Madras Style Murungakkai Sambar

Recipe for Tamilnadu Madras style murungakkai sambar for idli and rice. Indian Chennai drumstick Sambar.

This recipe for Murungakkai Sambar is from my good friend Anandhi. This is her mom’s Murungakkai Sambar recipe. We used to work together almost a decade back (gosh – its been a long time). At that time, the food at the canteen/food court was horrible. We were doing crazy night shifts at that time and we were so tired to get into the kitchen after we came back home. We did not have time to go out for dinner too. So we were stuck with the horrendous food from the food court. Our horrible meal times continued day after day. In-spite of the night shift and crazy 12-14 hour work days, she made this Murungakkai Sambar and brought one day. Food is memories. This is a simple everyday Murungakkai Sambar that’s so nourishing and a healthy meal. Anandhi is the most cutest and the sweetest person you will meet in life. Some people leave an indelible mark in our lives. Below is Anandhi with her daughter.

Here is the video recipe for Madras Style everyday Murungakkai Sambar.

Boil 100 grams (3/4 cup) of toor-dal, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, cumin seeds and garlic (optional) with 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes (5 whistles). Let the pressure from the cooker release naturally. Set aside. Soak half a lime size tamarind in one cup of water for 20 minutes. Once the tamarind has been soaked, squeeze it between the fingers to release all the juices. Strain the juice. Set aside.

Clean the drumsticks, peel the outer skin of the drumsticks if its very hard. Chop them to 3 inch pieces. Set aside.

Heat sesame oil in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds (வெந்தயம்) and curry leaves. Let it splutter. Reduce the flame to low and add in the asafoetida, chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Fry for 10 seconds. Add 1 cup of water and the drumsticks.

Add in the tamarind juice to the pan. Add in the salt and jaggery. Anandhi’s mom does not use jaggery. I like a little jaggery in my sambar. Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for 10-15 minutes in medium flame until the drumsticks are soft and tender. Lightly mash the dal and the tomatoes in the pressure cooker with a ladle and add it to the pan. Add some water to the pan if the dal is very thick. Add water only if necessary. Let it simmer for 15 minutes.

Switch off the flame. Add in the coriander leaves and serve Murungakkai Sambar hot with rice.

The best Murungakkai Sambar ever!

Pressure Cooking Ingredients

• 100 grams Toor dal
• 2 medium sized Tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 cloves garlic (optional)

Other Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon sesame/gingely oil
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
• 1/2 tablespoon chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 Drumsticks
• half a lime size Tamarind
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon jaggery (optional)
• 4 sprigs Coriander leaves

1. Boil 100 grams (3/4 cup) of toor-dal, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, cumin seeds and garlic (optional) with 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes (5 whistles). Set aside. Soak half lime size tamarind in one cup of water for 20 minutes. Once the tamarind has been soaked, squeeze it between the fingers to release all the juices. Strain the juice. Set aside.
2. Clean the drumsticks, peel the outer skin of the drumsticks a little if its very hard. Chop them to 3 inch pieces. Set aside.
3. Heat sesame oil in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Let it splutter. Reduce the flame to low and add in the asafoetida, chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Fry for 10 seconds. Add 1 cup of water and the drumsticks.
4. Add in the tamarind juice to the pan. Add in the salt and jaggery. I like a little jaggery in my sambar. Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for 10-15 minutes in medium flame until the drumsticks are soft and tender.
5. Lightly mash the dal and the tomatoes in the pressure cooker with a ladle and add it to the pan. Let it simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Category: Dal/Lentils
• Cuisine: South Indian, Tamilnadu, Madras

Pressure Cooking Ingredients

• 100 grams Toor dal
• 2 medium sized Tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 cloves garlic (optional)

Other Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon sesame/gingely oil
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
• 1/2 tablespoon chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 Drumsticks
• half a lime size Tamarind
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon jaggery (optional)
• 4 sprigs Coriander leaves

1. Boil 100 grams (3/4 cup) of toor-dal, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, cumin seeds and garlic (optional) with 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes (5 whistles). Set aside. Soak half lime size tamarind in one cup of water for 20 minutes. Once the tamarind has been soaked, squeeze it between the fingers to release all the juices. Strain the juice. Set aside.
2. Clean the drumsticks, peel the outer skin of the drumsticks a little if its very hard. Chop them to 3 inch pieces. Set aside.
3. Heat sesame oil in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Let it splutter. Reduce the flame to low and add in the asafoetida, chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Fry for 10 seconds. Add 1 cup of water and the drumsticks.
4. Add in the tamarind juice to the pan. Add in the salt and jaggery. I like a little jaggery in my sambar. Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for 10-15 minutes in medium flame until the drumsticks are soft and tender.
5. Lightly mash the dal and the tomatoes in the pressure cooker with a ladle and add it to the pan. Let it simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Category: Dal/Lentils
• Cuisine: South Indian, Tamilnadu, Madras

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/murungakkai-sambar/

Recipe for Spicy Kerala Style Naadan Egg Roast masala with gravy preparation. Serve with appam, rice or chapati. Kerala hotel mutta curry with tomato. Adapted from Rick Stein.

A quick egg curry is a staple at my home. Serve it with rice or roti and its sure a happy meal. Kerala egg roast is a very popular dish that’s usually served with appam. I found this recipe for Kerala egg roast in Rick Stein’s India cookbook. Its one of the finest books on Practical Indian Cooking. He writes in his book that he found this recipe for Kerala egg roast at a restaurant that his driver took him, en-route to Thekkady. Egg roast is a popular dish in Kerala. Nobody quite knows why it’s called an egg roast because they are actually boiled, peeled, then simmered in a pan with an intense masala flavored with Kashmiri chillies, tomato and coconut oil. Here is the recipe for an awesome Kerala Style Spicy Naadan Egg Roast.

Buy Rick Stein’s India Cookbook

Boil and peel the eggs and set aside. Here is the recipe for perfect hard boiled eggs.

Heat the coconut oil in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the curry leaves and fennel seeds and fry for 30 seconds, then add the ginger and garlic and fry for 2–3 minutes.

Add onion, dried red chillies and fry for 10 minutes until softened and golden brown.

Make a puree out of the tomatoes in the blender / mixie.

Also get all the spice powders ready.

Add the tomato puree and salt. Then stir in the spice powders. Simmer for about 15 minutes until rich and reduced.

Then add the whole eggs, put a lid on and simmer for 4–5 minutes to heat the eggs through. Sprinkle with the chopped coriander. Egg roast is ready. serve hot.

Serve with appam, chapati or rice.

• 6 Eggs
• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• Small handful of fresh curry leaves
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 4 cm ginger, finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, finely crushed
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 2 dried Kashmiri chillies, torn into pieces
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder (add more if you want it spicy)
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 5 ripe tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Handful of fresh coriander leaves

1. Boil and peel the eggs and set aside.
2. Heat the coconut oil in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the curry leaves and fennel seeds and fry for 30 seconds, then add the ginger and garlic and fry for 2–3 minutes.
3. Add onion, dried red chillies and fry for 10 minutes until softened and golden brown.
4. Add the tomato puree and salt. Then stir in the ground coriander, cumin, chilli powder, black pepper and turmeric. Simmer for about 15 minutes until rich and reduced.
5. Then add the whole eggs, put a lid on and simmer for 4–5 minutes to heat the eggs through.
6. Sprinkle with the chopped coriander and serve.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: South Indian, Kerala