Mooli Huli / Sambar

Name: Mooli Huli / Sambar
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1/4 cup toor/tuvar dal or split pigeon peas/yellow lentils; 2 medium sized white radish; peeled and sliced; For the sambar/huli masala paste:; 1/4 tsp methi seeds/fenugreek seeds; 1 tbsp chana dal (split bengal gram); 1 tsp urad dal (split black lentils); 1 tbsp coriander seeds; 1/4 tsp hing/asafoetida powder; 7-8 dry red chilies; as needed Few curry leaves; 1/4 cup grated coconut (fresh or frozen); 1/2 tsp Small marble-sized tamarind/ tamarind paste; 1 tsp coconut oil (or any cooking oil); Other ingredients needed:; 2-3 tbsp gur/jaggery (unrefined cane sugar); to taste Salt; For the tempering/tadka:; 2 tbsp ghee/clarified butter; 1 tsp mustard seeds; as needed Few curry leaves; 1/4 tsp hing/asafetida powder

Vanitha Bhat @cook_10017275

A mildly spiced south Indian flavored lentil stew with fresh white radish, coconut and some simple but aromat Indian spices. Paired with hot steaming rice, it is an ultimate comfort food.

Vanitha Bhat @cook_10017275

A mildly spiced south Indian flavored lentil stew with fresh white radish, coconut and some simple but aromat Indian spices. Paired with hot steaming rice, it is an ultimate comfort food.

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Ingredients

4 servings

1/4 cuptoor/tuvar dal or split pigeon peas/yellow lentils
2medium sized white radish; peeled and sliced
For the sambar/huli masala paste:
1/4 tspmethi seeds/fenugreek seeds
1 tbspchana dal (split bengal gram)
1 tspurad dal (split black lentils)
1 tbspcoriander seeds
1/4 tsphing/asafoetida powder
7-8dry red chilies
as neededFew curry leaves
1/4 cupgrated coconut (fresh or frozen)
1/2 tspSmall marble-sized tamarind/ tamarind paste
1 tspcoconut oil (or any cooking oil)
Other ingredients needed:
2-3 tbspgur/jaggery (unrefined cane sugar)
to tasteSalt
For the tempering/tadka:
2 tbspghee/clarified butter
1 tspmustard seeds
as neededFew curry leaves
1/4 tsphing/asafetida powder

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Steps

1

Add toor dal and water up to at least 1 inch above the dal and cook in a pressure cooker or in a large saucepan until soft, tender and well cooked.
2

Wash, peel and slice radish into small roundels.
3

To make the huli/sambar coconut paste:
Heat oil in a saucepan; add the spices; methi, chana dal, urad dal and coriander seeds; fry on medium heat for a minute.
Add the curry leaves, dry red chilies and hing and fry again for another minute, taking care not to burn the chillies.
4

Remove from heat and let cool.
Blend the roasted spices along with grated coconut and tamarind/tamarind paste to a fine puree; set aside.
5

To make the sambar/huli:
Boil sliced radish in 2 cups of water until just tender.
6

Add cooked and mashed tuvar dal and mix well. Bring to a boil.
Lower heat and add the huli paste along with turmeric powder, salt to taste and some gur or jaggery. Mix well and bring to a boil; adding more water as needed, lower heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally to make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
7

Meanwhile, prepare the tempering:
Heat ghee in a small saucepan and once it becomes hot, add mustard seeds.
As soon as the seeds start to crackle and papaya, add the curry leaves, hing and red chlliy, sauté for a few seconds.
8

Remove from heat and add to the simmering radish huli. Mix well, garnish with chopped cilantro (optional) and serve with hot steaming rice and a dollop of ghee!
9

With a side of freshly stir fried green vegetables like or even a salad like, you have a complete satvik (no onion-no garlic), comforting meal to enjoy for lunch or dinner!
Enjoy and Happy Cooking!
10

If you like onions, cook a small onion (cubed or sliced) or better yet, shallots or “sambar onions” as they are sometimes called, along with the radish slices and proceed with the recipe.
Instead of radish, you can use eggplant/brinjal/aubergine(cubed), potatoes, carrots, green beans, cauliflower etc. or even a mixture of some of them.
Adjust the consistency of the dish along with spices according to your own taste or preference.
Make it vegan by using oil (preferably coconut oil) instead of