I have visited my grandmother’s sister only twice in my life. “Angichi Perumma “ we used to call her. She lived in a very small ( in other words kugramam) a village smaller than a regular village in Kerala in a place called Yerumapatti. She thought me something very valuable in he short time I have spent with her. I was newly married and we visited her without much of notice. She was already in her 70’s then. She welcomed us home, and vanished into her garden outside her house for 10 minutes. As we were seeing her humble abode, speaking to her daughter, Angichi perimma walks in with some banana leaves, a small piece of yam, a brinjal and some raw banana and Some more small things which I did not recognise then. You know where the story is going don’t you. She made us a quick humble meal with everything homegrown, with out adding the keywords that it was ORGANIC, FARM FRESH and GMO FREE.?
She complained about us not informing her early of our arrival, else she could have bought us some foreign vegetables she said. You know what the foreign vegetables were carrot and beans. She stole my heart. I still grow vegetables in my terrace, but nothing compared to what a real farm could do. Yesterday a new friend of mine sent me a basket of her farm fresh goodies. Kanteli MehraKanteli Mehra. Thank You. You have me the gift I love the most. Tender Basale Soppu was one of them. So here it is “Mangalore Bassale Soppu Sambhar “. Dedicated to everyone who eats from their home grown produce and to everyone who is inspired to. Mangalore Bassalesoppu sambhar
Basale soppu sambahr
Tangy Sweet Spicy multi purpose pachadi.
Ingredients
2 cups Basale soppu /Malabar Spinach 1/2 cup Thur dal also called Split Pigeon Peas 1/2 Onion 1/2 cup Lobia also called Black eyed bean 3 Tbsp Tamarind pulp. 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 1 tsp Salt##Sambhar masala 1/2 cup Grated Coconut 1/2 Onion 2 Tbsp Coriander Seeds 1/2 Tsp Methi / Fenugreek seeds 4 Dried Red chilli 1/2 Tsp Mustard Seeds 1 Garlic for tempering 1 Tbsp oil 6 Cloves Garlic chopped
Directions
- Pressure cook lobia for 10 minutes.
- Cook the thur dhal till soft.
- Sauté the onion still translucent. Set aside.
- Dry roast coriander seeds, methi, chillies and coconut.
- Grind to smooth paste with sautéed onions.
- Wash, clean and chop the Malabar spinach.
- In a large cooking pot add the spinach and onion and sauté for 3 minutes. – Add the tamarind pulp, turmeric, cooked lobia and salt. cool for 5 minutes.
- Add the ground paste, cook for 5 to 7 minutes till everything come to boil.
- Transfer the contents to a serving bowl.
- Season with roasted garlic, red chilli, mustard in sesame oil.
- Serve with hot steamed rice.
Naturally Hema 