Zucchini Sambar

Zucchini is a very versatile vegetable. It can be used in many international dishes, but just like that can also be transformed into many Indian dishes. I make curries in the same way I make beerakaya (ridge gourd) and here used it in place of anapakaya (bottle gourd).

If you love this vegetable, you surely can see that there is no difference in taste and it goes well in the dishes we make.
The other day I made Zucchini pancakes and it was savored by the family and this time it was sambar and no one had any complaints.
There is no major difference between and green and yellow zucchini, but I like to use it in combination, to give it a colorful effect! :)

Here is the recipe for my plain old regular sambar.
The way I made Zucchini sambar is no different from the regular sambar, the method is the same. I wrote out the method just for easiness sake!
You can add zucchini with a combination of other veggies too. I just decided to go with only pearl onions and zucchini. :)


Ingredients:

1 cup of cooked toor daal (use as required)

2 Zucchini (washed and sliced)
few pearl onions (optional)
1 small onion, chopped big
4-5 green chillies, slit
1 tomato, chopped
grated coconut, for garnish (optional)
chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste


little smaller than a golf ball size tamarind, pulp squeezed
2 tbsp sambar powder
1 tsp chilli powder (or less)
1/4 tsp turmeric
water as required


1/4 tsp urad daal
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp jeera, cumin
3 dry red chillies, broken
4 cloves of garlic, choppes or crushed
pinch of hing, inguva
few curry leaves, karevapaku
1 tbsp of oil

Method:

In a big pot, add some water and put in the zucchini, onions, green chillies and tomatoes.
Let them cook covered, until soft, but not mushy.
Add the squeezed tamarind pulp, after they are cooked along with sambar powder, chilli powder and turmeric. Add salt to taste.
Cook for 2 minutes. Add the cooked daal and water to make to the required consistency.
Prepare for tempering. Heat oil in a small pan.
Add garlic and urad daal. Let them brown.
Add mustard seeds and jeera, let them splutter. Add broken red chillies, curry leaves and hing.
Add this tempering to the sambar.
Optionally add coconut.
Add coriander leaves for garnish.
Serve hot with vadas, idlis, dosas or with rice.
Enjoy!!!