Ratna Cafe Style Sambar

Ratna Cafe Style Sambar – How to make Ratna Cafe sambar – Video Recipe

This recipe is purely a genius from my friend Bhavani Ganesan. She shared this recipe in a forum and I had to immediately try it. Everyone who has lived in Chennai for sometime would love the sambar idli from Ratna Cafe. The idlis that are dunked in sambar and topped with a spoonful of ghee. The soft idli, the flavorful sambar are all now food memories for me.

She describes this recipe as “So simple and tasty!!!” She has a great memory of her childhood that’s associated with this sambar and this is her story. This story is the one with her uncle, Maama – Mr. Srinivasan. He worked with the Pallavan transport corporation. “When we were on vacations at Triplicane mama’s house, e very morning, mama’s tenant, who was one of the staffs at the Cafe would take us to the restaurant early morning around 5 o’ clock. Maama was doing night shifts as a cashier and we would go with the tenant uncle to the cafe and wait for him. Maama would join us at about 6.30 in the morning. Till then, I would be sitting in the kitchen watching all the action live. There was a big stone mill used for grinding the masalas. The place was filled with fragrant roasted chillies, coriander seeds, browned lentils etc… They were glistening as they were roasted in copious amounts of oil and ghee and the kitchen was hot and fragrant. The cut veggies, fresh shredded coconut, onions, tomatoes all were lined up in huge vessels. There was a person designated for crushing tomatoes by hand. It was a sight to watch. We were given our share of raw tomatoes for snacking too. The taste of country tomatoes is something that i remember very vividly. They are my sweet memories. Tamarind was never added in their sambar.”

Here is a picture of Bavani Ganesan with her maama. Her maama is differently abled. He was one of the victims of polio.

Here is how to do Ratna Cafe Style Sambar – How to make Ratna Cafe sambar

First we need to make a Sambar Masala. Let the smell of fragrant roasted spices waft your kitchen.

Take a heavy pan and add in a teaspoon of ghee. Add in the dried red chillies, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds (vendhayam) and urad dal. Fry for a couple of minutes until the seeds and lentils are well roasted and the urad dal is golden. Add in dessicated coconut and fry till the coconut is nice and golden. Switch off the flame and set aside to cool. Take a mixie grinder jar and add in the roasted spices mixture. Add in the onion, tomato, green chilli, turmeric powder, chilli powder, jaggery, salt and asafoetida. The original recipe uses compound asafoetida. I have used Asafoetida powder (perungayam) as that’s what I had. Add in quarter cup of water and grind to a smooth paste. Set aside.

Take a pressure cooker and add in the cleaned and washed toor dal and moong dal. Add 2 cups of water. Cook for 4 whistles. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure to be released naturally. Set aside.

Take a pressure cooker and add in the chopped tomatoes. Add in half cup of water. Add in the curry leaves. Add in the veggies. Add in the cooked dal mixture. Add in the ground masala. Cover the cooker and cook for 2 whistles. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure to be released naturally. Set aside. Sambar is almost ready. If the sambar is very thick at this stage, add a cup of hot water to thin the sambar.

Now lets do the tempering.

Heat ghee in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let it splutter. Remove from heat immediately and add it to the sambar.

Serve Sambar with soft idlis and top it with chopped onions.

Here is the Video of the recipe. Hope you like it.

For Sambar Masala

• 1 teaspoon ghee
• 4 dried red chillies
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon urad dal
• 1/2 medium sized onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 green chilli, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
• 1/4 cup dessicated coconut
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 //4 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon jaggery
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water to grind

For cooking dal

• 1/4 cup toor dal
• 1/4 cup yellow moong dal
• 2 cups water

Other Ingredients

• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup water for final cooking
• 2 sprigs curry leaves

Veggies

• 1 drumstick, chopped
• (Add veggies of your choice in your kitchen)

For Tempering

• 1 teaspoon ghee
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

1. Take a heavy pan and add in the ghee. Add in the dried red chillies, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds (vendhayam) and urad dal. Fry for a couple of minutes until the seeds and lentils are well roasted and the urad dal is golden. Add in dessicated coconut and fry till the coconut is nice and golden. Switch off the flame and set aside to cool.
2. Take a mixie grinder jar and add in the roasted spices. Add in the onion, tomato, green chilli, turmeric powder, chilli powder, jaggery, salt and asafoetida. Add in quarter cup of water and grind to a smooth paste. Set aside.
3. Take a pressure cooker and add in the cleaned and washed toor dal and moong dal. Add 2 cups of water. Cook for 4 whistles. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure to be released naturally. Set aside.
4. Take a pressure cooker and add in the chopped tomatoes. Add in 1/2 cup of water. Add in the curry leaves. Add in the veggies. Add in the cooked dal mixture. Add in the ground masala. Cover the cooker and cook for 2 whistles. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure to be released naturally. Set aside. Sambar is almost ready.
5. Now lets do the tempering.
6. Heat ghee in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let it splutter. Remove from heat immediately and add it to the sambar.

Notes

If the sambar is thick, add a cup of hot water to thin it out.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu

For Sambar Masala

• 1 teaspoon ghee
• 4 dried red chillies
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon urad dal
• 1/2 medium sized onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 green chilli, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
• 1/4 cup dessicated coconut
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 //4 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon jaggery
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water to grind

For cooking dal

• 1/4 cup toor dal
• 1/4 cup yellow moong dal
• 2 cups water

Other Ingredients

• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup water for final cooking
• 2 sprigs curry leaves

Veggies

• 1 drumstick, chopped
• (Add veggies of your choice in your kitchen)

For Tempering

• 1 teaspoon ghee
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

1. Take a heavy pan and add in the ghee. Add in the dried red chillies, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds (vendhayam) and urad dal. Fry for a couple of minutes until the seeds and lentils are well roasted and the urad dal is golden. Add in dessicated coconut and fry till the coconut is nice and golden. Switch off the flame and set aside to cool.
2. Take a mixie grinder jar and add in the roasted spices. Add in the onion, tomato, green chilli, turmeric powder, chilli powder, jaggery, salt and asafoetida. Add in quarter cup of water and grind to a smooth paste. Set aside.
3. Take a pressure cooker and add in the cleaned and washed toor dal and moong dal. Add 2 cups of water. Cook for 4 whistles. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure to be released naturally. Set aside.
4. Take a pressure cooker and add in the chopped tomatoes. Add in 1/2 cup of water. Add in the curry leaves. Add in the veggies. Add in the cooked dal mixture. Add in the ground masala. Cover the cooker and cook for 2 whistles. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure to be released naturally. Set aside. Sambar is almost ready.
5. Now lets do the tempering.
6. Heat ghee in a pan until hot. Add in the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let it splutter. Remove from heat immediately and add it to the sambar.

Notes

If the sambar is thick, add a cup of hot water to thin it out.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/ratna-cafe-sambar-sambar-recipe/

Nombu Kanji / Nonbu Kanji is a porridge made during the ramadan season to break the fast in the evening. This recipe is from my good friend Thahira. Thahira’s father was a Quran scholar in Vridhachalam, Tamilnadu. Their house was inside the Town Juma Palli Vaasal (Masjid) compound. Thahira remembers the Ramadan season very vividly. As their house was inside the masjid compound, she has seen the making of Nombu Kanji / Nonbu Kanji countless number of times. Nombu Kanji was made in huge vessels and stirred continuously by masjid men. This is the same recipe she makes it even today and this is what she had to say about the making of the Nombu Kanji. “We prefer our Kanji to be very light. We do not add too much spices as it can irritate the stomach after the long fast and can make one feel very thirsty afterwords. This recipe is very soothing to the tummy. Fenugreek seeds (vendhayam) is an important ingredient in the kanji. We never make kanji without vendhayam (fenugreek). It helps to keep the body cool as fenugreek has cooling properties. This is a plain kanji. Sometimes, we also add little drumstick leaves to make it a little more rich and nourishing.” Drumstick leaves is a nutrient dense food. Drumstick leaves is an iron-rich food source (31% Daily Value per 100 g consumed). She says during the ramadan season, the rice is sold as grits “noi arisi” or “arisi kurunai” in shops. If one cant find the rice grits or lives abroad, it can be made easily at home in bulk and can be stored and used. I have shared the recipe for making rice grits below. Let this Ramadan season bring in lots of love to everyone.

Here is the recipe for authentic Palli Vaasal Nombu Kanji.

First, lets make rice grits. You can make it in larger quantity if you want and store it and use it for the entire season. Take raw rice and wash it in water for 3-4 times. Soak the raw rice in water for 10 minutes. After soaking, drain the water completely and dry the rice on a cloth for 15 minutes.

Once the rice is dried and has very little moisture left, pulse it in a mixie one or two times so that each grain of rice gets broken into 2-3 pieces. Set aside.

Here is how to make the porridge.

Heat oil in a pan and add in one clove and a small half inch piece of cinnamon. Do not add in too many spices. Add in the fenugreek seeds (vendhayam) and the yellow moong dal (paasi paruppu ) and fry on a low flame for 3-4 minutes until its roasted well and very fragrant.

Add in the onion, tomato, ginger garlic paste and green chillies. Add in the rice grits and water. Cover the pressure pan and cook for 4 whistles. Switch off the flame and wait for the pressure from the cooker to release naturally.

Open the cooker and add in the fresh shredded coconut, finely chopped coriander leaves and the salt. Mix well to combine. Note on salt: Thahira remembers very well that the salt was always added at the last. Salt hinders with the cooking of dal and rice to a very mashy consistency. So always add the salt at the end. Also too much salt can make one thirsty and interfere with the Ramadan fasting. So go easy on the salt if you are fasting.

Nombu Kanji is ready!

If Thahira was here, she would have said Bismillah! before serving the Kanji! Bismillah (Arabic: “In the name of God” or “In the name of Allah”) is the first word in the Quran. Holy Quran’s opening phrase in Arabic, bismillāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīm (“In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the most Merciful”).

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 clove
• 1/2 inch piece cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1/4 cup yellow moong dal
• 1/2 of a medium onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 of a ripe tomato, chopped fine
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 green chilli, chopped
• 1/2 cup rice grits -kurunai arisi – recipe given above.
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoon fresh shredded coconut
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sprigs coriander leaves, finely chopped

1. Heat oil in a pan and add in one clove and a small half inch piece of cinnamon. Add in the fenugreek seeds (vendhayam) and the yellow moong dal (paasi paruppu ) and fry on a low flame for 3-4 minutes until its roasted well and very fragrant.
2. Add in the onion, tomato, ginger garlic paste and green chillies. Add in the rice grits and water. Cover the pan and cook for 4 whistles. Switch off the flame and wait for the pressure from the cooker to release naturally.
3. Open the cooker and add in the fresh shredded coconut, coriander leaves and the salt. Mix well to combine.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Category: Porridge
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu