Saturday, August 7, 2010

vendayakeerai sambar (METHI/ fenugreek LEAVES lentil gravy)

vendhiyakeerai


Vendayakeerai (fenugreek leaves/fenugreek greens) were stacked up neatly in the market. I was very much tempted to make a dish out of the fresh leaves. Today I made 'sambar'. with the greens (recipe Source: my mother-in-law) More recipes with fenugreek leaves are in the pipeline ;).
IMG_0038


VENDAYAKEERAI SAMBAR:
          (Tamil to English: Vendayakeerai - fenugreek greens/leaves, Sambar - Lentil gravy)
INGREDIENTS:
Toor Dal – 1 ½ cum (75 gm) Soak in water for 15 mins with a pinch of turmeric powder, cook until mashy*.
Tamarind – ¾ lemon size (15 gm) Soak in water and extract the juice.
Fresh Vendayakeerai/fenugreek leaves/fenugreek greens – 4 small bunches – cleaned, washed and chopped.
Tomato – 2 Medium size cut into pcs.
Red chilly – 8 to 10 nos cut into pcs.
Oil to fry (I always use sesame oil for making sambar varieties. The aroma will be good, and also sesame oil is more healthy and tasty compared to refined oil)
Mustard seed-1tsp, 
Asafoetida - as per taste
Curry leaves and salt.

METHOD:
1. Heat the pan with 4 tsp sesame oil.
2. Add mustard seed, red chillies, vendayakeerai/fenugreek greens, pinch of turmeric powder, asafoetida & sauté for few minutes.
3. Add tomato, salt and sauté until the tomatoes are cooked.
4. Add tamarind juice and cover the pan. Cook until the raw smell goes off.
5. Now add the cooked* and mashed toor dal and cook for few min.
6. Crackle mustard seed, curry leaves and if you like you may add 1/2 red chillies.**
7. Serve with steamed rice mixed
with 1 tsp sesame oil.

What other recipes do you make with the fenugreek greens?
Let us know!
happy cooking!
-Jay

*I will soon write up about how to cook different varieties of dal
**Also a post of the crackling/seasoning method of South Indian cooking follows soon :)

recipe tries:
Lata Raja from the cheerful Indian cooking blog "flavors and tastes" told in FB that she tried this recipe and it was a "breeze". In her words, "True to my comment, i have cooked your venthaya keerai sambhar...that was a breeze...yet to have lunch."
Thank you Lata, I hope to try many recipes from your blog too! I am so glad to make friends here through common hobby interest. Happy cooking :)
         

11 comments:

  1. lovely sambar..mom used to do this... Thanks for your lovely comments on my blog... following you..

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  2. No sambhar powder or such??? I just took out a stack of vendhaya keerai and came to look up this post. I am trying it right away. Thanks for sharing a simple recipe...I will let you know the outcome:)

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  3. Hi Sri Vidya
    Thank you for visiting my blog, plz keep in touch.

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  4. Hi Lata
    No sampar powder, plz post your feed back and follow for more receipes.

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  5. Hi Shanthi
    Thanks, this is one kind of sambar. Plz follow for more recipes.

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  6. Delicious healthy sambar..loved your version. first time to ur blog. ..n amaze to see your collections...specially this one. Am your happy follower now...:)
    Do drop in at my space ...

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  7. Jayanthi Ya I want to try it. No sambar powder as such?

    Veena madhu

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  8. Hi Jay
    Thanks, just started posting receipes, more on pipeline, shall visit your space..Jayanthi Sekar

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  9. Hi Veena
    by this method the methi's natural flavour could be relished fully, no need of samar powder, plz try and give your feedback, Happy Cooking!..Jayanthi Sekar

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