Keerai Mor Sambar (Yogurty Spinach Sauce)

Arachu vitta Keerai Mor Sambar (Yogurty Spinach Sauce with Freshly  Ground Spices)


Have I mentioned before that I get uncomfortable if I do not have a food experiment planned when I am in the kitchen? It was one such morning and I was so uneasy. I felt like I am wasting something – don’t know what though. Had a quick look at the contents of my refrigerator and was quite keen on finishing off any remaining vegetables so we could get a fresh stock during the weekend shopping. A bag of spinach was lying and was quite attractive with its green leaf. Easiest recipe with it is probably to just sauté it but what is special about that. Also, my husband had mentioned earlier that he would love to eat real south Indian meal for lunch on Sunday. He is not a fan of rasam but loves sambar especially with freshly ground spices. I was quite bored of making sambar and hence wanted to come up with a hybrid. That is how this recipe was created. You may recall reading a post on Mor Sambar, which you may have noticed is different from Mor Kuzhambu. You will notice that this recipe is Mor sambar as well but will taste very different from the earlier one. Here is how I did it, why don’t you try and see the difference yourself?

2 handful of spinach chopped (more if you like)

1 cup stirred yogurt

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

Asafoetida

½ cup well cooked Tuvar dal (toor dal/pigeon peas)

2 teaspoons channa dal

4 teaspoons coriander seeds (dhania)

2-3 dry red chillies

Salt to taste

In a deep dish, put the spinach with just a dash of water and cook. Also add some asafoetida and turmeric powder

Once the spinach is almost done, add the yogurt and dilute with desired amount of water (this depends on how thick you prefer to have your sambar. You could add a bit now and dilute further towards the end). Also add the dal.

In the mean time, dry roast channa dal until golden brown. Roast coriander seeds until you get a nice aroma and seeds start to slightly pop. Roast the chillies until it looks crisp. Cool and grind all together to reasonably fine powder.

Once yogurt spinach mixture starts boiling, add about 2 table spoons of the ground powder, allow it to boil.

Add salt after you take it off the flame. To temper, add mustard seeds to some heated oil. I also added a broken red chilly. Add to the sambar.

You may have some spice powder left over, you can add this to usual sambar or vegetables.

I am sorry the photos are not great this time, hopefully will get better next time I make it.