KARA KOLAMBU ( SPICY SAMBHAR WITHOUT DHAL)

This is  very traditional recipe followed for generations. This tangy kolambu is a great combination for white rice, Just pappads are enough for this rice. No curries are required. Generally kolambu means, a tangy sambhar cooked without dhal. 

Ingredients:

1. Peeled Small onions (shallots/ sambhar onions) - 1 cup
2. Peeled Garlic - 1/2 cup
3. Tomato - 4
4. Tamarind - Lemon size
5. Red chilli powder - 1 or 2 tsp
6. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Salt - as required

Seasoning:

1. Oil - 1/4 cup
2. Mustard - 1 tsp
3. Urud dhal - tsp
4. Jeera - 1/4 tsp
5. Fenugreek / methi seeds - 1 tsp
6. Curry leaves - 2 twigs
7. Channa dhal - 1 tsp
8. Powdered hing - 1 tsp



Kara kolambu powder :

1. Dhaniya / Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
2. Pepper - 1 tsp
3. jeera - 1 tsp
4. Channa dhal - 1 tsp
5. Urud dhal - 1 tsp
6. Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
( Dry roast all the above ingredients and grind it to a fine powder. You can also store it for a month.)



Method:


1. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, urud dhal, jeera, fenugreek seeds , channa dhal and curry leaves to the oil. Once they all popped. Add Peeled small onions and garlic cloves to the oil and fry until they get golden brown.


2. Add the filtered tamarind juice extracted from the tamarind to the pan. Add turmeric powder, salt, red chilli powder and allow to boil for 3-4 minutes or until the raw smell of the tamarind goes.


3. Add 1 cup of water to the pan, when the water starts to boil add kara kolambu powder. Keep stirring to avoid forming lumps. 


4. Add powdered hing on top of the gravy, give a stir. When the oil starts to seperate from the kolambu you can switch of the stove. 


5. Transfer to a serving bowl. This is great to have with plain white rice during this monsoon season.