Although I realise the actual version requires coconut and freshly ground and powdered spices, etc, that’s not a very weeknight-friendly recipe. I have tried that a couple of times but the sheer time it takes to peel the shallots itself is a turn-off.
Anyway, here’s how I make mine, the easy, quick version of Sambar Sadam made in a pressure cooker.
Bisi Bele Bath / Sambar Sadam Recipe
Serves 2-3
Preparation time – 15 mins
Special utensil needed – pressure cookerWhat I Use:
Rice – 1.5 cups
I use ponni or basmati but the regular rice you use every day will work just fine.
Toor / tuvar / kandi pappu / pigeon peas – 3/4 to 1 cup
Tamarind – a marble-sized ball or 2 tbsp tamarind paste
Chopped vegetables – 1.5 cups
You can use any vegetables you have in hand like French beans, carrots, potatoes, peas, tomatoes, drumstick, capsicum, etc.
Shallots – 6 (optional)
Green chillies – 2
Sambar powder – 1.5 to 2 tbsp
Hing / Asafoetida / Perungayam – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder – a pinchFor tempering:
Oil – 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – a few
Shallots – 2, sliced thin (optional)How to make Sambar Sadam in a Pressure Cooker:
1. Add 1 cup warm water to the tamarind and extract juice. Discard pulp. If using tamarind paste, dissolve it in 1 cup water without any lumps.
2. Heat oil for tempering in the pressure cooker pan and add the rest of the ingredients. Fry the shallots for tempering, if using, until golden brown. Then add the hing, green chillies, turmeric and sambar powder and mix well for 10 seconds.
3. Add all the ingredients and sufficient water. To cook the rice I use every day, the ratio of rice:water is 1:2. Since I have used 1.5 cups rice here, I need 3 cups water in total. Tamarind juice is in 1 cup water so I added approximately 2 more cups of water to the cooker. Its fine if its slightly more than that.
4. Cook for 3 whistles. If you like your sambar sadam a bit mushy, then cook for 4 whistles and make sure you add slightly more water than specified above.
5. Wait till pressure leaves and serve hot with vadaam / chips / appalam and raita / curd.
btw, this recipe is so easy to prepare. Loved it.:)
I never had this growing up, mom never made things like this, only had them after my sis getting married and then the first spoonfull i loved it, this looks so yumm and love the colour of the dish too.
I heart BBB!!! I am going to try this one but grind cinnamon, cloves and elachi with the sambar powder and use it instead!
I love sambar and always add lots of veggies to it(am not sure if that is the norm). I also love bisis bele bhath. So guess what, I love this 😀
This sambar sadam sounds very simple!
this looks easy and very delicious. i'll try it with rasam powder or kootu podi. i don't have sambar powder.
a very nutritious & comfort food indeed. loved the pictures. Also looking forward for your next session on food photography series
Anon – didn't get which website you are talking about.. I hope the sambar sadam recipe works for you like it did for many others, and me of course 🙂
Making your sambar sadam t'nite. I'm confident its going to come out simply yum seeing all the good comments on here. Thanks Nags, I am a new Mom and anything that saves time helps. So did you ever update that site you were mentioning above?
recipeblogforum. Adnd yes it was very good. I tried it the not gooey way and we loved it!