Basale Soppina Sambar or Malbar Spinach sambar recipe.
As I mentioned in my earlier sambar recipes, sambar or huLi is our staple side dish for everyday meal. We prepare the sambar in many different ways and with different vegetables. Each sambar is unique in its taste.
Basale soppu is loaded with vitamins, minerals, B complex. These Iron rich and calcium rich greens are very beneficial for kids and pregnant women. To have a balanced diet we have to include leafy green vegetables in our diet at least 3 to 4 times a week.
When you have mouth ulcers this is the one to chew on. This is the healing herb for the mouth ulcers. This Soppu has cooling effect on the body.
Here is the recipe to very delicious Malbar Spinach Sambar.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 to ¾ cup toor dal
• little turmeric powder
• ½ tsp oil
• 1 to 2 tsp Jaggery
• 1.5 tsp salt or salt to taste
• 2 to 3 cups of chopped basle soppu
• 1 onion (optional)
• 4 to 5 cup water
• small key lime size tamarind soaked in water

For Masala:

• 1 tbsp chana dal
• 6 to 8 byadagi red chillies
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds/dania
• ½ tsp jeera
• ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds/menthya
• 1/4 tsp oil
• Little more than ¼ cup grated coconut

For seasoning:

• 2 to 3 tsp oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• Little asafoetida/hing( for gluten free option skip Hing)
• 1 red chilli broken into pieces optional

Method:

1. 1/2 to 3/4 cup toor dal – wash and pressure cook in 1.5 cup water along with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp oil on medium heat for 1 to 2 whistles.
2. Wash and chop the basale soppu. If the stems are tender you can use that too.
3. Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a pan on medium heat, add chana dal,jeera,methi and red chillies
4. fry it until the dal turns golden brown, add coconut, mix it and turn off the heat.
5. Boil 1/2 cup water in a pan, add chopped basale and cook it until the leaves becomes tender. stir in between and add water if needed.
6. grind masala to coarse paste adding enough water.
7. It may take 5 to 6 minutes for the greens to cook.
8. Once the leaves are cooked, add chopped onion, masala paste, salt, squeeze the tamarind juice, jaggery, and mix it and allow it to boil for 5 to 6 minutes on medium heat.
9. After 5 to 6 minutes, add cooked dal, add enough water to get the right consistency. I have used around 3.5 cups of water altogether including the water used to cook the dal.
10. let it boil for 8 to 10 minutes turn off the heat.

Seasoning for the Basale sambar:

1. Heat the oil in a ladle for seasoning, once hot add hing, mustard seeds, after it sputters add red chilli and turn off the heat.
2. Pour it on the sambar. Sambar is ready to serve with rice…