Murungaikai-mangai sambar/Drumstick-Raw mango sambar

Murungaikai-Mangai Sambar: A tamarind based gravy made with drumsticks, Raw mango, and pigeon pea. Sambar is a staple in any south indian household, be it for tiffin or lunch, we need sambar everytime. The recipe is based upon my sis - in - laws Raw mango kuzhambu,( it is actually sambar but she calls it kuzhambu), I've added drumsticks, that's it. This sambar tastes like the one served in the hotels. This sambar can also be made in insta pot or pressure cooker.

How to make:

Pressure cook tuvar dal for 3 or 4 whistles. Allow to cool down. Season the oil with seeds, spices and herbs. Sesame oil suits the best, though any other oil can be used. Mustard seeds, Fenugreek seeds and green chillies, solid hing, curry leaves are used in the seasoning. 

Saute shallots, tomatoes, raw mango, drumsticks. In the place of shallots, regular big onion can be used. Country tomatoes tastes better. Kilimuku manga is used.  While selecting drumsticks, select long ones, twist it, if you are able to twist them then they are tender. Kodikaai can also be used.

Add some water, cook the vegetables till they are partially cooked. Not all the vegetables get cooked in tamarind extract. 

Add tamarind extract, home made sambar powder, turmeric powder, white crystal salt. Store bought sambar powder can also be used.  Cook till vegetables are tender.  Add dal simmer for 5 minutes. Grind 1 tbsp of coconut with a pinch of jeera, add to the sambar. Cook for a few minutes. 

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Accompaniments:

Tastes good with tiffin items such as idli, dosa, upma, plain rice and vegetable poriyal/curry.

Substitutions and Variations:

• Brinjal and Drumstick can be used instead of raw mango. 
• Avoid coconut and use sambar melpodi .

Pre-Preparation:

Soak tamarind in 2 cups of warm water, squeeze and extract the juice. if you are preparing it in cooker, soak dal for 30 minutes.

Equipments used: Sauce pan/kadai, blender.

Check out if you like:

Drumstick Onion Sambar

Recipe:

Total Time Taken: 25 minutes.

No. of servings - 4

Ingredients with measurements:

Drumsticks - 2

Raw Mango - 1/3(about 9 - 10 pieces)

Tuvar dal -3/4 cup

Shallots - 1 handful

Tomatoes - 1(medium sized)

Green Chillies - 2

Tamarind - lemon sized

White crystal salt - to taste

Spice Powders:

Sambar Powder - 1.5 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

To grind:

Coconut - 1 tbsp

Jeera - a pinch

Tempering:

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Curry leaves - a sprig.

Garnish:

Coriander leaves - few sprigs

Directions:

1. Pressure cook dal for 4 to 5 whistles. Allow to cool down.

2. Heat oil in a pan/kadai, add mustard seeds, when they crackle, add fenugreek seeds, green chillies, hing. When fenugreek seeds turn golden, add curry leaves.

2. Add shallots, when it turns pink, add tomatoes, raw mango, drumsticks. Saute well. Add some water, allow to get partially cooked by covering with lid.

3. Add tamarind extract, turmeric powder, salt, home made sambar powder and cook till vegetables are cooked and the raw smell of the tamarind and sambar powder disappears.

4. Add cooked dal. Simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Grind coconut and jeera to a coarse paste and add it to the sambar.

6. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Murungaikai -Mangai Sambar in pressure cooker: 

Equipment used: 3 ltr

Heat oil in the cooker. Add the 'tempering' ingredients. when seeds crackle, add green chillies, shallots, tomatoes, rawmango. Saute nicely. Add, salt, turmeric powder, tuvar dal, water. Pressure cook for 3 whistles. Allow to cool down. Open the lid, add tamarind extract, sambar powder, drumsticks and salt. Cook for 1 more whistle. Upon cooling, open the lid, Grind coconut with a pinch of jeera to a coarse paste. add to the sambar. Cook for a few minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves. 

Drumstick is added at the last, as they will become mushy., if added along with other vegetables.

 tomatoes,