Cheera Sambhar is a vegetable stew or chowder based on a broth made with tamarind and pigeon peas and of course as the name suggests Cheera or Red Spinach. This is a variation of the authentic Sambhar served in the southern regions of India especially in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Each of these states in South India prepares it with a typical variation suitable to its taste and environment. You can check my Kerala sambhar recipe here.
Sambhar is a perfect accompaniment for many South Indian meals like rice, idli, dosa etc. Here I am sharing a simple version of sambhar cooked with red spinach as its main ingredient.
Ingredients
- 2 bunches Red Spinach
- 3-4 cups Mixed Vegetables cut into medium sized pieces (I’ve used 1 potato, 1 carrot, 2 drumsticks, 1/2 plantain, 1 tomato, 5 beans and a few pieces of brinjal)
- ½ cup Sambhar Parippu / Tuvara Parippu / Pigeon peas
- 1 medium Sliced Onion
- 2 nos. Green chillies, slit
- ½ tsp. Turmeric powder
- Tamarind, gooseberry sized ball
- 2 tsp. Coriander leaves, chopped
- 3 tbsp. Sambhar Powder
- ½ tsp. Mustard Seeds
- 2 nos. Red Chillies
- Curry Leaves, a sprig
- ¼ cup Shallots or Pearl Onions, diced
- Asafoetida, a pinch
- 3 tbsp. Oil
- Water, as needed
- Salt, as needed
Method
- Wash and chop the red spinach.
- In a pressure cooker, add the diced vegetables and dal along with salt and 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder and cover the pan and pressure cook on medium flame up to 2 whistles. (For pressure cooking, add enough water so as to cover the vegetables).
- Add the chopped red spinach to the pressure cooked vegetables and continue cooking.
- Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water for some time, squeeze and take the extract from it. Keep aside.
- When the dal, red spinach leaves and vegetables are done, remove the lid of the pressure cooker and add in the tamarind juice. Stir and simmer on low flame for some more time and add more salt if needed.
- Mix in the sambhar powder and boil for 2 minutes on low flame.
- If the sambhar is too thick, add some water to adjust the consistency.
- Add chopped coriander leaves and sprinkle asafoetida powder and simmer for 2 more minutes. Remove from flame and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a wok and allow mustard seeds to splutter.
- Add shallots, red chillies and curry leaves and fry for a minute.
- Now pour the sambhar to the wok and mix well for a few minutes. Remove from flame and keep aside.
- Enjoy yummy cheera (spinach) sambhar hot with boiled rice, idli or dosa.