Vendhaya Keerai Sambar / Methi Sambar / Menthi Kura Sambar Recipe – A healthy, delicious and vegan South Indian Sambar made with lentils, fresh fenugreek leaves and spices.
What is Sambar?
Sambar is a South Indian style thick, tangy and spicy lentil based vegetable stew. Traditionally, sambar has vegetables or leafy greens along with the cooked and mashed lentils. Sambar uses a special spice mix called Sambar Powder which gives a unique and authentic flavor to the dish. This dish is very popular in Srilankan Cusine as well.
What is Methi Sambar?
Methi Sambar or Vendhaya Keerai Sambar is another variation of the traditional sambar. As the name suggests, this recipe needs fresh fenugreek leaves instead of vegetables.
What are Fenugreek Leaves?
Fenugreek leaves are popular leafy greens across India. They are also known as Menthi Kura in Telugu, Menthya Soppu in Kannada, Methi in Hindi, Vendaya Keerai in Tamil and Uluva Cheera in Malayalam. Read more about fenugreek leaves here
If you are looking for more Methi Recipes then do check the below recipes:
What do you eat with Vendhaya Keerai Sambar?
It goes well with steamed rice, idli, idiappam and pongal.
How long can Methi Sambar be stored?
It can be stored up to 2 days in the refrigerator. This sambar freezes well for a couple of weeks.
Few More Sambar Recipes on the blog:
- Drumstick Moong Dal Sambar
- Spinach Sambar
- Kathirikai Sambar
- Mango Sambar
- Karamani Sambar
- Mullangi Sambar
- Thotakura Sambar
How to Make Vendhaya Keerai Sambar Recipe below:
Methi Sambar Recipe - Vendhaya Keerai Sambar Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Fenugreek Leaves or Methi Leaves
- ¼ cup Toor Dal
- 1 Tomato
- 1 Onion, large
- 2 tsp Sambar Powder
- 1 tbsp Grated Coconut Fresh or Dry
- Marble sized Tamarind Ball
- 1 to 2 tsp Jaggery
- Red Chilli Powder as needed (optional)
- 1 tsp Oil
- Salt to taste
For Seasoning
- ½ tsp Mustard Seeds
- ¼ tsp Cumin Seeds
- ⅛ tsp Hing
- 1 Dry Red Chilli
- 2 tsp Oil
Instructions
- Soak tamarind in water for some time. Squeeze and extract the juice from tamarind and set aside.
- Pressure cook the rinsed toor dal with turmeric and ½ cup of water for 3 whistles or until soft.
- Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and add the chopped onion and fenugreek leaves and saute for a few minutes.
- Then add the tomatoes and water to it. Cover and cook until the tomatoes are soft.
- Mash the cooked toor dal.
- Add the sambar, tamarind juice, salt, red chilli powder, mashed dal, jaggery and water (adjust to desired consistency). Let it boil for a few minutes.
- Now add the coconut and boil for 2 minutes.
- Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan for seasoning. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Add hing and red chilli and stir for a couple of seconds.
- Add this to the sambar and combine well.
- Serve hot with rice.
Nutrition values are estimates only.
I can eat that sambar with hot rice.. slurrp.
That's perfect for this chilly winters… i m having my dinner now at office and my curry is little less for the rice.. wish u were here hari
wow new type of sambhar…must try
wonderfully done healthy dish happy holidays to you and family
Lovely sambar..u have got a grt collection of sambars..will check it out 🙂
Perfect with rice,yummy sambar
Delicious and inviting sambar.
Deepa
Very flavorful and refreshing sambar.
very different sambar.. usually make sambar with drumstick leaves..:)
new recipe to me looks so yumm..