Udipi Style Sambar (Koddel)

The highlight of having vada or idli in any Udupi restaurant is the sambar. I still remember this restaurant called 'Sridevi' in Malad a suburb in Amchi Mumbai - that sambar taste was just divine.

I had tried a number of times to replicate the sambar - but, never really got the same taste.

Well - I stumbled upon a beautiful blog and saw the sambar picture and all those memories started flowing. The picture itself looked like the yummy sambar from 'Sridevi' 

Well, I had to try it - and voila........ it was just like the tasty Udupi restaurant sambar. 

The recipe link is here "koddel-the-udupi-style-sambar" - This blog is maintained by Pratiba who writes at "foodforjoy"

I have followed that recipe just like Pratiba mentioned in her blog - with the exception of green beans, as I had none of it in the refrigerator. I used pearl onions, okra, red pumpkin and dudhi instead.

Ingredients

1/4 cup Toor Dal - 1/4 cup
1 medium sized tomato - cut in quarters
A small ball of tamarind (Soaked in 1/2 cup of water for 1 hour) - I used the readymade tamarind paste, used 1/2 teaspoon of it
10 pearl onions - I used the frozen ones
5 lady fingers/okra/bhindi - cut into two pieces
5 pieces of red pumpkin - cut as big as the tomato quarters
5 pieces of dudhi - cut as big as the tomato quarters
you can add more of it if you wish
1 tablespoon jaggery - grated
1/2 teaspoon turmeric Powder
3 cups water - more or less depending on the consistency of the curry  you like
salt as per taste

to grind

6 to 7  dried kashmiri  chillies
1/2 tablespoon Urad Dal / Black gram split lentil
1/2 tablespoon Channa Dal / split garbanzo
1 tablespoon Coriander Seeds / Akha Dhania
1/2 cup freshly grated coconut - I buy the frozen ones and used that
1 teaspoon coconut Oil

For tempering

1 tablespoon coconut Oil
1/2 teaspoon Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
10 - 12  curry Leaves
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
2 dried kashmiri chilis

Method

In a karahi or a frying pan add the 1 teaspoon oil (from the to grind list) and stir fry the kashmiri chilis, urad dal, chana dal, coriander seeds. When a nice aroma comes out add the coconut and mix well. Turn the heat off and keep stiring till all the ingredients are mixed together well. Let it cool down. Once its cooled, add this to a blender along with 1/4 cup water and blend untill you get a smooth mixture. If the mixture is too thick and difficult to blend, add another 1/4 cup water and blend to a smooth mixture.
In a pressure cooker, add the toor dal, tomatoes along with the turmeric powder and add 1 cup of water. Cook for upto 4 whistles. Open the pressure cooker lid once the pressure is released. Mash the cooked dal with the help of the back of a ladel.
In a saucepan, add the tamarind paste and the jaggery along with 1/2 cup water. Once the jaggery is melted, add the red pumpkin pieces and the dudhi pieces, cover and cook this for about 10 minutes. Then ad the pearl onions and cook for another 5 minutes. Now add the ground smooth paste and mix well. To this add the cooked dal along with salt as per taste and mix well. Add 1 cup water - you can add less or more water as per the consistency you like of the sambar/kodel. Add the bhindi to this curry and cover and let it boil for 5 more minutes. Turn the heat off and let it sit.
In a small wok/fry pan - add the oil from the for tempering list. Once it heats up, add the mustard seeds, when they splutter, add the cumin seeds and the curry leaves and the dried kashmiri chilies and the asafoetida. Turn the heat off. Take this wok carefully and add it to the sambar/kodel in the saucepan and cover it immediately.
Serve hot with rice or idlis