UDIPI HOTEL SAMBAR - Ist Version

INTRODUCTION

INGREDIENTS

South Canara, Mangalore and Udupi Brahmins have a special sambar which is different in many aspects from most of the other Sambars you would have tasted so far. This Brahmins sambar goes a bit off the beaten road of other traditional method followed by Tamilnadu , Andhra and Karnataka etc. There is a basic difference in usage of Onions along with othe ingredients.. This is a sambar which is generally available in Udipi Hotels and is known as UDIPI HOTEL SAMBAR. Mind you, only genuine Udipi Hotel with a reputation would serve you this sambar.Otherwise, in Bangalore, you would get only rice Kanjee mixed with pottukadali powder and fiery sambar powder mixture with about one ton of jaggery in one katora .!!! (sorry for exaggeration but it is the truth)

100 gms Thoram Parappu

1no.  of 2" pieces of Coconut

100 gms of sambar onions

1 large onion

3 Spoons of Sambar powder (Karnataka sambar powder)

1 sprig of curry leaves
1/4 cup of Kothumalli

1 tbsp of Rice powder

1/2 spoon of Chilli powder

1/2 spoon Turmeric powder

1/2 spoon of Fresh Jeera powder

1/2 spoon of Jaggery
1. 5 spoon of Perangayam(Hing)

1 medium sized Tomato diced in 1/2 inch pieces

 FOR TEMPERING
2 tbsp of groundnut Oil for tempering

3 nos of Red chillies (broken)
1/2 spoon of mustard seeds
1/4 spoon of Fenugreek seeds
1/2 spoon of Perangayam for tempering
1/2 spoon of Turmeric powder
1 lemon sized ball of Tamarind (add water and extract thick juice)

  Salt to taste

If You want, omit Asafoetida and add 7 to 8 cloves of Garlic and a spoon of Poppy seeds made in paste. This is to be added when you add Onion paste.  

VEGETABLES TO BE ADDED

 You can add any vegetable like Murunkai, Brinjals etc but not more than two varieties in any version.  

METHOD OF PREPARATION

Cut Murankai, dice tomato. Use Brinjals (if you are using them) which are not acidic and must be seedless. Cut in rather large pieces . Soak in water for some 30 minutes and then cook in a pressure pan after adding a bit of salt and quarter spoon of sugar till ¾ cooked. Set aside. (this will prevent them from becoming mushy)

Cook the dhall after adding one small spoon of Perangayam (hing) very well.  Keep it aside in the cooker for thirty minutes.  Now churn the dhall till the froth and keep it aside.  For paste of coconut and first make slices and then make a very fine paste in a mixi. Set aside . Now a days, Hotel Sambar does not use coconut paste.

Take the sambar onions , clean and cut ends , take green chillies, press them hard without breaking them on flat surface and keep aside. Take cleaned sambar onions and add the raw onions and half sprig of curry leaves in the Dhall and let it get cooked in dhall itself. .  Take other large onion and roast it over fire till outer cover burns to black. Remove the burnt cover and make a fine paste of roasted onion and set aside.

Now add extract of Tamarind to Dhall along with salt . Boil the dhall till the raw smell of Tamarind goes off.  Add 3/4 cooked vegetables now and add required (extra) salt. Add Turmeric powder and chilli powder and jeera powder and let it simmer for about two to three minutes. 

Now add greenchillies and half sprig of curry leaves . Let it boil for about two to three minutes. 

Now add Sambar powder with freshly made paste of Roasted onion and rice powder to it and set it to boil.  If needed, mix rice powder first with little water and then add to sambar. . This rice powder gives body to HOTEL SAMBAR.

Let the whole thing simmer for about six minutes.  Add diced tomato and freshly cut bunch of Kothumalli and Jaggery last. Mix well and let it simmer for three minutes.

Temper with Red Chilies, mustard, fenugreek(vendhiyum) seeds,and Perangayam in groundnut oil. tempering. Add Asfoetida last in the oil. Tamper and cover it with a lid immediately. Serve hot.

POINT TO REMEMBER
Sambar must be made at least two hours before you are to serve to self or the guests. 
The real taste of sambar comes only after two hours of cooking. 

Reheat the Sambar and serve hot. !!! ENJOY!!! And post in your feedback when happy.