Potato Broad Bean Sambar | Indian Lunch Box Recipes

As I was saying yesterday, I have the lunch menu planned with two days of Sambar in a week with some vegetables. Well, some can say if you know one sambar, you know them all. I beg to differ in that. Of course what goes in is the same, no doubt about it. But you should also know what else can go into it right.

Like there was one person who confessed that she didn't know how to make Lady's finger Sambar or Bendakaya Sambar. Well, I was actually surprised when she said that, as I always assumed you can just change the vegetable. But later realized that maybe she didn't know how to cook Bindi in a sambar. So it was very funny when I realized one day that you actually use Potatoes in a sambar. See I got my own lesson back. I mocked myself saying, see never belittle others ignorance, you got a chance to teach something, now learn something new..:)

Today's Lunch box is going to be Potato Broad Bean Sambar, Beets Poriyal, and rice.

I have a Lunch Box Series going on Cooking 4 all Seasons and as per that list, this is 61st in the making

The Beets Poriyal featured here is almost the same as the one I had already made but this has Bengal gram added and I used Dry Red Chilis.

Potato Broad Bean Sambar:

Ingredients Needed

Toor Dal - 1 cup
Potatoes - 2 medium
Broad Beans - 4 nos
Sambar Onions - 100 gms
Sambar Powder - 1 tsp
Tomatoes - 2 medium
Tamarind pulp - small lime size
Coriander Leaves - few chopped
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to Taste
Turmeric a pinch

For Seasoning

Mustard Seeds + Urad Dal + Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - few
Garlic - 4 pods

As I was saying yesterday if you have a few things ready at hand, it becomes very simple. I always have Tamarind Extract ready, or at least soaked tamarind. Of course these days you get ready-made tamarind extract, which I have never used but heard is not that good.

I have Whole Spice Blend For Tempering always ready at hand.
When you have multiple dishes like these to be done, get the first things done first. I normally use my pressure cookers for quick cooking.

Wash and Soak rice first
Wash and pressure cook Toor dal in a pressure cooker.

When the dal is getting cooked, wash and peel the beets. This goes into another small pressure cooker. This takes about 10 mins to get done, with 2 -3 whistles depending on how big or small you have chopped it.

After 15 mins, add water and pressure the rice in a pressure cooker.

When the pressure falls down in the dal, check for doneness, remove the dal water if you are planning to make Rasam, else churn everything together.

Transfer the dal to a bowl, rinse the pan, put it on flame again.

Chop the onions, curry leaves, and garlic needed for the sambar.

When the pan is hot, add oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, jeera, and methi seeds. When they splutter add the onions, garlic, and curry leaves. Simmer for 1 min.

As the onions get cooked, cube potatoes and microwave for 5 mins. Broad Beans can be added directly to the pan as it will get cooked fast.

When the onions are done, add chopped tomatoes, sambar powder, tamarind extract, salt, and trimmed broad beans. Cover with lid for it to get cooked fast.

Meanwhile, the beets are done. Transfer to a bowl, rise the pan, wipe it clean, and put it back on fire.

Add oil for the saute, add split red chilies, mustard seeds, Bengal gram, curry leaves, When the mustard splutters, add the cooked beets. Cook on high for all the water to get evaporated. This takes about 5 - 7 mins. When it is dry add grated coconut.

By this time, the tomatoes are mashed well, add the cooked potatoes, cooked dal required water. Bring to boil. You can cover this slightly for it to get done soon.

Rice is all done in 15 minutes' time.

Garnish the sambar finally with coriander leaves and your meal is ready.

Of course, getting these three dishes done within 30 minutes is not a breeze as my post might convey. Conditions apply!..:)

With my kids dropping in every other moment, I tend to delay in certain areas. Having said that I have checked it myself on various times that this time is more than enough if you are prepared with all the ingredients and don't go searching for ingredients.

I added very few broad beans to the sambar as I was told that it adds flavour to a potato sambar.

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