A few weeks ago I recieved a treasure. Yes, a real honest to goodness treasure for a food obsessed cook like me!
You see, one of Cody’s co-workers, who is an Indian man from Hyderbad, found out that I love to cook and eat, and eat, and eat, so he generously gave us a copy of his family’s cookbook. And when I mean cookbook, I mean cook epic – it is more than 300 pages long!
It is not a published cookbook, but a compilation of all the family member’s favorite recipes and it spans generations and has every type of Indian dish you can think of. All of it vegetarian, most of it vegan. For those of you who know how much I love authentic, delectable Indian cuisine you can imagine how much swooning I did. (Hint: A lot!)
The book really is a treasure trove of recipes, some typed out more neatly than others, in all different fonts, and styles, some specific, some vague, but all of it, thankfully, in English. This was like a dream come true for me and I dove right in, poring over each entry, fantasizing about what I should make first. But, when it came right down to it, there was never any question. I’ve been craving Sambar lately, so Sambar it was.
Sambar is a Southern Indian lentil, potato, and vegetable stew with a sour and savory taste, filled with lime juice and lots of traditional Indian spices. It is incredible. I didn’t follow the family’s recipe exactly, you know me, I’m genetically incapable of following a recipe. I adapted it to suit my tastes and to fit the ingredients I could find here. But it is authentic and exceedingly delicious!
On the side I served up my famous Potato Vada. Imagine the perfection if you can – Indian spiced mashed potatoes, rolled into balls, dredged in a chickpea flour mixture, and fried. Crispy and salty on the outside and creamy and fluffy and spicy on the inside. There is nothing to compare.
And no Indian meal is complete without a piping hot stack of spicy roti to mop everything up with!
Sambar – feeds a hungry army!
(The recipe has many steps, but is simple and straightforward. Don’t be put off – if you devote an hour or two to making this dish, the rewards will come back tenfold. It is exquisite.)
1 1/2 cups green lentils
4 cups water
1/2 Tbsp coriander seeds
1 Tbsp black kalonji onion seeds
3 cloves garlic diced
10 fresh curry leaves (if you can’t find you could try subbing with several Tbsp of dried curry powder. Not the same at all, but close.)
2 tsp black mustard seeds
2 Tbsp vegan butter
1 Tbsp oil
3 chopped potatoes, leave the skins on
1 chopped onion
diced carrot
2 cans of chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp molasses
10 cups of water
Juice of 4 limes
1 cup cashews ground fine
Sambar Powder – 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp fenugeek, pinch of asafetida , lots of salt and pepper, pinch of red pepper flakes
2 cups frozen peas
2 cups frozen green beans
- To get started boil the lentils in the 3 cups of water with a hefty pinch of salt until they are completely soft and tender and falling apart
- While the lentils are cooking, in another pot begin the main part of the stew. In a HUGE soup pot on medium high heat saute the vegan butter, oil, coriander seed, mustard seed, kalonji onion seed, garlic, and curry leaves for about 5 minutes. Cover the pot with a lid to keep the mustard seeds from popping out!
- After 5 minutes add the chopped potatoes and onion and stir around to get coated with the spice/butter mixture. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the carrot, a very large pinch of salt and pepper, cook for another 5 minutes
- Add the tomatoes, molasses, and 10 cups water, bring up to heat till almost boiling and add the lime juice, ground up cashews, and sambar powder. Simmer for 20 minutes
- After 20 minutes add the peas and green beans and simmer for another 20 minutes
- Add the completely cooked and soft green lentils and cook for another 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Yes, they really are as good as they look. I nearly ate half the batch as I was setting up for the photo shoot!
For the recipe click here!
Spicy Roti
1 and 1/2 cups whole meal flour
1/2 cup gram (chickpea/besan) flour
1 and 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
3 Tbsp oil
1/4 – 1/2 cup water – until the batter comes together and is not sticky
- Combine everything into a dough, break off into small pieces, roll flat, fry in a frying pan on high heat till crisp and brown. Top with a bit of sea salt and devour!
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Oh my word, this indian feast looks amazing! I love, love, love indian food; especially home-cooked. Thank you for sharing the recipe! Can’t wait to try the sambar. You say you need a HUGE soup pot- any guidance as to how huge? The biggest pot I have only holds 2.4 litres. x
Huge as in gigantic!
I don’t think 2.4 litres will be big enough. But you can always just divide the recipe in half. This recipe makes a ton, and will feed even big eaters like us for days and days.
OH MY SWEET SWEET LORD.
Do you have room for a visitor from Ireland? I won’t take up space, I swear! I’ll do anything, all I ask is you feed me lots and lots of this food….
That looks so bloody amazing, I am sitting her drooling!! Another VV classic xx
Haha! Of course, I always have room for visitors! So glad you like the recipe!
my heart is and always has been in indian food…i love it…the spices, the grains, the legumes…the everything…
you are so lucky, and it is such a well deserved treasure!!!
i’ll enjoy drooling over everything you make and photograph!!
=)
Looks delicious! I’ll have to wait until it cools off to make it though because my air conditioning is not nearly sufficient to keep me even semi-comfortable while making a vat of steaming stew.
Also, what is whole meal flour? I’ve been seeing that around and I’m not sure what it means…
You’re so lucky to have received that cookbook. I hope you discover lots of new favorites in there! The sambar looks and sounds heavenly — can’t wait to try it. We have some very enthusiastic eaters in our family.
Yay! Enthusiastic eaters are the best!
bookmarked!!
YUM! I love Indian flavors and spices ; )
yahoo you did it again!!!!!
*drool* this looks soooo good!! Those potatoe things make me drool just thinking about it! haha 
Thanks for sharing!!
Wow, you do this to me everytime! I don’t know if its the heat or these pictures thats making me faint!
When we lived in France one of TWO restaurants in the entire city was an Indian restaurant and Id say the best Ive ever eaten at! Indian food, mind you, is really, really expensive in France though so Johann taught himself a few tricks! Onion Bahji is my favorite appetizer…Yumm..I need to eat lunch!!
Indian cuisine is my absolute favorite! I have always wanted to learn to make Sambar, so thanks so much for sharing. Looks like I will have to stock up in the spice department first though!
I have a well stocked pantry but even I had to make a trip to the grocery store. But it’s so worth it, I love Indian food so much I’ll be cooking with these spices for a long time to come.
Oh god, I am so jealous! I am a total nerd for authentic cookery, and I have my fingers crossed that we’ll see more recipes from your new cookbook in the future. In the meantime, everything looks amazing, and though I somehow missed those potato vada before, I am not going to make the same mistake twice
This is amazing! Yummy!
Your blog is phenomenal. Day in, day out, you not only post absolutely scrumptious dishes (my mouth is now salivating), but you also communicate with your readers in the friendliest, warmest and most engaging of ways. Thank you for being devoted to us…in turn, efforts have produced piles,mounds,clusters (trying to come up with food descriptions, not “army”) of devoted voracious followers. Thank you!
Awww, Paula, thank you so much! You are so kind. My readers really are the best, and you are the perfect example! Have a great day.
What an awesome gift! I think a unpublished book of cherished family recipes is way cooler than a mass-marketed cookbook. You have something totally original! And I LOVE SAMBAR! I didn’t realize it was so complicated to make, but I know the amazing taste is worth it.
oh my god. you are STOKED! what a great gift. indian food is definitely one of the most amazing cuisines ever. And sambar is so spectacular. Thanks for sharing the recipe! We had a great South Indian spot here in town which recently closed down and I miss it so much. I guess now I’ll have to make my own sambar and dosas and uttapam. yum yum!
Oh wow…that truly IS a treasure! I am so jealous–I LOVE Indian food! Thank you for sharing the recipe with us
I hope you make many more delicious Indian meals from the cookbook. And that you share them on the blog with your readers, lol!
Courtney
A family cookbook, what a lovely score! I loved that you wrote “feeds an army”…that’s how those recipes are, there is nothing precise, i.e. “yields 4 cups”…no, feeds an army is more like it
xoxo
Hi Tasha! I love your blog and it’s helped me transition to veganism a lot. I am however, in need of some advice. How do you negotiate eating at other (non-vegan) people’s homes? It’s very hard for me because almost everything people make uses animal products, so spontaneously deciding to eat somewhere can never happen and people get offended.
Thanks so much, it is great to hear that!
And good question, Mel! When I eat at other’s homes I always offer to bring something. And I make sure it is the tastiest vegan dish I can think of. And I bring enough so that everyone can have plenty. That way I know I’ll have something to eat, and it is a great opportunity to show how delicious and tasty vegan food can be.
If they invite me spontaneously without knowing I’m vegan or without any time for me to prepare food, I kindly and gently explain that I am vegan and then when we are at their home I just completely don’t focus on the food. I tell them I’m not hungry, and beg them not to go out of their way. Then I just enjoy their company! Food doesn’t have to be the focus of the event.
When people ask me over a meal WHY I am a vegan I keep the answer honest, but short and sweet. “I love animals too much to kill them and eat them.” If they continue to ask questions, I will answer all of their questions perfectly honestly, but I don’t push the subject too much while they are eating. Believe me, I WANT to, but I find the information goes over better when they aren’t sitting in front of their food because they are less defensive.
I have never had a problem with eating at other people’s homes while vegan, but that is mainly for 2 reasons.
1. I am a homebody, so when I do choose to go out it’s got to be good, which means I have to really, REALLY like the people. That means they already know and respect my choices, and in many cases, are already vegan or veggie, or willing to eat that way with me and enjoy it.
2. When it gets right down to it I honestly don’t care if I offend people. A lot of times people go out of their way to be rude and hateful when they find out I’m vegan. It’s a myth that vegans are the obnoxious ones. So, if someone is going to be so incredibly thoughtless and classless about my food choices, why should I really think twice if they are offended just because I don’t want to eat animals???
Mel, if people get offended by the fact that you choose to eat vegan, may I suggest that they might not be the greatest people to be spending time with? It’s not like you are screaming in their face! If you kindly and clearly explain your reasons and they still feel upset and bothered, then why waste your time? Obviously, I understand if it is work related, or family related (oh god can that be hell) but other than that?
I really hope I helped out and gave you some food for thought. Let me know what you think! Thanks again.
Hi Tasha! Your blog looks great as usual! Not sure if you remember me, but I used your vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe (and it was amazing!) on my blog.
I’ve linked to you on my blog and would really appreciate it if you wouldn’t mind doing the same for me. Thanks so much and keep the posts coming!
Hi Zak! I’m so glad you liked the cookie recipe.
I’m so sorry, I thought I had linked to your blog. My blogroll sometimes ‘overflows’ and blogs get bumped off. You have been added this time for sure. Thanks for all that you do, keep up the good work!
Mmmm…how nice of that man. Everything looks fantastic!
When I click on the link for the Potato recipe it will not go =( any idea what months archives that is in? I also enjoyed your advice for Mel. I will be going out of town soon to visit family and I know it will be very hard for them (and me)! I have been vegetarian for 15 years but only vegan for a few months and there are just animal products in things that I did not even know about! I guess for those few days I will just eat lots of fruits and salads and maybe do a little grocery shopping while I am there! Who knows maybe I can even come up with some yummy vegan meal and cook for everyone while I am there!
Here is the link for the potato vada -
http://thevoraciousvegan.com/2009/08/06/birthday-bonanza-channa-masala-with-potato-vada-and-puri/
I hope that works for you!
Good luck when you are visiting your family. Going shopping and cooking a great vegan meal is a fantastic idea. Let me know how that goes!
That roti looks totally legit!
I want to come over for dinner, now! I once tried a sambar recipe I wasn’t very impressed with. This looks a thousand times better.
I made this sambar for dinner tonight and it was incredible! I’ve been feeling very uninspired lately food-wise and this really turned things around. I wish you would post the entire recipe book!
YAY! I’m so glad you liked it, thank you very much for letting me know. I will definitely post all the recipes I make – the book is enormous!
OMG I cannot wait to try out the potato vada! It looks incredible. Unfortunately however, the link didn’t work for me! Am I doing something wrong?? I would really love to try that recipe out.
Thanks,
KC
Just made everything in this post. First time in a long time I have tried to follow a recipe. It turned out so great, thank you so much for the recipes! I keep looking over at the full serving dishes and wanting to stuff more in my mouth, but I’m so full it hurts
YAY! Thank you so much, I’m glad you liked it.