Keerai Sambar
- 55 min
- medium
- Serves 4
Keerai sambar of toor dal, spinach, tomato and tamarind with Cookd Sambar Masala. Medium-spicy and vegetarian, serves 4 with rice, 55 minutes plus soaking.
You’ll need: Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
Toor Dal¾ cup
Water, For Cooking700 ml
Turmeric Powder1.5 grams
Oil1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds1 tsp
Cumin1 grams
Dry Red Chilli1 grams
Asafoetida0.3 grams
Curry leaves2 grams
Onion, Finely Chopped1
Green Chilli, Slit8 grams
Tomato, Chopped2
Salt1½ tsp
Palak (Spinach)240 grams
Cookd Sambar MasalaTamarind, Soaked20 grams
Contains: wheat.
Nutrition
Per 1 person, and for all 4 people. Worked out from the ingredients, so treat it as a close guide.
| Nutrient | Per 1 person | All 4 people |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 250kcal | 1000kcal |
| Protein | 12g | 46g |
| Carbohydrate | 38g | 154g |
| Fat | 6.2g | 25g |
| Fibre | 10g | 40g |
| Sugar | 7.1g | 28g |
Cookd masalas for palak (spinach)
Method
Get ready by rinsing the toor dal. Wash the spinach well, remove the thick stems and chop it. Peel and chop the onion, wash and chop the tomatoes, slit the green chillies, wash the curry leaves and break the dry red chilli. Soak the tamarind in 100 ml water for 15 minutes, then squeeze it well and strain the water.
Add the dal, 450 ml water and turmeric powder to a pressure cooker. Pressure cook on medium heat for 4 whistles until the dal is soft. Let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes, then open the cooker and mash the dal until smooth.
Heat oil in a kadai on medium heat for 1 minute until hot. Add mustard seeds and fry for 30 seconds until they splutter. Add cumin, dry red chilli, asafoetida and curry leaves. Fry for 30 seconds until the curry leaves turn crisp.
Add the onion, green chillies, tomato, 1 tsp salt and 250 ml water. Cook on medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes until the onion softens and the tomato turns mushy.
Add the spinach, Cookd Sambar Masala and the strained tamarind water. Cook on medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes until the spinach wilts and the raw tamarind smell goes.
Add the mashed dal, 250 ml water and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Mix well and simmer on low heat for 8 to 10 minutes until the sambar is lightly thickened.
Turn off the heat and rest the sambar for 2 minutes. Serve hot with rice, chapati or dosa.
Before you start
- How long does Keerai Sambar take?
- 55 minutes from start to finish. That is 15 minutes of preparation and 40 minutes of cooking.
- How many people does Keerai Sambar serve?
- 4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.
- Is Keerai Sambar vegetarian?
- Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.
- Is Keerai Sambar spicy?
- It is medium: 2 on our scale of 3. Chilli scales gently when you change the servings, so doubling the recipe does not double the heat.
- What do I need to make Keerai Sambar?
- 240 grams Palak (Spinach), 50 grams Cookd Sambar Masala, ¾ cup Toor Dal, 1 grams Dry Red Chilli, 20 grams Tamarind, 1.5 grams Turmeric Powder, and a few more listed on this page.
- Do I need a pressure cooker for Keerai Sambar?
- Yes, this one is cooked under pressure.
- How many calories are in Keerai Sambar?
- About 250 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.
Tips from other cooks
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