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Keerai Thandu Podi Sambar Recipe-Keerai Thandu Sambar with Instant Sambar Podi

November 17, 2016 by PadhuSankar 9 Comments

Amaranth or thandu keerai is a rich source of fiber and many nutrients. According to Wikipedia- Amaranth grain is particularly high in lysine, an amino acid found in low quantities in other grains. Whenever I buy thandu keerai, I use the leaves to make keerai poriyal and reserve the stems to make either South Indian style keerai thandu kootu or this sambar or gravy for chapati.  I have made this sambar using  keerai thandu and instant sambar podi. If you run out of sambar podi and do not want to buy ready made ones, you can make this podi and use it to make any sambar. There is not much difference in the taste of the sambar. Today we will learn how to make keerai thandu podi sambar following this easy recipe with step wise pictures.

Keerai thandu sambar with instant sambar podi

Keerai Thandu Sambar with Instant Sambar Podi


Keerai Thandu Sambar with Instant Sambar Podi

 Prep Time : 15 mins

 Cook Time : 20 mins 
 Serves: 3-4
 Recipe Category: Side Dish-Sambar
 Recipe Cuisine: South Indian
 Author:Padhu Sankar

   Ingredients needed

   Tender keerai thandu (stems) -2 cups
   Tur Dal – 1/3 cup
   Tamarind -Gooseberry sized ball
   Pearl onion -5-6
   Tomato – 1
   Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
   Salt needed

   For Instant Sambar Podi

   Oil – 1/2 tsp
   Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp
   Dry Red Chillies – 3

   For the Seasoning

   Oil – 2 tsp
   Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
   Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp
   Asafoetida/hing – a pinch
   Red Chilli – 1
   Curry leaves – a sprig

   For Garnishing

   Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp finely chopped

Preparation


Peel the skin and chop pearl onion into 2-3 pieces.

Wash and pressure cook tur dal with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder for 3 whistles or until mushy. Mash it well and keep it aside. Refer how to cook dal  if you are new to cooking dal.

Soak tamarind in a cup of hot water for 20 minutes. Extract its juice adding water if needed and discard the pulp. We need 1 cup of tamarind extract.

preparations for sambar

Choose tender stems. I have used amaranth (mulai keerai/thandu keerai) stems. Break and scrap/peel the fibrous part of the stem. Then cut it into 2 inch pieces and keep it aside (refer picture below).

Instant sambar podi 


Heat 1/2 tsp of oil and fry coriander seeds and red chillies on medium heat. Leave it to cool. Then powder it finely. This is the instant sambar podi, we are going to use for this keerai thandu sambar.

ingredients for keerai thandu sambar

Method 


Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when it sputters, add fenugreek seeds, hing, red chilli and curry leaves.

Add pearl onions and saute until it turns transparent.

Then add chopped tomatoes and saute for a few more minutes.

sauteing shallots and tomato

Add keerai thandu, 1/4 cup of water and cook on medium heat.

Then add salt needed, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and the instant sambar podi.

Keerai Thandu Sambar with Instant Sambar Podi

Mix well and add tamarind extract. Cook until the raw flavor of the tamarind goes. It may take 10 minutes on medium heat.

Keerai Thandu Podi Sambar

Once the raw flavor of the tamarind goes, add cooked dal, 1/2 cup of water and cook on low heat stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until the sambar thickens slightly.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice. Nutritious, delicious and fiber rich keerai thandu sambar is ready.

Keerai thandu sambar recipe

My Lunch – Fiber Galore
South Indian Lunch
Keerai thandu sambar-Vazhaithandu curry-Curd-Rice

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Filed Under: Sambar varieties, Side dish, Side Dish For Idli Dosa, Uncategorized Tagged With: Greens, Health Dish, South Indian recipes, Uncategorized




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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. kirantendle

    November 18, 2016 at 5:15 am

    Dear padhu, please also write Hindi or marathi translation of "Keerai Thandu". I am still unable to guess the vegetable even after viewing. Looks like drum sticks, but I know, its not. Is it "Patra" or "Alu" what we call in Marathi ? Your recipes are always great. Thanks and have a great day.

    Reply
    • Padhu Sankar

      November 18, 2016 at 8:24 am

      It is called chaulaee/cholai in Hindi. It is the stem of amaranth.

      Reply
    • Padhu Sankar

      November 18, 2016 at 8:25 am

      Kiran – It is very common in India. If you cannot get it, try using tender spinach stems.

      Reply
    • kirantendle

      November 28, 2016 at 5:19 pm

      Thanks Padhu, now I know, its "Chawli" in Marathi.
      Have a good evening.

      Reply
  2. Revathy Manikandan

    November 21, 2016 at 9:01 am

    Very healthy and innovatove sambar

    Reply
  3. Revathy Manikandan

    November 21, 2016 at 9:04 am

    Dear padhu, pls post some recipes with corn

    Reply
  4. Kumar Rathy

    November 22, 2016 at 1:03 pm

    Hai padhu Akka your cooking is super iam rathy my pasnion-cooking neyyappam&kalavanadai

    Reply
  5. Eliteguy

    April 19, 2017 at 11:11 am

    Hi padhu
    Thanks for the recipe…
    Can I use the stems of palak? Will it taste good? Kindly suggest..
    Regards

    Reply
    • Padhu Sankar

      April 21, 2017 at 7:58 am

      Palak stems will not taste that good but you can try.

      Reply

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Meet Padhu, the Chef, the photographer, recipe developer and web designer behind Padhuskitchen which features Simple Indian Vegetarian recipes, healthy recipes, kids friendly recipes, Indian festival recipes, traditional South Indian Vegetarian ...

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