Methi Leaves Sambar | Vendhaya Keerai Sambar Recipe

I love sambar's of any kind as I have grown up eating varieties of sambar with veggies in Sambar. Though, there was a time in my college days, when I would never taste sambar. Luckily after my studies, I got the sambar crush once I started having amma's made!!!

Amma turns any left over veggie of the day's lunch to an amazing sambar which I knew only after I started cooking. Methi leaves have been catching my attention always, and I decided to blog on it!!! So this combo of amazing, nutritious, aromatic, flavourful vendhaya  keerai  and sambar is presented. 

METHI LEAVES / VENDHAYA KEERAI SAMBAR RECIPE

Recipe Category: S.Indian 
Preparation Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes Serves: 6

Ingredients:

Methi Leaves / Vendhaya Keerai - 2 small bunch, cleaned and chopped off stems
Toor Dhal - 1/2 cup (Pressure Cooking: Water - 1.5 cup + Castor Oil - 1/2 tsp)
Shallots (Small Onion) - 15, peeled
Tomato - 1, small, deseeded,chopped
Curry Leaves - 5-8 (Optional)
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp (Optional )
Sambar Powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Tamarind Juice - 1 lemon size tamarind ball soaked in 1/2 cup water extracted
Water - 2 cups
Salt - as required to taste

To Temper:
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad Dhal - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - pinch

Notes:

• You can also add vegetables but I prefer the flavour of methi leaves alone.
• Adjust the water according to the consistency of sambar you require.
• You can also pressure cook after the last step of adding tamarind juice for 1 whistle and 5 minutes simmer to cook faster.
• Always add the tamarind water after the veggies get cooked.
• Instead of tamarind, you can try replacing lemon juice. It gives a different flavour. 

Method of Preparation:

1. Prepare the required ingredients. Pressure cook dhall with water and castor oil for 3 whistles and 5 minutes simmer or till it gets cooked and turns mashy. In a kadhai/pan, add oil and temper the items under "To Temper"

2. Add small onions and curry leaves, once it turns golden brown, add methi leaves chopped and cleaned, gently mix in the leaves, it starts to shrink . Add tomatoes and masala's: Red Chilli Powder, Sambar Powder, Turmeric Powder and salt. Mix well and sauté for few minutes in medium heat.

3. Add cooked dhal and its water. Let it cook for 5-8 minutes in medium heat. Add tamarind juice. Let it cook for another 5 minutes in medium heat. Check salt and adjust if any. Remove from heat.

Serving Suggestion:

Can be served with

• Samai / Little Millet Ven Pongal 
• Thinai Idli / Foxtail Millet Idli
• Adai Dosa
• Dosa
• Instant Mudakathan Keerai Dosa
• Masala Dosa
• Onion Uttapam
• Rava Dosa
• Thinai Adai / Foxtail Millet Adai
• Uttapam

Sending this to Remmy's Kitchen!!!