Sambhar in instant pot V2

Ingredients:

Toor dal-1 cup (pressure cook with 3 cups of water in instant pot for 15 min in pressure high mode)
Onion- 1 medium
Tomato- 1 medium
Sorakaya- 1/2 small
Swetha telugu foods sambhar powder- 2 tsp (can add more or less to taste)
Tamarind balls (costco sweet and spicy tamarind balls)-3
Salt-to taste
Oil-2 tbsp
Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Turmeric-pinch
Hing-pinch
Curry leaves-5-10
Water-3 cups

Method:

1. Set saute mode on instant pot. Heat oil and add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, hing and turmeric. Allow the seeds to splatter.
2. Add finely chopped onion and saute for couple of minutes.
3. Add chopped tomato and sorakaya pieces.
4. Add sambhar powder, salt, tamarind balls, cooked dal and enough water.
5. Adjust for spices and consistency. Pressure cook in instant pot for 4 min under high pressure mode.
6. Once the steam is released, serve hot with rice, idli, dosa etc.

Sambar in instant pot

Ingredients:

Toor dal-1 cup
Onion-1 medium
Tomatoes-2 medium
Sweet potato (purple)-1 big
Tamarind-lemon size
Jaggery-1'' cube
Salt-to taste
Green chillies-3 big
Sambhar powder-2 tbsp or to taste
Curry leaves-10
Hing-1/2 tsp
Turmeric-1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Oil-2 tsp

Method:

1. Pressure cook dal with 3 cups of water for 15 min in instant pot pressure cook high setting. Mash properly and keep it aside.
2. While the dal cooks, cut all the vegetables. You can add whatever vegetables you like.
3. Take tamarind in a bowl, add water to cover it and microwave for 2 min. Let it cool before you extract juice of it. You can also use tamarind paste but the taste may be a little different.
4. Remove dal and transfer it to a bowl. In instant pot saute setting, add oil. After the oil heats up, add cumin and mustard seeds followed by  hing, turmeric, chopped green chillies and curry leaves. Cook for 30 sec.
5. Add onions and tomatoes. Cook for a minute.
6. Add sweet potatoes and other veggies if u are using. Mix well.
7. Now add salt, red chilly powder or paprika if using, sambhar powder, jaggery and cook for a minute. Add tamarind juice, mix properly and stir it for 2 min.
8. Transfer the mashed dal and mix properly. Add enough water so as to make it thin (roughly 3-4 cups water).
9. Adjust for salt and other spices and cook for 10 min in instant pot pressure cook high setting.
10. Sambhar is ready and you can serve it with rice, idlis, dosa etc.

Bendakaya pappu charu

Ingredients:
Servings:2

Bhindi-10 (cut each into 2 pieces and make a slit through the center)
Pearl onions-4
Tomato-1 small
Toor dal-3/4 cup dry (cook with 2.5 cups water)
Oil-1 tbsp
Tamarind paste-1 tbsp
Sambhar powder-1 tbsp
Red chilly powder-2 tsp
Salt-to taste
Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Turmeric-pinch

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and let cumin and mustard seeds splutter.
2. Add pearl onions (cut into 4 pieces if they are big), sliced bhindi and cook till bhindi is soft.
3. Add cubed tomato, salt, turmeric, red chilly powder, sambhar powder, tamarind paste and mix well.
4. Add cooked dal along with water. Adjust water according to the consistency.
5. Adjust for spices and let it come to a boil.
6. Switch off the stove and serve hot with rice. Enjoy!

Coconut charu

Ingredients:

Coconut milk-2 cups (I used canned)
Water-1/2 cup
Oil-1 tsp
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Green chillies-3
Salt- to taste
Turmeric-pinch
Hing-pinch
Curry leaves-a spring
Cilantro-to garnish

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, salt, turmeric, hing, curry leaves, green chillies. Allow them to splutter.
2. Add coconut milk and water. Allow it to boil.
3. Adjust salt to taste and garnish with cilantro. Serve with rice!

Tomato charu

Ingredients:


Ripe tomatoes-3
Water-4 cups
Oil-1/2 tbsp
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Green chillies-2
Died red chillies-3
Garlic-3 cloves
Curry leaves-10
Turmeric-pinch
Salt-to taste
Pepper-1/2 tsp
Cilantro-1/2 cup
Rasam powder-2 tsp
Tamarind paste-1 tbsp (optional)
Jaggery-1 tbsp (optional)

Method:


1. Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped garlic and roast for few sec.
2. Add curry leaves, green chillies, red chillies, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and mix well.
3. Add turmeric and saute for few sec.
4. Now add finely chopped tomatoes and cook till slightly mushy (you can also blend tomatoes into a fine paste).
5. Add salt, pepper, rasam powder, tamarind paste and jaggery if using and mix well.
6. Add water and adjust for spices.
7. Add chopped cilantro and allow the mixture to come to a boil. Turn off the stove  and serve with rice and sabzi.

Basil rasam

Ingedients:

To grind:

Tomatoes-2
Basil-2 fistful
Green chilly-1
Curry leaves-10
Water-1/2 cup
Ginger-1/2 in
Toor dal-2 tbsp

For tadka:

Oil-1 tbsp
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Hing-pinch
Turmeric-pinch
Black pepper-1/2 tsp

Rasam powder-1 tbsp
Black pepper-1 tsp
Lemon-1/2
Corriander leaves-to garnish 
Salt-to taste

Method:

1. Cook toor dal and keep it aside.
2. Grind tomatoes, cooked toor dal, curry leaves, basil, green chilly and ginger along with water.
3. Transfer blended mixture into a pan and add 1-2 cups of water.
4. Add salt, rasam powder, black pepper and bring it to a boil.
5. Prepare tadka by heating oil and adding cumin, mustard seeds, hing, turmeric and pepper.
6. Transfer tadka to the boiling rasam. Adjust for salt, rasam powder, black pepper and consistency of rasam.
7. Turn off the stove and add lemon juice and corriander. Mix well and serve hot with rice.

Mint charu

Ingredients:

Mint-1 cup
Tamarind-lemon size ball
Oil-2 tsp
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Dried Red chillies-2
Hing-pinch
Garlic-3 cloves
Curry leaves-1 spring
Turmeric-1/4 tsp
Tomato-1
Salt-to taste
Pepper-1/2 tsp
Cumin powder-1/2 tsp
Corriander-to garnish

Method:

1. Grind mint leaves with 1 cup of water. Extract juice and keep it aside.
2. Soak tamarind and extract its juice. Keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin and mustard seeds. After they splatter, add garlic, curry leaves, hing, red chillies and turmeric. Cook for 30 sec.
4. Add chopped tomato, cover the lid and cook it until mushy.
5. Add tamarind and mint water to the pan and bring it to a boil.
6. Add pepper, cumin powde and garnish with corriander.
7. Serve it with rice!

Sambhar

Ingredients:

 

Toor dal-1 cup
Onion-1 medium
Tomatoes-2 medium
Red Radish-10 small
Baby carrots-10
Tamarind-lemon size
Jaggery-1'' cube
Salt-to taste
Red chilli powder-to taste
Sambhar powder-1 tbsp or to taste
Curry leaves-10
Hing-1/2 tsp
Turmeric-1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Oil-2 tsp

Method:

 

1. Pressure cook dal with 2 cups of water and for 5-6 whistles. Mash properly and keep it aside.
2. While the dal cooks, cut all the vegetables. You can add whatever vegetables you like. Most common vegetables that are used in sambhar are doodhi (bottle guard) and drumstick. You can skip if you don't have them.
3. Take tamarind in a bowl, add water to cover it and microwave for 2 min. Let it cool before you extract juice of it. You can also use tamarind paste but the taste may be a little different.
4. Take a pan, add oil. After the oil heats up, add cumin and mustard seeds followed by  hing, turmeric and curry leaves. Cook for 30 sec.
5. Add onions and cook until transparent. Now add tomatoes and cook till soft.
6. Add radish and carrot, close the lid and cook for 3-5 minutes.
7. Now add salt, red chilly powder, sambhar powder, jaggery and cook for a minute. Add tamarind juice, mix properly and stir it for 2 min.
8. Transfer the mashed dal and mix properly. Add enough water so as to make it thin (roughly 3-4 cups water).
9. Cover with a lid and let it boil till the veggies are cooked. Adjust for salt and other spices if needed.
10. Sambhar is ready and you can serve it with rice and ghee with papad on the side. Or, sambhar goes best with idlis too!! Enjoy.

Eggplant Rasam

Ingredients:

 

Eggplant-1 large
Green chillies-4
Garlic-4 cloves
Corriander leaves-1 cup
Mint leaves-1/4 cup
Cumin seeds-1 tbsp
Corriander seeds-1 tbsp
Salt-to taste
Sugar-1 tbsp (to taste)
Tamarind-lemon size ball
Onion-1 large

For tempering:
Oil-1 tsp
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Curry leaves-15

Method:

 

1. Cook the eggplant directly on flame until the skin gets burnt and is completely cooked. Once it is cooked, remove the burnt skin, cut and keep it aside. If you see that the eggplant is not cooked completely, cut the pieces and saute in 1 tsp oil till it is cooked.
2. Cook green chillies on flame until slightly burnt.
*To cook veggies directly on flame, I use a grill net that can be placed directly on flame.
3. Blend burnt chillies, garlic, corriander leaves, mint leaves, corriander and cumin seeds and pulse it coarsely. Then add cooked eggplant and grind everything coarsely.
4. Extract tamarind juice into a big bowl. Add the above mixture, onions, salt and sugar to tamarind juice.
5. For tempering, use the ingredients listed under tempering and transfer them to the mix.
6. Serve delicious eggplant rasam with hot steamed rice. Serve papad/stuffed okra etc on the side.