Sambar Sadham

Sambar Sadham is a quick and delicious one pot meal adapted from Edible Garden. Thanks for the recipe Nags. I modified the recipe to suit my taste. Piping hot sambar sadham with ghee drizzled all over is very satisfying and comforting any time of the day!



Serves 3

Ingredients:
Oil-1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds-1 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds-1/2 tsp
Curry leaves-a few
Ginger grated-1 tsp
Salt
Hing-1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Tamarind-small lime size ball
Thur dal-1/3 cup
Rice-2/3 cup
Sambar Powder-2 tbsp
Coconut grated-2 tbsp
Ghee-2 tbsp
Coriander leaves- to garnish
Veggies I used:
Onion Sliced-1/2 cup
Carrot-1
Brinjal-2
Peas-a handful
Capsicum-1 small
Tomato-1

Of course, you can use any veggies of your choice.

Method:
Soak tamarind in 1.5 cups of warm water.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker.
Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and fenugreek seeds.
When mustard seeds crackle, add ginger and all the veggies one by one.
Sprinkle salt  and hing.
Fry for 5 minutes.
Extract 2 cups of tamarind water and add it to the veggies.
Add sambar powder, turmeric powder, coconut and salt.
Rinse rice and dal and add.
Add 2.5 cups of water.
Close the lid and pressure cook for 6-7 whistles(till rice and dal become mushy).
When pressure is released, open the lid and garnish with coriander leaves.
Drizzle ghee just before serving.
Serve with raitha and chips.
Note: I have used 2 cups of tamarind water and 2.5 cups of water for 1 cup of rice and dal mixture.
You may soak thur dal in warm water for 30 minutes before pressure cooking just to make sure it is fully cooked.

Lightbulb of the Future?

Philips Electronics has submitted the first entry into the Department of Energy L Prize Competition for a replacement for the ubiquitous 60 watt incandescent lightbulb. And here it is!





















This is an LED entry.

The criteria to win the coveted prize are:

* Efficacy > 90 lumens/Watt (pretty bright)
* Power draw < 10W (very low power consumption)
* Output > 900 lumens (pretty bright)
* CRI (color rendering index)> 90 (tomatoes will look like tomatoes)
* Color temperature 2700-3000K (warm white)

More entries are expected by DOE, which will award up to three winners in the 60W category.

The first to meet all competition requirements will receive the cash prize; all three winners will be eligible for federal purchasing opportunities and promotions and incentives offered by the L Prize partners.

Peggy

CHICKEN BRIYANI

I am beginning this blog with a tasty Briyani recipe.



Ingredients:

Chicken pieces-750gms
Briyani rice-2 ½ cups
Ginger paste-1 tbsp
Garlic paste- 1 tbsp
Chilli powder- half sp
Turmeric powder- half sp
Salt to taste
Ghee-half cup
Finely sliced onion-3
Finely crushed tomato-2
Slit Green chillies- 5
Chopped coriander-1 cup
Chopped mint leaves- 1 cup
Curd-3 tbsp

Powder coarsely the following ingredients:

Cinnamon-1” piece, cloves-3, cardamom-3. fennel seeds- half sp

Grind the following ingredients to a fine paste:

Cashew nuts-5, poppy seeds-1 sp, shredded coconut-4 tbsp
Lemon juice-1 ½ tbsp

Procedure:

Wash the rice and soak in enough water.
Heat a vessel and pour the ghee. Add the onion and fry it to golden brown.
Add the ginger garlic pastes and fry them well.
Add the ground powder and fry for a few seconds.
Then add the tomatoes with the turmeric powder and fry them until the tomatoes are well mashed and the ghee floats on top.
Add the washed chicken pieces with enough salt and cook on medium fire.
Add the curd, greens and the chilli powder.
Cook the chicken until it is done and all the water is evaporated..
Lastly add the lime juice and cook for a few seconds.
Add 5 cups of water with the rice.
When the rice is half done add enough salt.
When all the water is evaporated keep the briyani in dhum for 20 minutes in the gas oven.
Pour ghee around the sides in intervals.
Serve hot with onion curd salad.