Vathakuzhambu Sambar | Manathakalli Vathal Sambar (Vathakuzhambu with Toor Dal)
A small variation from Vathakuzhambu where we add Toor dal to the Kuzhambu. This is kind of in between Vathakuzhambu and Sambar. We usually don't add any vegetables, but just add fried Manthakkali Vathal (Black Nightshade). This is easy and quick to prepare and can be served with any stir-fry vegetables.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 143kcal
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker
- 1 Heavy Bottomed Pan
Ingredients
- ½ cup Toor Dal (Pigeon pea)
- 1½ tablespoon Sambar Powder
- 1 Gooseberry size Tamarind
- 1½ teaspoon Salt adjust to your taste
- ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida (Asafetida / Hing)
For frying Manathakkali Vathal (Black Nightshade)
- 2 tablespoon Manathakkali Vathal (Makoy / Black Nightshade) or Sundakkai Vathal
- 2 tablespoon Ghee or Oil
Tempering
- 1 tablespoon Oil or Ghee
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
Instructions
Cooking Dal
- Wash and take toor dal in a vessel. Add turmeric powder and 1.5 cups of water.
- Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles or till the dal gets mushy. Allow the pressure to naturally release and then mash the dal and set aside.
Extracting Tamarind juice
- Soak tamarind in warm water for 10 mins. After 10 mins, squeeze and extract the juice from soaked tamarind. Set this tamarind juice aside.
Frying the Berrys (Manathakkali Vathal)
- Heat a heavy bottomed pan. Add Ghee. Once the Ghee is hot, add the Manathakkali Vathal (Black Nightshade) or Sundakkai Vathal and fry the same. Take the fried Manathakkali vathal / Sundakkai vathal in a bowl and keep it aside.
Tempering
- Heat ghee/ oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and allow it to sputter. Also add fenugreek seeds, asafetida and curry leaves. Give a good mix.
Making of Kuzhambu
- In the same pan, add more oil/ghee to fry the sambar powder. Add the Sambar powder and fry in low flame till the sambar powder till the color change to brown.
- Make sure that the flame is low / medium and the Sambar Powder is not burnt (become black in color)
- Once the sambar powder is friend nicely, immediately add the tamarind juce. Keep the flame as medium. Add the salt. Let the mixture boil in a medium flame till raw sambar powder smell go away.
- Meanwhile, open the pressure cooker, mash the cooked dal thoroughly.
- Now add the mashed toor dal and mix well. Keep it in medium flame till the mixture starts boiling.
- Finally add the fried Manathakkali Vathal / Sundakkai vathal and switch off the flame.
- The Sambar is ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- While frying Sambar Powder, make sure that it is not getting burnt. Keep the flame low once the oil is hot, add sambar powder, fry till the sambar powder changes the color slightly and immediately add tamarind water.
- If you don't have Manathakkali Vathal, you can also add Sundakkai vathal. Alternately you can add the vegetables of your choice / Karuvadam as well.
- Make sure that the dal is cooked completely and becomes mushy. If not the dal won't get mixed with sambar and the sambar will become watery.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 18.4g | Protein: 5.2g | Fat: 5.4g | Sodium: 10.7mg | Potassium: 82.1mg | Calcium: 37.3mg | Iron: 0.9mg