Nalagri Huli | Sambar with Black Eyed Peas and Ash Gourd
Nalagri Huli or Nalagri Sambar is a traditional Hebbar Iyengar sambar made with cow peas (aka black-eyed peas) and Ash Gourd. What makes this Sambar unusual is the fact that it uses just a little Tuvar Dal.This delicious dish is served with rice and papad.
Equipment
- 1 Small Vessel (1/2 litre capacity)
- 1 Large Vessel (1.5 litre capacity)
- Spoon
- Ladle
- Mixer-Grinder
Ingredients
- 1/4 Cup Cow Peas (Black-eyed Peas or Alasande Kalu)
- 1/4 Cup Tuvar Dal
- 500 Gms Ash Gourd
For the Masala
- 1 tsp Udad Dal
- 1 tsp Chana Dal
- 2 tbsp Coriander Seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Pepper Corns
- 1/2 tsp Methi Seeds
- 5 Bydagi Chillies
- 2 tbsp Desiccated Coconut (Copra/Dried Coconut)
- 2 tbsp Fresh Grated Coconut
- 1/2 tsp Hing
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tbsp Oil
- A Few Curry Leaves
For Tamarind Pulp
- 1" Ball Tamarind (Alternative: 1 tbsp store-bought Tamarind Pulp)
For Tempering
- 1 tsp Oil
- 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 2 Dried Red Chillies
- A Few Curry Leaves
Other Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Tomato (Finely Chopped)
- Water as needed
- Salt to Taste
Instructions
Prepping the Cow Peas
- Wash 1/4 cup cow peas (black-eyed peas) well under running water.
- Soak the cow peas in 1 cup warm water for 30 mins.
- Drain all the water and set aside the soaked cow peas.
Cooking the Cow Peas and Tuvar Dal
- Mix together the soaked black-eyed peas, 1/4 cup Tuvar dal, and 1 cup water.
- Pressure cook the mix for 3 to 4 whistles till the dal and black-eyed peas are well cooked.
- Mix well with a ladle so that the dal gets mashed and some of the peas disintegrate.
Extracting the Tamarind Pulp
- Soak a 1" ball of tamarind in 1/4 cup warm water for 5 minutes.
- Mash the soaked tamarind well and squeeze to extract all the pulp.
- Discard the tamarind and save the tamarind water.
- Alternative Method: Dilute 1 tbsp readymade tamarind paste in 1/4 cup water.
Prepping the Ash Gourd
- Peel and deseed 1/2 kg Ash Gourd.
- Cut into 1" pieces.
Making the Masala
- In a heavy-bottomed kadhai, over medium flame, heat 1 tbsp oil.
- Add 1 tsp Udad Dal, 1 tsp Chana Dal, and 1/2 tsp Methi Seeds, and stir-fry till the dals are light golden brown.
- Now add 2 tbsp Coriander Seeds, 1/2 tsp Pepper Corns, and 1 tsp Cumin Seeds, and stir-fry till the coriander seeds start to change colour.
- Next add 4 or 5 Bydagi Chillies, 2 tbsp desiccated coconut powder (Copra/Dried Coconut), and a few curry leaves, and stir-fry for a few seconds.
- Turn off the heat.
- To the hot spices, add 2 tbsp grated coconut, 1/2 tsp Hing, and 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder, and mix well.
- Let the mix cool and then grind to a smooth paste with some water.
Making the Nalagri Huli
- In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat 1 tsp oil.
- Add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and 2 split dried red chillies, and stir-fry till the mustard seeds start to crackle.
- Now add a few curry leaves and stir-fry for a few seconds.
- Next add 1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes and stir-fry till the tomatoes are mushy.
- After the tomato pieces are well-cooked, add the ash gourd pieces and mix well.
- Now add 2 cups water and cook covered till the ash gourd pieces are translucent and well-cooked.
- When the ash gourd is well-cooked, add the cooked & mashed dal-cow peas and mix well.
- Add the ground masala and salt, and mix well.
- Now add the tamarind water and mix well.
- Add some water till the Nalagri Huli is of thick pouring consistency and mix well.
- Over medium flame, cook the Nalagri Sambar till it comes to a boil and let it boil for 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the Nalagri Huli rest for at least 10 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve the Nalagri Huli with steamed rice and papad.
Nutrition
Calories: 153 kcalCarbohydrates: 17 gProtein: 5 gFat: 8 gSaturated Fat: 3 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1 gMonounsaturated Fat: 4 gTrans Fat: 0.02 gSodium: 305 mgPotassium: 181 mgFiber: 5 gSugar: 2 gVitamin A: 459 IUVitamin C: 35 mgCalcium: 89 mgIron: 3 mg