Simple and tasty vendakkai sambar recipe made with the addition of store-bought sambar powder. Simple everyday South Indian Tamil-style sambar recipe .
We are making a basic and tasty Vendakkai Sambar in this simple recipe series. This is my mom’s recipe for sambar and it is one of my favorites. She happily used store-bought sambar powder for this recipe; it works well every time. She used the brands Annapoorna and Sakthi.
We used to have this for breakfast usually with idli or dosai and this would be packed for lunch along with rice. The roasted ladies’ finger soaked in sambar is really tasty. Instead of ladies’ finger, you can use any veggies of your choice.
Here are the things you can buy online for making this recipe
Carote Non-Stick Kadai https://amzn.to/3Agdj88 Bergner Tri-ply pressure Cooker Pan https://amzn.to/3S5ksxP Sambar Powder https://amzn.to/3I3rFel
Here is the video of how to make Vendakkai Sambar
For Roasting Ladies Finger
1 tablespoon Indian sesame oil 250 grams ladies finger
Other Ingredients
1 teaspoon Indian sesame oil 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 dried chilli 1 green chilli 1 sprig curry leaves 1/3 cup onions, diced 2 ripe tomatoes, diced 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoon coriander powder 1 teaspoon sambar powder 1/2 teaspoon jaggery 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida 1 marble-sized tamarind 1/2 cup hot water 1.25 cup water (divided) 2 sprigs coriander leaves
For Cooking Toor Dal
1/2 cup toor dal 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon Indian sesame oil 2 cups water
Roasting the ladies finger – Heat oil in a pan and add the diced ladies finger. Roast on a medium flame until golden. It will take about 5-6 minutes. Once roasted and the ladies finger is slightly brown all over, remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
In the same pan add a teaspoon of oil. Add the fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chilli, and green chilli. Add a sprig of fresh curry leaves and saute for a few seconds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add the diced onions, tomatoes, and salt. Mix well to combine. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on a low flame till the tomatoes are mushy. It should take about 3-4 minutes. Once the tomatoes are mushy, add the coriander powder, sambar powder, jaggery, and asafoetida. Saute for a few seconds. Add the tamarind pulp and little water. (Soak the tamarind in hot water for 20 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind to extract the pulp. Discard the seeds and the pith.) Cook for five minutes. Add the roasted ladies’ finger and the cooked dal ( Here is how to cook the dal – Add the washed dal along with turmeric powder, oil, and water to a pressure cooker. Cook for 10 minutes or 5 whistles in a pressure cooker. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure to settle. Open and gently mash the dal.) Add the remaining water to adjust the consistency of the sambar. Simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves. Our sambar is ready.
- Author: Suguna Vinodh
- Prep Time: 10m
- Cook Time: 20m
For Roasting Ladies Finger
1 tablespoon Indian sesame oil 250 grams ladies finger
Other Ingredients
1 teaspoon Indian sesame oil 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 dried chilli 1 green chilli 1 sprig curry leaves 1/3 cup onions, diced 2 ripe tomatoes, diced 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoon coriander powder 1 teaspoon sambar powder 1/2 teaspoon jaggery 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida 1 marble-sized tamarind 1/2 cup hot water 1.25 cup water (divided) 2 sprigs coriander leaves
For Cooking Toor Dal
1/2 cup toor dal 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon Indian sesame oil 2 cups water
Roasting the ladies finger – Heat oil in a pan and add the diced ladies finger. Roast on a medium flame until golden. It will take about 5-6 minutes. Once roasted and the ladies finger is slightly brown all over, remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
In the same pan add a teaspoon of oil. Add the fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chilli, and green chilli. Add a sprig of fresh curry leaves and saute for a few seconds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add the diced onions, tomatoes, and salt. Mix well to combine. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on a low flame till the tomatoes are mushy. It should take about 3-4 minutes. Once the tomatoes are mushy, add the coriander powder, sambar powder, jaggery, and asafoetida. Saute for a few seconds. Add the tamarind pulp and little water. (Soak the tamarind in hot water for 20 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind to extract the pulp. Discard the seeds and the pith.) Cook for five minutes. Add the roasted ladies’ finger and the cooked dal ( Here is how to cook the dal – Add the washed dal along with turmeric powder, oil, and water to a pressure cooker. Cook for 10 minutes or 5 whistles in a pressure cooker. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure to settle. Open and gently mash the dal.) Add the remaining water to adjust the consistency of the sambar. Simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves. Our sambar is ready.
- Author: Suguna Vinodh
- Prep Time: 10m
- Cook Time: 20m
Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/vendakkai-sambar/
Easy recipe for party-style chicken kurma made with homemade masala paste and ground spices. Recipe with video.
Here is an easy and tasty chicken potato kurma that goes perfectly with chapati poori and dosai.
There is a word we use in the kongu region called “kanum” meaning it makes for a lot. This recipe can be easily made in large volumes making it perfect for a get-together or a party.
The chicken cooks in a roasted spice paste and halfway through, the potatoes are added and cooked along with the chicken. Finally, a coconut masala paste is added yielding a rich and thick gravy. It’s a perfect kurma for poori and chapati.
Indian-style sesame oil (gingelly oil) is used for making this recipe. It can be substituted with vegetable oil if you do not want to use sesame oil.
The almond and coconut paste is ground along with roasted spices making the kurma very flavorful and also adds volume and thickness to the gravy.
Adjust the green chillies used in the recipe according to your taste. If you want a spicy kurma, add a couple of more green chillies.
Here are the things you can buy online for making this recipe. Heavy Duty Indian Mixie https://amzn.to/3GptNKD Le Creuset Dutch Oven 5.5 qt https://amzn.to/3OOp5L3
Here is the video of how to make chicken potato kurma.
Paste 1
1 tablespoon Indian sesame oil 1 pod garlic 1 -inch ginger, chopped 6 green chillies 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 1 teaspoon black peppercorn 3/4 cup onions, chopped 3 tomatoes, chopped 3/4 cup water
Paste 2
1 teaspoon Indian sesame oil 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds 3 cloves 2 cardamom 2 -inch piece of cinnamon 1 teaspoon white poppy seeds 1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut 25 almonds soaked in water for 30 minutes 3/4 cup water
Other Ingredients for the Kurma
2 tablespoons Indian sesame oil 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped 1 sprig of curry leaves 500 grams chicken thighs, bone-in 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups water 3 potatoes diced 1 lime, juiced 3 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped
First, let’s make the masala pastes.
Paste 1 – Take a pan and add in the oil, garlic, ginger, green chillies, coriander seeds, and black pepper. Roast everything for a minute. Add the chopped onion and saute for a few minutes till the onions are soft. Add the tomatoes along. Cook for a few more minutes till the tomatoes are mushy. Once the tomatoes are mushy, remove the roasted mixture from the pan and set aside to cool. Add water and grind to a smooth paste. Set aside.
Paste 2 – In the same pan, add some more oil. Add fennel seeds, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon. Roast for a few seconds till aromatic. Add little poppy seeds, coconut, and almonds. The almonds need to be soaked for a little while so it is easy to grind. Saute everything for a few minutes. Set aside on a plate to cool. Add water and grind to a smooth paste. Set aside.
Making the Kurma – Heat oil in a heavy pan/kadai. Add the chopped onion and curry leaves. Saute for a few minutes. Add the chicken. Bone-in chicken thighs are preferred for this recipe. Add the turmeric powder and the salt. Mix well. Add paste 1. Add water to dilute the curry. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes of cooking, add the peeled and diced potatoes. Mix well. cook for 15 more minutes till the potatoes are cooked tender. Add the paste 2 and mix well. Simmer the kurma for five more minutes. Finally, finish the kurma by adding lime juice and a generous sprinkling of coriander leaves. Serve hot with poori or chapati.
- Author: Suguna Vinodh
- Prep Time: 15m
- Cook Time: 45m
