Cheera Sambar/Spinach Sambar/Palak Sambar (Serves 6)

What's special in Sambar recipe right? Sambar can be prepared in a variety of ways, depending upon the availability of local vegetables. Today’s sambar is prepared using Spinach and is cooked in coconut milk which makes it creamy and rich in its taste.Try it out friends and I can assure you that it is a welcome change in taste and flavor from the usual traditional sambars….

Spinach/Cheera/Palak 2 cups packed, chopped
Toor dal/Thuvara parippu ¾ cup
Red onions 2 medium, sliced
Whole garlic pods 4 medium pods, crushed
Tomato 2 medium, quartered
Green chilly 2 nos, slit
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Red chilly powder 1 TBSP
Coriander powder 3 tsp
Roasted cumin powder ½ tsp
Fenugreek powder a pinch
Asafetida a pinch
Salt as needed
Thick coconut milk ½ cup
Water 2 cups

For tempering

Oil 2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Dry red chilly 3-4 nos
Curry leaves 2 sprigs

Preparation

In a pressure cooker, add washed toor dal/thuvara parippu, onions, garlic, green chilly, turmeric powder, salt and 2 cups water and cook until 2-3 whistles. Allow the pressure to release by itself and then open the pressure cooker,mash the toor dal well. Switch the heat back on to medium and add the tomatoes and Spinach/cheera/palak. Allow this to come to a boil. Now add red chilly powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, fenugreek powder and asafetida. Mix well and cook until the tomatoes are soft and spinach is cooked through. Lastly add thick coconut milk and when this starts to boil, switch off flame, adjust salt.

In another pan, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds, followed by red chilly and curry leaves. Pour the tempering over the Sambar and enjoy hot with rice….

Recipe courtesy: Adapted from Lakshmi Nair’s “Pachakakala”.

Cheers!!!
Suji