A Plate of South Indian Comfort: Sambar, Rasam and Potato Bhaji

There are days when I crave some healthful comfort food. And nothing hits the spot like a plate of rice with sizzling sambar, hot rasam and crunchy, stir-fried potatoes.

I wanted to share with you this very simple yet very delicious meal I made tonight. Contrary to what some might think, and as many of my fellow bloggers who cook Tamil food know, a meal like that really doesn't take more than an hour to whip up, especially if, like me, you take all the help you can get from the microwave and the pressure cooker.

Sambar and rasam are usually always served together in Tamil homes at the same meal. You'd eat the rice with the sambar, then rice with rasam, and some would follow it up with a third course of rice with yogurt.

For the sambar and rasam, you need to cook the base, the lentils or dal, just once. The watery stock that floats on top is used to make the rasam, and the lentils themselves go into the sambar.

As a side dish, I served some potatoes coated in rice flour and sambar powder and then stir-fried in a dab of oil. The mild crunch of the potatoes is wonderful with the sambar and rasam.

So enough with the chatting, and on with the recipes. Enjoy this very simple, very homely meal!


Pumpkin Kuzhambu with Fresh Ground Masala:

3/4 cup tuvar dal. Cook in a pressure cooker or in a microwave with 1/2 tsp turmeric and enough water so you have at least a cup of stock you can reserve for the rasam, along with a spoonful of the cooked lentils

1 tsp canola or vegetable oil

1 sprig curry leaves

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

2 cups of red pumpkin, peeled and cut in a 1/2-inch dice. Microwave the pumpkin with 1/2 cup of water for about 7-8 minutes until tender

1 tsp tamarind extract, or a 1-inch ball of tamarind, soaked in water, then juices extracted by crushing with fingers

A pinch of asafetida (hing)

1 tbsp jaggery (an unrefined Indian sugar)

For the ground masala:
1/2 tsp vegetable or canola oil

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp chana dal or bengal gram dal

1 tsp udad dal or black gram dal

3 dried red chillies

1/4 cup grated coconut

A generous pinch of asafetida

1 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)

Stir fry the ingredients for the ground masala except the coconut in the oil until they are toasted and lightly golden.

Transfer to a blender. In the same pan, fry the coconut until it just begins to brown.

Add to the blender. Grind the masala with just enough water to make a fairly smooth paste.

For the sambar:

Heat oil in a large saucepan

Add the cumin and mustard seeds and asafetida.

When the seeds sputter, add curry leaves and then tamarind extract plus 1 cup water.

Let the water come to a boil, then add the ground masala.

Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and let it simmer for a couple of minutes.

Add the cooked pumpkin pieces and stir in.

Add the cooked tuvar dal and salt to taste. Bring it to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Add jaggery and stir in. If the sambar is too thick, add some water.

Serve hot with rice.


Cumin Pepper Rasam

1-2 cups stock from the tuvar dal, plus 1-2 tbsp of the lentils

2 tomatoes, diced

1 sprig curry leaves

1/2 tsp of tamarind extract or a 1/2-inch ball of tamarind soaked in water and juices extracted

1 tsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

A generous pinch of asafetida (hing)

2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

For the masala:

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp tuvar dal

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 dried red chilies

1/2 tsp vegetable oil

Stir fry the masala ingredients in the oil until they are light gold and fragrant. Transfer to a blender and grind with just enough water to make a smooth paste.

In a saucepan, heat the remaining oil.

Add the mustard and cumin seeds and when they sputter, add the curry leaves

Add 1/2 cup of water and tamarind paste.

Bring to a boil, then add tomatoes.

When the tomatoes break down slightly, add the ground masala paste.

Bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Add the dal and "stock" and salt to taste.

Bring to a rolling boil and let it boil about 5 minutes.

Garnish with coriander and serve hot.


Potato Bhaji

5 red potatoes, immersed in water in a microwave-safe bowl and cooked about 7 minutes. This makes them just tender without making them fall apart. Cut the potatoes into a 1-inch dice

1 tsp udad dal

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Salt to taste

Mix together in a bowl:

1 tbsp rice flour

1/2 tbsp sambar powder

1 tsp red chili powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Toss the potatoes in rice-flour mixure.

Heat the oil in a cast-iron or non-stick skillet.

Add the udad dal and fry until lightly golden.

Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are golden brown. Check salt.

Serve hot.

I am going to send on the pumpkin sambar to Madhuram's AFAM: Pumpkin event, started by Maheshwari, and to Sunshinemom Harini's Food in Colors: Brown event. Thanks, ladies.