
Apart from the darkness that creeps in the late afternoon with the early sunset , I love everything about december ; even the same darkness in the mornings that allows me to wallow in my bed for an extra hour or two. Its such a special time for people around the world right ; with festive colors , lights and music , everywhere you go! There's something magical about this holiday season , that lifts my spirits sky high ...
I still believe in Santa Claus , do you ? I believed him, and was singing like Marilyn Monroe - "Santa baby"- a hundred times with my own lines , and he came down the chimney a lil early for me this year !
I still believe in Santa Claus , do you ? I believed him, and was singing like Marilyn Monroe - "Santa baby"- a hundred times with my own lines , and he came down the chimney a lil early for me this year !

Hows holiday preparations coming along ? Baking goodies , packing and wrapping for friends and family ? I am yet to start my "small baking ritual ", since I m busy with lots n lots of good things that Santa brought me last couple of weeks ......................
Todays recipe is something I fell in love with recently! All thanks to my neighbor "U", for cooking the authentic Kannada Sambar rice for me a number of times , or I should say whenever I craved for it and made me fall in love !
What I have here today is a not-so-authentic , more of a cheat's ( oh yeah mine ) , version for a lazy cold winter night.....A perfect medley of rice , lentils and vegetables to keep you warm n cozy !

Serves - 4
Total cooking time - 45 minutes - 1 hr
Ingredients:-
Rice - 1 cup ( I used Sona masoori )
Red Lentils - 1 cup ( You can use any lentils u love)
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt to taste
Tamarind pulp - 1 table spoon
Onion chopped - 1
Garlic crushed - 2-3 cloves(optional)
Ginger crushed - a small piece (optional)
Tomato chopped - 1
( 2 cups of vegetablesof your choice ,I used -)
Carrot chopped - 2
Green Beans - a handful
Potato - 1
Green Peas cooked - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Spice mix
Sambar Powder - 1 to 2 tablespoons ( use as per ur spice level , I prefer Shakti brand)
Grated coconut - 3 - 4 tablespoons
Curry leaves - 5-6
Cinnamon - a small stick
Cloves - 3-4
Cardamom - 3-4
Mace - 1
Dried red chili - 2
Fenugreek seeds - a pinch
Oil - 1 tea spoon
For tempering
Butter / Ghee- 2-3 tablespoons
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tea spoon( optional)
Grated coconut - 1 tablespoon
Curry leaves
Peanuts / cashew or anything you love - a handful
Hing - a pinch ( optional)
Cilantro - for garnishing
Method :-
Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes. Drain and cook well( almost mushy).Set aside.
( I used a rice cooker ; for 1 cup of rice 3- 3.5 cup of warm water)
Wash and rinse red lentils , soak for 15-20 minutes, drain and cook with turmeric , salt and enough water.Soak tamarind pulp in a cup of warm water.
Spice mix:- Heat a tea spoon of oil in a pan and fry grated coconut and curry leaves , when it starts turning the color add dried red chili and other whole spices and fry . Switch off the flame , add sambar powder and fry in that heat .Grind to a smooth powder in a coffee grinder.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker or a heavy bottomed pan and add onion and saute , followed by crushed ginger , and garlic. Add tomato , chopped vegetables except green peas, saute for a couple of minutes .
Add salt to taste, spice powder , soaked tamarind with water , cooked lentils and pressure cook for a single whistle or cook till the vegetables are tender. Uncover and add green peas and hing.
Slowly fold in cooked rice and combine well and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.( or take another pan mix rice and sambar as per your consistency and let heat through).
Make the tempering and pour over the rice. Serve warm with chopped cilantro and fried pappadums!
Happy Cooking !
Sarah
Ingredients:-
Rice - 1 cup ( I used Sona masoori )
Red Lentils - 1 cup ( You can use any lentils u love)
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt to taste
Tamarind pulp - 1 table spoon
Onion chopped - 1
Garlic crushed - 2-3 cloves(optional)
Ginger crushed - a small piece (optional)
Tomato chopped - 1
( 2 cups of vegetablesof your choice ,I used -)
Carrot chopped - 2
Green Beans - a handful
Potato - 1
Green Peas cooked - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Spice mix
Sambar Powder - 1 to 2 tablespoons ( use as per ur spice level , I prefer Shakti brand)
Grated coconut - 3 - 4 tablespoons
Curry leaves - 5-6
Cinnamon - a small stick
Cloves - 3-4
Cardamom - 3-4
Mace - 1
Dried red chili - 2
Fenugreek seeds - a pinch
Oil - 1 tea spoon
For tempering
Butter / Ghee- 2-3 tablespoons
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tea spoon( optional)
Grated coconut - 1 tablespoon
Curry leaves
Peanuts / cashew or anything you love - a handful
Hing - a pinch ( optional)
Cilantro - for garnishing
Method :-
Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes. Drain and cook well( almost mushy).Set aside.
( I used a rice cooker ; for 1 cup of rice 3- 3.5 cup of warm water)
Wash and rinse red lentils , soak for 15-20 minutes, drain and cook with turmeric , salt and enough water.Soak tamarind pulp in a cup of warm water.
Spice mix:- Heat a tea spoon of oil in a pan and fry grated coconut and curry leaves , when it starts turning the color add dried red chili and other whole spices and fry . Switch off the flame , add sambar powder and fry in that heat .Grind to a smooth powder in a coffee grinder.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker or a heavy bottomed pan and add onion and saute , followed by crushed ginger , and garlic. Add tomato , chopped vegetables except green peas, saute for a couple of minutes .
Add salt to taste, spice powder , soaked tamarind with water , cooked lentils and pressure cook for a single whistle or cook till the vegetables are tender. Uncover and add green peas and hing.
Slowly fold in cooked rice and combine well and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.( or take another pan mix rice and sambar as per your consistency and let heat through).
Make the tempering and pour over the rice. Serve warm with chopped cilantro and fried pappadums!
Happy Cooking !
Sarah
47 comments:
hi just registered ,, tinas
delicious and flavourful sambar rice, lovely clicks..perfect for the cold climate..
Just what I want now.I am going to make it now itself .
simple easy and delicious
Delicious rice.Yummy recipe.
delicious hot sambhar rice for a winter weather,such a heavenly food,looks delicious and yummy dear,nice presentation....
Nice one..yummy
Ultimate south indian comfort food!!
Delicious one pot meal,yummy n perfect for chilled weathers!!
Ongoing Event -Christmas Delicacy (15 Nov-31 Dec 2011)
Erivum Puliyum
Yummy one...Love the clicks..
Mmmm...I can smell the wonderful aroma from this warm comforting dish. I think I can even make this!
sambar rice is my favorite..I love it hot right from the stove..Awesome clicks sarah..Papad and sambar rice is the best combo ever..
really yummy one .. for this winter this would go very well
sarikkum kothipichu...........
My kind of meal... I can eat sambar rice all through the year though ;)
You can make even the most simple homely dish look divine ... very impressive Sarah..:))
Loved it..
Reva
Very delicious, lovely click sarah.
my fav dish ,very good recipe for lunch box,
Droolworthy Sambar Rice Dear.Luv ur version.Yummy!.
hmmm i wonder what santa brought you ;) ;)
hmmm i wonder what santa brought you ;) ;)
what a twist.....luks so delicious......
beautiful presentation of an everyday fare
Delicious!
Warming and simply mouthwatering!
Luks yum, perfect for the season :)
How can anyone make a simple sambar rice look so good? I am amazed. Great post..!
Anzzcafe has completed 1 year of blogging. You were amongst the first readers of my blog and your words were a great source of encouragement. Thank you for being a part of my small world.
Never used garam masala in sambar , thats unique .
Nice, warming dinner recipe..;) Looks perfect & authentic to me !!
Prathima Rao
Prats Corner
A beautiful fragrant supper here.
Thank You.
Ever hear Eartha itt sing "Santa Baby"?
Ultimate comforting food,love it everyday.
hearty one pot meal:-) And even more lovely clicks and presentation:-)
I love dishes like this! It's not often that I find one that I have all in the ingredients, but I think I might be able to try this one. It looks delicious and so comforting for a cold day :)
very comforting and homely one pot meal
It is a perfect comfort food for winter evenings as you say! Beautiful pictures
This recipe for people like me ,who likes to cook one pot meal on lazy days..i have tasted this from a Kannada friend and loved it,I m going o try ur version one day...
Btw wish u a merry Christmas and happy new year...xx
Delicious sambar rice.. mouthwatering..
Perfect comfort food for this type of weather:0)
Perfect lunch dear. Marvelous snaps too. Bookmarked this. Happy Christmas. What are you baking for Christmas.
So are those gifts that is keeping you busy now :-)
This is what I would call a comfort meal :-)
Namitha chechi...yes , yes , the ones you know about and some holiday hustle -bustle ;)..
HRIDAYAM NIRANJA XMAS, PUTHUVALSARA AASHAMSAKAL.................
In the cooler than usual B'lore weather, curled up in a sofa in front of TV,the bowl of steaming 'Sambar rice' made a wonderful lunch.Thank you lovely Sarah!!Love Your blogs!
looks perfect for these cold winter days
hai Dear,
my whole family's fav fud is rice-sambar..n u just gave a new twist to it..am gonna try it today..thnx dear..wil let u knw hw it came out.
luv ur blog..keep it up.
advanced new yr wishes.
-Radhika.
Happy new year Sarah!!!! Love the fish!!! How beautiful ur pictures are!!!
and am suddenly craving sambar rice... at 6 pm in the office :(
Delicious food!!!
Am happy to say that we we got the best online shopping store in chennai,where u can most of the groceries at an offer prices...
don't miss this opportunity...
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