chickpea sambar

I love Autumn

and I am taking every opportunity to relish in its rain and

vibrant green,

the early morning dew, and it’s amazing,

blazing

colour.

autumn 4V7A0009_1980x1297

It is enough. 

I am enough.

chickpea sambar

chickpea sambar with pumpkin and celery

When I make this to serve with dosa, I leave out the dal and add another cup of chickpeas, as the lessened water makes it thick enough for the dosa.

ingredients

1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 Tbsp ginger, finely chopped

1 cup ripe tomatoes, finely chopped

3 cardamom pods

¼ cup moong dal/red lentils, well rinsed

2 stalks celery

2 medium carrots

1 cup pumpkin, finely chopped

1 tsp jaggery/brown sugar

½ tsp tamarind paste

1 tsp rock salt

¼ cup coriander leaves, chopped

sambar-coconut paste

1 – 2 tsp Sambar powder, moderately spiced

¼ cup dried shredded coconut

1 cup water

voggarane

1 Tbsp ghee

1 tsp black mustard seeds

⅛ tsp asafoetida powder

10 fresh curry leaves

preparation

  1. Drain the chickpeas and bring them to the boil in a deep pot of water. Simmer for 1 – 2 hours or until soft.
  2. Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot. When hot, add the turmeric, ginger, and tomatoes. Lightly crush the cardamom pods and stir them in. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning—the liquid from the tomatoes keeps everything moist.
  3. Add the dal, celery, carrots, pumpkin, drained chickpeas, and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer uncovered until the dal is soft—20 minutes.

prepare the sambar-coconut paste

  1. Place the coconut and sambar powder in a blender with 1 cup water and blend into a smooth paste for 1 minute.
  2. Add to dal and swish the blender clean using the liquid from the dal.

prepare the voggarane

  1.  In a small pan, heat the ghee. Add the mustard seeds; when they turn grey and pop, add asafoetida, fry for a few seconds, then add the curry leaves—fry until fragrant.
  2. Add the tamarind paste, jaggery, salt, and coriander leaves to the sambar. Taste and add more tamarind, jaggery, or salt if needed.

serve

With brown basmati or, in winter, whole barley.  Drizzle lavishly with ghee.  Serve with a lemon-dressed green, leafy salad with steamed broccoli and a sprinkling of sesame and pumpkin seeds.

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Goodness shared from Stacey