Of aromatic spices and traditions

BY HARINI PRAKASH ON 01 13TH, 2011

Shallot Sambar. Photo by Harini Prakash

One of the things I consider a loss in the process of development is old world charm and the deterioration of traditional practices that admittedly, made life a little more complex in terms of labour, but definitely made the taste of food more rewarding.  One such practice is the use of the good old stone grinder (chakki) every family had in their kitchen or their backyards back in the ’60s and ’70s.

Every morning it was the grating rhythm of the pestle against the mortar that would beckon me in to the kitchen even when I was as young as eight.  My mother would rhythmically gather the coarsely crushed spices and coconut with her fingers, pushing them further into the center of the rolling stone and run the obelisk-shaped stone (pestle) hard against them to bring out the flavour that would eventually become an aromatic smooth paste. There was a charm about the movement of the hands, the sounds of the stone as it went round and round that one cannot describe or enjoy while grinding in a mixer. Since we were constantly moving homes each year, my mother soon did away with our small black grinding stone and replaced it in the late ’70s with a ‘Sumeet mixie’.

Stone grinders help retain the flavour of spices with the least amount of chemical changes.  The metallic blades in electric blenders and grinders move at high speeds which means that the spices get heated up and air gets incorporated into the paste as they are ground, causing subtle chemical changes.  But, that is one of the many small sacrifices we make to lead a more simple life!  I still have a mortar and pestle but it is just used for powdering spices in small quantities.

One of the most common items that we used the stone grinders was for making sambar.  There is an easy version that can be made with store bought ‘sambar powder’ but the one I am posting today, made with fresh ground spice paste is a total knock out, making all the difference to the main dish.  Sambar, a spicy concoction of fresh coconut with ground masala teamed with idli, dosa or just plain steamed rice and some dry roasted vegetables on the side makes a spectacular meal!

Here is the authentic recipe handed down by my mother to me and from me to you.

Shallots sambar
Time taken: 30 minutes, inclusive of time needed for grinding the masala

Ingredients:

Part I
For the spice paste:

– 1/8 tsp oil.
– 3 tsp coriander seeds
– 1 ½ tsp Bengal gram / Chana dal
– 5 dry red chilies (3 if using spicy variety)
– ¼  tsp (leveled) fenugreek seeds /methi dana (increasing this will make the sambar bitter)
– 3 tbsp freshly-grated coconut
A generous pinch of asafoetida /hing powder

Part II
Ingredients for the gravy:

– A lime-sized ball of tamarind
– A cup of shallots, skinned
– ½ cup tuvar dal or pigeon peas, cooked well

Part III

Seasoning:– 1 tsp. sesame oil
– 1 tsp. mustard seeds– 2-3 red chillies
– A sprig of curry leaves

Method:

Spice Paste:
Heat a wok or small pan with the oil. When just hot, roast the daal until it turns pink. Set aside. Roast all the other ingredients separately, in turns; the chilies should turn dark, the fenugreek seeds should turn a shade of dark brown, and the asafoetida should smell aromatic but not burnt.

Mix the roasted ingredients with fresh coconut well and grind with enough water (about ¼ cup to ½ cup) to form an almost smooth paste. Set aside and proceed with the next step.

Gravy:
Extract the tamarind juice, using not more than a cup of water.

Sauté the shallots in a teaspoon of oil until it turns shiny and translucent, about 4 minutes on a low flame. Add the tamarind extract, a little salt and turmeric powder and until it starts to boil. You may add a little bit of water if needed. Cook until the shallots are cooked through. Transfer to another vessel.

Mash the cooked pulses roughly with the back of a ladle and add to the shallots.

Add the ground spice paste. Adjust the quantity of water to bring to the consistency of a thick soup.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from the flame.

Heat a wok or small pan with 1/2 tsp. sesame oil. Add some mustard seeds followed by rest of the seasonings and let it splutter, the way you would with a baghar. Pour over the sambar.

If preferred, a few coriander leaves may be chopped and added for aroma but it is not a traditional addition.

Serve with idli, dosa or plain steamed rice and a dry vegetable dish.

Harini Prakash aka Sunshinemom, is an amateur vegan food writer and photographer who is always keen to learn more. She blogs at: TONGUE TICKLERS