Sunday, January 25, 2009

Arachu Vitta Sambar (with pooshanikkai / Ashgourd)

I learnt this from my mom. This is everyone's favorite in our family, especially when it is made with ashgourd. Most of my friends love it too and whenever they came to my place, they would ask my mom to prepare this. Mine comes out pretty good, but i still like my mom's better :-)


Ingredients :
Chickpeas - 1 cup (cooked)
Toordaal + channa daal - 1 cup
Ashgourd - 1 cub cubed (Optional)
Salt to taste
Tamarind extract ( from lemon sized tamarind)
Turmeric - a pinch
Mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves for seasoning
Cilantro for garnishing
To grind :
Red chillies - 6
Channadaal - 3 spoons
Urad daal - 1.5 spoons
Dhaniya (Coriander) - 2 spoons
Grated coconut - 4 spoons



Method :
In a pan, heat little oil and fry channa daal, urad daal, red chillies and dhaniya till the daals are golden brown. Add little water to it and grind this along with grated coconut. Keep aside.
Wash and pressure cook channa daal + toordaal.
Steam the ashgourd in microwave for 3,4 minutes.
In a pan, heat some oil and pop mustard seeds. add hing and curry leaves and saute for a minute.
Add the ashgourd, tamarind extract, cooked channa, cooked daal and the ground paste to it. Add required water and add a pinch of turmeric and salt to taste. Let it boil till the raw smell goes and it becomes thick.
Tastes good with Rice. I love it so much that i can have it like soup without the rice :)
I am sending this also to Sunshinemom's FIC: Yellow, Srivalli's MLLA, an event started by Susan and JFI Chickpea hosted by MS.
My best friend Bobby loves this and i think of her everytime i make this. So, this one's for her and i'm sending this to Alka's Just for you, also.

35 comments:

Raks said...

This is so tempting!!U know I tasted something like this ina marriage,I liked it somuch,I should try this for sure!!

Jeyashris Kitchen said...

we too make the same that too during all festivals such as diwali ,pongal,tamil newyear etc.
we all love that.nice recipe.

lubnakarim06 said...

Wow looks yummy and healthy...

Priya Suresh said...

Wow Vibaas, sambar looks delicious, just loved the addition of chickpeas n ashgourd..its so sad to know that u r nt able to get persimmon..

Gita Jaishankar said...

poosanikai araichivitta sambar sounds so yummy, I have never used channa dhal with toor dhal in sambar before, will try out version soon..they look delicious Vibaas...

Shama Nagarajan said...

my hubby's most fav.....this weekend spl ...in my home...yummy dear..do check my handicrafts blog and pass ur comments

Anonymous said...

But this is a completely unique sambar..with chickpeas and chana daal.looks spicy and thick..will try

sathya said...

yum yum...drooling here :)
very different & delicious !

Premyscakes said...

I too love arachu vitta sambar, urs sounds different with those vegies and sounds yummy too.

Vibaas said...

Thx Premy.

Priya, the more and more i see about persimmons the more i get tempted :(

Malar Gandhi said...

Araithu vitta sambar...my fav' too...yummy creation!

Varsha Vipins said...

Sambar is all my dish..love them in any form..the curry looks so thick n delish..:)

Mahimaa's kitchen said...

sambar looks perfect. it's my fav.. awesome combi channa and pooshnikai.

Rajani said...

oh man super yum I love arachuvitta sambhar and I like one with ashgourd - i like the way one ashgourd is peeping out to say hellow! in your shot :) hmmm... i will definitely make this next time - after the next round of veggie shopping that is.

Vibaas said...

thx mahi and rajani.

Jaishree Iyer said...

Sambar sounds so yummy& looks perfect..

AnuSriram said...

That looks delicious! My all time fav.

TBC said...

It wasn't until I started blogging that I heard of this kind of sambar. I always used to make only the regular, simpler kind.
This one is so much more tastier.:D

Vibaas said...

Thx jaishree, anu and tbc.

Cham said...

I thought I have added u in my reader but now I got ur feed. U re adding channa nice twist but the masala is the same. Love Arachu vitta sambar and papad :)

Dershana said...

Adding chickpeas is new to me! My version of the arachuvitta masala is different. With chickpeas and the lentils, this is a huge protien boost!

Vibaas said...

thx cham and dershana.

Cham, i thought all versions of arachu vitta sambar had chickpeas, i guess i'm just exposed to one kind :)

Dershana, i guess we both are protein high now :)

Rathna said...

Hey,
Thanks for the sweet comments. Looking forward for your entry :-)

Pavani said...

hi yaar...sambar looking yummy yummy it new to me with ashgourd..
as my healthy is not feeling..iam not able see ur blog yaar...these days

Finla said...

One of our neighbour aunty always made sambar like these. And the smell when shemade them was so yummy delicious.
wish i had this sambar now.

Suganya said...

Chickpeas in sambar sounds new to me. Never tried this before. Looks so good. YUM!

Sia said...

i thinks it's the same with most of us:) our mother's beat us hands down when it comes to taste even when we use same ingredients, same quantity and follow same method of cooking:)

Nithya Praveen said...

I love this sambhar...prefer drumstick and Okra's in it.Yummy!

ms said...

Hi vibaas,
Looks delicious! Thank you for another delicious entry to JFI Chickpea!
best,
ms

Vibaas said...

thx for the lovely comments friends.

KonkaniBlogger said...

Moms are the best isn't it?? I ave not tasted a sambar with chickpeas in it. Looks very interesting and yummy.

Raaga said...

I love arachivitta sambar :-)

The Fit.Me said...

Thanks for visiting my blog.. first time here.. you have a nice space too.. Lets keep in touch :)

LifenSpice said...

that looks delicious.i too would love to have it like a soup without rice!

Andhra Flavors said...

loved sambar. Your sambar sounds different with those vegies.

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