin in Ashta Matha’s of Udupi founded by the Vaishnavite saint Shri Madhvacharya in the 13th century. Locally grown grains, beans, vegetables and fruits are the hallmark of this divine cuisine. The world famous Krishna Matha/Temple is believed to be the centre of Dasa Saahitya, a form of literature originated in Udupi. And this same temple serves free food, called as Annadana, for thousands of devotees every single day. The temple food is simple with no frills. Rice, one or two Palyas (vegetable stir Fries), Rasam (thin, spicy Tomato Soup), Papad/Happala, Sambar (South Indian vegetable curry), Majjige Neeru (Spiced Butter Milk) and Payasam (Indian pudding) to finish this divine meal. This is one meal that not only satisfies your stomach but also touches your soul.

One such recipe is Udupi Sambar usually made with no onion and garlic at Krishna Temple. The following recipe uses small pink Sambar/Pearl Onions. The vegetables used here Brinjal and Drumsticks are made for each other. The tang of tamarind and tomatoes, sweetness of jaggery and coconut and heat from roasted spices complements each other in this coconut-lentil medley. Back at my native we use Udupi Gulla Badane which has got big seeds compared to usual purple eggplants we get here. Nevertheless, you can use any vegetables of your choice like gourds or pumpkins as it is on slight sweet notes. The ingredient list might scare you but trust me when I say it’s really simple to make. Serve it with lacy and crisp Dosas or fluffy and soft Idlis or just plain steaming bowl of white Rice and Ghee to enjoy this divine food straight from Temple Town, Udupi.

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Udupi Samabr (Vegetable Coconut-Lentil based Curry from Temple Town, Udupi)
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 20-25 mins
Serves: 5-6
Recipe Source: Pachakam & Amma

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Ingredients:

1 large Brinjal/Eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes (Thai Green Eggplant or Udupi Gulla Badane is preferred)
3-4 Drum Sticks, cut into 2 inch pieces
10-12 small Sambar Onions/Pearl Onions, peeled or 1 large Onion, thinly sliced
2 large Tomatoes, cubed
2-3 Green Chillies, slit
½-¾ cups Toor Dal/Split Pigeon Pea/Red Gram, washed, pressure cooked with pinch of Turmeric Powder and tsp of Oil and mashed well
1 tsp Tamarind Paste/1 small lime sized Tamarind Pulp, soaked in warm water and juice extracted
1 tsp Jaggery (Adjust acc to taste)
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
Small bunch of Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp Oil (Preferably Coconut Oil)
¼ tsp Hing/Asafoetida
Few Curry Leaves
Salt to taste

For Udupi Sambar Powder:
1 tbsp Urad Dal/Split Black Gram
½ tbsp Channa Dal/Spilt Bengal Gram
2 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
½ tsp Methi/Fenugreek Seeds
4-6 Dry Red Chilli (Preferably Byadagi, adjust acc to taste)
1 cup Grated fresh/frozen Coconut

For Tempering:
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 Dry Red Chilli, halved
¼ tsp Hing/Asafoetida
Few Curry Leaves
1 tbsp Oil, preferably Coconut Oil

Roasted Spices for Udupi Sambar

Method:

Heat 1 tbsp of Coconut Oil in a pan and add sambar/pearl onions, hing and few curry leaves. Sauté it on medium flame for about 2-3 minutes till they turn glossy and translucent.
Add vegetables of your choice with cubed tomatoes and just enough water to cook the vegetables. Mix in turmeric powder, jaggery, tamarind puree/paste and salt to taste. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes till the vegetables are cooked well.
While vegetables are cooking, heat the pan and dry roast all the ingredients listed from Urad Dal to Dry Red Chillies for about a minute. Mix in grated Coconut and roast it along the spices for another minute or so till it turns light golden and aromatic.
Cool and grind these roasted spices and coconut to a smooth paste by adding very little water at time.
Add this ground mixture and mashed toor dal to cooked vegetables and mix well. Adjust the seasoning and add water depending on the required consistency of Sambar. Make sure that the sambar is not too thick or thin. Simmer and bring the whole sambar to gentle boil (takes about 5-7 minutes).
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, dry red chilli, hing and curry leaves in that order. Transfer the tempering to Sambar when mustard starts to pop and splutter.
Mix in finely chopped coriander leaves and let it sit covered for about 10 mins for all the flavours to blend well. Serve this delicious Udupi Sambar with Idli, Dosas or plain steamed Rice and enjoy.

Udupi Sambar with Rice

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Notes:

Prepare Udupi Sambar Masala (minus Coconut from the list) in bulk quantity and store it in an air tight jar for months. When needed dry roast coconut for a minute and grind to smooth paste with this Masala.
You can make Udupi Sambar with just onions by replacing other vegetables.
Make sure that you don’t boil the sambar for too long once ground coconut paste and cooked lentils are added. And also note that the sambar should not be very watery or thick while serving.

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Akki Pundi (Rice Dumplings)

In today’s menu I am going to present authentic, traditional Mangalorean recipe of Akki Pundi (Rice Dumplings). This was the first time I tried making this and boy! They were so simple and easy to cook. There is no frying, rolling and no sweating or swearing ;) Everything went so smoothly and I really-really managed to produce perfect Pundis. Thanks to my MIL who gave me simple yet best recipe to make perfect Akki Pundis. I served them with delicious bowl of onion-potato Sambar, Rave (pronounced as ra-way) which is made from jaggary and onion pakodas (oh!!! It’s difficult to stay away from fried food :) This time I made Onion Pakoda’s using Asha’s recipe and boy, they were yummylicious :) Thank you Ashakka for yummy recipe. And these pakodas are my entry for Coffee’s MBP.

Akki Pundi served with Potato-Onion Sambar and Onion Pakodas

There are different ways of making Akki Pundi’s and this is my MIL’s version. I will post my Amma's version sometime later.

Akki Pundi and Onion Pakoda

Ingredients:
2 cups Rice
Salt to taste

Akki Pundi ready for steam cooking

Method:
Wash rice and spread it on clean cloth to dry.
Once all the water is dried up, grind the rice without adding water coarsely. Make sure that you don’t grind it to smooth powdery texture. I usually grind the rice grains to khus-khus sized granules.
In a mean while, pour 3 glasses of water and salt to taste in thick bottomed vessel and bring it to boil.
As soon as the water is hot enough add ground rice and keep mixing the mixture making sure that they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Cook this mixture over a medium flame, stirring continuously till solid enough to be rolled into balls. (It took me around 8-10 minutes)
Make small lemon-sized balls by wetting your hands in cold water.
Arrange them in a steamer and steam cook for about 15 minutes in medium heat.
Let it cool down a bit before you serve them.
Serve them with any Sambar, Kurma, Honey or Chutneys.

Akki Pundi served with Potato-Onion Sambar and Onion Pakodas

Tips:
Once you mix the hot water and rice flour you can shift the mixture into microwave bowl and cook it in microwave for about 10 minutes. Make sure that you mix the mixture once in every 3 minutes so that it’s mixed evenly.
You can also cook the Pundi’s in microwave for 8-10 minutes using Microwave Idli Maker.
To make spicy Pundi’s, season mustard, urad dal, broken red chillies and curry leaves. Add this seasoning to the water along with rice in the beginning and then proceed with the next steps.
You can also add ½ cup of freshly gated coconut to the mixture.

Akki Pundi served with Potato-Onion Sambar and Onion Pakodas

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Idli-Vada-Sambar

At last…. It’s a time for the Queen of South Indian breakfast dish: Idli-Vada with Sambar. I call idli as a queen because for some reason the title of king belongs to Dosas:) This Sunday we had Idli-Vada with delicous bowl of Sambar for breakfast. My hubby and my dad are big fans I have ever seen when it comes to Idli-Vada. The steaming fluffy and soft Idlis with little spicy and tasty Vadas dipped in delicious Sambar… Awww…. Nothing is better than that. I won’t talk a lot about it because I have got to post 3 recipes in one post:). So talk less and work more is today's theme ;) Here we go…

Idli-Vada-Sambar

Recipe for Idli:
Ingredients:
2 cups of Rice
1 cup Urad Dal
Salt to taste

Soft and Fluffy Idlis

Method:
Soak rice and urad dal separately in water for 2-3 hours.
First grind the urad dal to smooth paste. Remember that smoother the better.
Then grind rice to a coarse paste. Make sure that you don’t grind rice to smooth paste.
Mix them together adding required salt to slightly thick paste. The batter should be thicker than the dosa batter you prepare.
Keep it covered to ferment for overnight.
Next day pour a ladle of batter into idli maker and steam cook in medium flame for 15-20 minutes till they are done.
Let them cool for few minutes (3-4 minutes) before you take them out. This way the idli will be fluffy and soft.
Serve hot with Coconut Chutney and steaming bowl of Sambar.

Recipe for Vada:
Ingredients:
1 cup of Urad Dal
2-3 Green Chillies, chopped finely
¾ inch Ginger, chopped finely
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
Salt to taste

Delicious Vadas

Method:
Soak urad dal in water for 1-2 hours.
Grind them coarsely adding very little water. (Little means very little)
Add chopped coriander leaves, ginger, green chillies and salt as required.
Mix them well together with hands. Add little water if required.
Make small lime sized balls and press them slightly using your palm.
With your finger make a small hole in the center.
Deep fry them in hot oil till they turn into lovely golden brown colour.
Serve hot with Coconut Chutney and Sambar. Delicious….

Recipe for Onion Sambar:
Ingredients:
1 cup Small Onions
1/2 cup Thuar Dal/Red gram Dal
1 medium lime sized Tamarind
2 Tomatoes, sliced
2 Green Chillies, slit
Small bunch of Coriander leaves, Chopped finely
2 tsp Oil
Salt to taste
For Seasoning:
1 tsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard
2 Red chillies
1/4 tsp Hing/Asafetida
Few curry leaves
To Roast & Grind:
2 tsp Dhania/Coriander Seeds
11/2 tsp Urad Dal/Black gram Dal
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
2 tsp Channa/Bengal gram Dal
4-5 Red Chillies
1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
1 Medium Onion, roughly chopped
1 Tomato, roughly chopped
1/4 cup of Grated Coconut
3 tsp Oil

Onion Sambar

Method:
Heat 1tsp of Oil and roast the above ingredients until golden.
Fry 1 onion and 1 tomato separately with little oil.
Grind everything with grated coconut to a smooth paste.
Heat Oil in a shallow pan and fry the small onion for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add enough water and boil it till soft.
Cook red gram dal in pressure cooker and mash well.
Mix cooked onion, mashed dal, tamarind extract, tomatoes, green chillies and ground paste with salt and enough water and bring it to boil.
When the sambar is thick enough remove from fire.
Heat oil and add mustard seeds, red chillies, curry leaves and hing.
When mustard starts spluttering add this seasoning to sambar.
Serve hot Sambar garnished with chopped coriander leaves with Rice, Idlis or Dosas.

Idli-Vada-Sambar

Final Verdict:
You may be thousands of miles away from your country, but your roots are still deep down in your hometown. You may try different foods from different continents but the one which will always make you smile is the one from your mom’s kitchen. What better example can I give than the simple yet unbeatable taste of Idli-Vada with Sambar!!! Their simplicity takes your breath away and their taste wipes you off your feet, other than your loved one’s charm;) The pleasure you get from this type of dishes is only known when you try it out. It will surely bring back lot of good old memories.
Well… As expected you can never go wrong with Idli-Vadas. If you follow the instructions from your mom, step by step, then you will surely make a soft and fluffy idlis with yummy vadas. And not to forget the million dollar smile from my dear hubby:)

Idli-Vada-Sambar

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Onion Sambar

Sambar or sambhar is a South Indian cooking recipe, made of lentils, usually red gram, and vegetables. The regular Sambar Recipe is usually poured over or alongside steamed rice. Several minor variants exist depending on the meal of the day, region, and the vegetable used.
The regular sambar recipe without significant vegetable content is called Saru in Karnataka. Saru without lentils is called hunise saru (tamarind saru), which becomes menasina saru (pepper saru) if pepper is added. Sambar without lentils (but with vegetables or fish) is called Kozhambu in Tamil Nadu. There are major and minor variants of kozhambu (mor kozhambu, vetha kozhambu, rasavangi etc). Note that there are minor but subtle differences in preparation between all the variants. For instance, whether the vegetables are added to the tamarind water or vice versa, which does make them taste different.
Sambar with rice is one of the main courses of both formal and everyday south Indian cooking. It is also served with idli, dosa and vada. It is not uncommon to eat sambar rice with Happala(papad).

Sambar is the most loved dish in my home. May its Idli or Dosa or just plain rice, Sambar always accompanies them. There are variations to this sambar recipe, but this is the one I use quite often.

Onion Sambar

Ingredients:
1 cup Small Onions
1/2 cup Toor Dal/Yellow Pigeon Peas
1 medium lime sized Tamarind
2 Tomatoes, sliced
2 Green Chillies, slit
Bunch of Coriander leaves, Chopped finely
2 tsp Oil
Salt to taste

For Seasoning:
1 tsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard
2 Red chillies
1/4 tsp Hing/Asafetida
Few curry leaves

To Roast & Grind:
2 tsp Dhania/Coriander Seeds
11/2 tsp Urad Dal/Black gram Dal
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
2 tsp Channa/Bengal gram Dal
4-5 Red Chillies
1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
1 Medium Onion, roughly chopped
1 Tomato, roughly chopped
1/4 cup of Grated Coconut
3 tsp Oil

Onion Sambar

Method:
Heat 1tsp of Oil and roast the above ingredients until golden.
Fry 1 onion and 1 tomato separately with little oil.
Grind everything with grated coconut to a smooth paste.
Heat Oil in a shallow pan and fry the small onion for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add enough water and boil it till soft.
Cook red gram dal in pressure cooker and mash well.
Mix cooked onion, mashed dal, tamarind extract, tomatoes, green chillies and ground paste with salt and enough water and bring it to boil.
When the sambar is thick enough remove from fire.
Heat oil and add mustard seeds, red chillies, curry leaves and hing. When mustard starts spluttering add this seasoning to sambar.
Serve hot Sambar garnished with chopped coriander leaves with Rice, Idlis or Dosas.

Onion Sambar

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