Sambhar

How do we make the sambhar?
Every one will have a unique recipe.  Each region from the south of India will have a regional twist to this healthy dish.
Some add jaggery to it, some add coconut, some make it with specific vegetables only. Kerala even has a sambhar with only the shallots or small onions!

I?
I add any and every vegetable, whatever is available!  hahaha.

Ingredients;
1 cup tur dal
1/2 kg mixed vegetables, diced.
1 tsp turmeric powder.
1 tsp red chilli powder.
2 tsp sambhar powder (There are many organic varieties available. this can be made at home and stored too, will update when I do that next.)
1/2 tsp asafoetida.
1 small ball of tamarind.
1 tsp mustard
1 small red chilli whole.
2-3 twigs of curry leaves.
Salt to taste

Process:

Soak the tur dal for 1 hour.
Place into a cooker vessel.  (Be sure to use ONLY steel vessels and steel pressure cookers.  The aluminium ones have a tendency to  lace our food with aluminium, leading to slow toxicity and other health issues.)
Add half spoon of turmeric.

In another cooker vessel, place the diced vegetables. Do not remove the skin as far as possible.  Here I have used brinjals, carrots, bottle gourd, tendli, red pumpkin, suran. Add about two cups of water.  Add the chilli powder and remaining turmeric powder.
Place the vessels one upon the other with the dal vessel below.
Allow to cook till three whistles.
Then put the flame on low and allow to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.

If using drumsticks, boil them seperately and add to the cooked vegetables.
If using okra or bhindi, steam them for 5 minutes and then add to cooked vegetables.

Meanwhile soak the tamarind.

Once cooked, remove the vegetables into a wider thickbottomed vessel.
Mix in the boiled tur dal.  If the dal is not mashed, use a thick spoon to mash it up well before adding in with the vegetables.
Bring to a boil, then add in the asafoetida and salt as required.
And the soaked tamarind--make it into a pulp before adding in.

Mix well.
Add in the sambhar powder.   Mix well and allow to boil for half a min or more.

Take off the flame.

Temper the mustard in a small thick bottom pan, without oil.
See the procedure in the chutney recipe.

The sambhar is ready, to be served with brown rice, or red rice idli, or dosa.

Vegan cheese cracker

Well, though I have named this cracker, it tastes more like the Monaco, without the oil, milk solids and preservatives!

Recipe:

Ingredients:
1 cup roasted peanuts
1 cup dry coconut powder
1 to 2 cups of wholewheat flour
1 small onion, finely sliced (can use onion powder if available)
1 tsp rock salt (or as per taste)
1 tbp black pepper
1/2 tsp yeast slightly heated to make inactive. ( Can use nutritional yeast instead.)
1/2 tsp cane syrup or date syrup (optional)

Procedure:

1.  In a mixie jar, grind together the peanuts and the sliced onion.  Add water as needed to make smooth paste.  Then add the yeast.

 2. Slightly grind the pepper pods.

 Measure the dry coconut powder and keep it ready.

3.  Add the pepper, salt, and coconut to the earlier mix.

4.  Grind all of them together.  Then add in the flour to make a soft dough.  Beat it well.

Then make small balls and roll out the dough.

 5.  Use a fancy cutter to cut out beautiful shapes.  I have used a playdough cutter which we had lying around!

 Makes beautiful flowery shapes.

6.  Preheat the oven at 250 degrees for 15 minutes.
Place the flowers on a baking tray.  I do not use aluminum sheets.  These have enough oil from the peanuts and coconut to prevent sticking.  But if your dough is too sticky you may dust the tray with flour or peanut powder, or sesame seeds before placing the crackers in.

7.  Bake the crackers for 15 minutes or till slightly brown.

The crackers have a cute center formed due to raising while baking!  Didnt see that coming!
What a pleasant surprise!

And the remaining dough I made into a few rectangles.

Such a beautiful looking treat!

Okay, now I am just going overboard with the snaps and my admiration.  Hahaha.

Makes an excellent school snack, or after school snack.
Stays for a week or more.
Have used all organic ingredients, and not a drop of oil.

Excellent taste, and healthy as well! What else do we want!

Variations:
Those allergic to peanuts, may use two cups of dry coconut and skip the peanuts.
Those not wanting to use onions can skip that, or can try ginger or grated carrot instead. Havent tried that. If you do, let me now how that turned out.
Can flavor with ajwain (carom seeds) as well.  I love that flavor too, will try this next time!

Lentils pancake/crepe or adai.

 A south indian breakfast or tiffin item, made wholesome and healthy.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup soy beans
1/2 cup chana or chana dal (Bengal gram)
1/2 cup whole moong (green gram)
1/2 cup whole chowli (black eye peas/cowpea)
1/2 cup brown rice.

For grinding:
1 large onion
1 bunch of curry leaves
2 red chillies--dried (can use green chillies if preferred )
A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
Rock salt or sea salt as per taste.

Procedure:
Soak all the legumes and rice together, overnight.

 


Grind them together with the onion, curry leaves, salt, chillies and asafoetida.

Heat up a thick iron tava/pan.  When hot enough, pour a tablespoon full and make into a dosa/crepe/pancake.

Cover with a lid.  The steam will make sure the dosa/adai doesnt stick.

Flip and roast the other side till slightly brown.
Serve with coconut chutney.

Recipe for the chutney shown here:
Ingredients:
1/2 a coconut shredded.
1/2 cup roasted chana (bengal gram without the skin)
1 red chilli
pinch of salt
1/2 inch of ginger

Grind them together with a bit of water.  (I skipped the water to make a drier version of the chutney as this was to be packed for school tiffin)

This is a high-protein, gluten-free and oil free vegan snack.  Can be had as breakfast as well.
Since all the ingredients used are organic and whole, the fiber content makes it more satiating and the nutrients get released in a sustainable fashion into the blood stream. 
Safe for diabetics, those with hormone imbalances, and cholesterol issues.