This version of sambhar is usually served as a side dish for dosa and idli varieties. In weddings this is served with Venn Pongal. I learnt this from my daughter’s mother in law.
Cooking is one thing, taking photos of food that you cook is quite another. Let’s see the amusing story behind the photo. My brother who had come down from Delhi was scheduled to leave in the morning to attend a conference. So the first time I set the sambar in a lovely serving bowl all ready to shoot, I was told that “attending conference” was priority – the photo needed to wait till Sampath finished his breakfast. After my brother finished his breakfast, I garnished it once more and pulled out a “jerige veshti” to set the scene for the much needed snap for the blog. Hunger pangs hit my husband, he wanted to eat. And so the Sambar had to wait again for its photo shoot. Just as he finished, and I went about transferring to another smaller bowl fair enough for the quantity left behind, my son arrived from his bath and said, “Amma, that looks very tasty. I’ll eat and then you take snaps”. Poor Sambhar, it had wait yet again for its moment of glory. Mid way through my son’s breakfast, my stomach started growling. Now who could resist rava idlis with sambhar. I finished my portion of the breakfast too.
All that was left was two ladle fulls, and this absolute amateur with the camera was left to salvage whatever was left. I transferred into a soup bowl, garnished and took a few snaps. Dont miss the “jerige veshti” in red, although I am still not sure what it is doing in the snap. I put this as part of the composition because my daughter said that ethnic stuff like this will pep up the presentation. 🙂
Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients
- Toor dal – 1/4 cup
- Moong dal – 1/4 cup
- Turmeric powder – 1/8 teaspoon
- Onion – 1 nos
- Brinjal – 250 gms
- Hing – 1/8 teaspoon
- Salt to taste
- Oil 3 teaspoons
- Red chillies 2 nos
- Coriander leaves – 2 twigs
For the paste
- Tomato – 1 medium
- Green chillies – 2 nos
- Coconut grated – 2 tablespoons
Method
- Wash and pressure cook the dals with turmeric and 2 cups water.
- Slice the onions into thin pieces and chop brinjal into small cubes.
- Heat oil in a kadai and add the vegetables, hing and fry for 3 minutes stirring continuously.
- Pour 1/2 cup water and cover and cook on a low flame till brinjal is soft.
- Grind the ingredients for the paste.
- Add the cooked dals and the paste to the vegetables and mix well.
- Add salt and simmer for 5 minutes.Transfer to a serving bowl
- Garnish with red chillies fried in 1 teaspoon oil and finely chopped coriander.
- Serve with
LOL… many a times my dish gets cold while i’m trying to take pix 🙂
nice variation to the sambhar.
😉 Same here! Nowaday when I see food, my first instinct is to take a picture! Arn’t I sad?!?
ps like the recipe
Thank the Good Lord ,you left some Sambhar for us!!Nice story.Next time make us the “priority” ,pleeaassaaee!:D
Looks lovely and is that Veshti a man’s silk Punche`,Lungi,Mundu whatever we call it K’taka? My Thatha used to wear those with silk shirts with gold buttons for special occasion!!:))
His coconut farm is near the Koyambattore border!
Hi Latha,
Different recipe.Should try.Your daughter is right.Imagine the picture without the veshti, and you know what she meant.
Haa…haa..a..haaha this is a normal scene in my house too since the time I have started blogging. The picture would have looked incomplete without the veshti. Is it a sari ?
This sambhar is nice:)
Was literally laughing reading your post. That is real fun.
Jarige Veshti has definitely made a difference.
Finally….yummy sambhar.I will prepare it today
and aunty do we see ourselves getting into a new arena all together! food photography def beckons! i have always had a secret admiration for food photography..all those pics that just make you want to eat…that pic along with the props not only makes me want to eat but also sends me off on a trip to some really nice south indian festival! cheers! heres to many more recipes and pics!
oh n forgot to add one more thing..according to me for food pics small proportions somehow always look nicer..like they tempt you enough to want to eat rather than look too much to ever get to! so perhaps was a good thing that the sambhar got over..that amount and that bowl somehow looks perfect
That was a good read about your ‘attempts’ at taking a photo of this sambar! 🙂 I made this yesterday and since this is mild, it was perfect for my 22 month old daughter to eat with rice or idli. Thanks.
that was really funny mami!! It happens at my end too…especially when I’ve cooked for friends, I cannot dare keep them waiting while I take photos, they might just strangle me 😛 Hubby is more patient, he is used to it by now
try this sambhar with masoor dal for a lovely texture(almost creamy)and flavour.
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I am making this right now Latha, smells good!:)
Will link on Wednesday.
Hi ,
A nice tempting picture . Hope to have idli,vada and sambhar soon
Sambhar looks yummy..will make it today with venn pongal..but brinjal is missing..will add kovakai..alterations r allowed.
Thanks for the receipe.tired it out yesterday and woww!!it turned out be Yummmy Yummy in my tummy..