Mullangi Sambar (Radish and lentil curry)

Mullangi Sambar (Radish and lentil curry)

A good way to increase your vegetable intake (or if you are in a hurry and don’t have time to dish out a vegetable sabzi along with the protein) is to be creative and :

1. try and add it into dishes that you would normally make without vegetables-for example, instead of plain khichdi, upma, biryani,noodles, pasta-add different vegetables (always keep frozen veggies-saves a lot of time)
2. if you have time-grate vegetables and add it to dosa/idli batter, chapathi/roti dough.
3. add frozen palak (chopped), methi can also be added to dosa/idli batter, chapathi/roti dough,
4. add different vegetables(or frozen mixed vegetables) to your gravies/dals/curries

Here’s a recipe for Radish sambar-remember don’t throw away the leaves of the radish. They are edible and can be used as any other greens or try out this ‘radish leaves sabzi‘.

Mullangi Sambar/ Radish Sambar

Ingredients for Radish Sambar:

• Tur dal: 1/2 cup
• Tomatoes: 3 small
• Radish: 2-3 medium chopped into circles or quartered(keep the leaves for another day or make this Sri Lankan Mallung recipe)
• Onions: 1 medium (cubed)
• Sambar powder: 2-3 tsp (or to taste)
• Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: 1 tsp

For tempering:

• Oil: 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds: 1tsp
• Cumin/jeera seeds: 1tsp
• Urad dal: 1 tsp
• Chana dal: 1tsp
• Hing: a pinch
• Curry leaves: a few

Method:

1. Take 1.5 cups of water and cook the dal, turmeric along with whole tomatoes(do not chop) in a pressure cooker(three whistles).
2. In the meanwhile, add the oil into a cooking pot, add the onions and saute till translucent.
3. Add the chopped radish and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
4. Once the pressure drops, open the pressure cooker and take out the whole tomatoes and add to the onions and radish. Mash well.
5. Add the salt, sambar powder and mix well.
6. Mash the dal well and then add it to the onion, radish and tomato. Add a cup or two of water (less if you like the sambar thick or more if you want it thin)
7. Let it boil for 10 minutes.
8. Switch off. Get the tempering ready (heat the oil, add mustard,jeera,urad+chana dal-when the mustard pops add the curry leaves and hing and switch off).
9. Add the tempering immediately to the sambar and cover the pot and let it sit for 5 minutes.
10. Serve with rice, idli,dosa or you can even have it as a spicy soup.