Dosakaya Pulusu - Andhra style Sambar With Yellow Cucumber

 

I was born and brought up in Hyderabad. I love traditional Andhra recipes.I was grown up getting used to both Tamil and Telugu cuisines.My mother is a great cook and used to cook lovely food for us.One such dish is this pulusu.Today,I was having a sudden urge of having some different sambar and then the thought struck me about pulusu.Unlike Tamil sambar,this pulusu is less thick and light.To my surprise,my husband(who is from Chennai) loved it!!

INGREDIENTS:

1) Thoor dhal cooked and mashed - 1/2 cup
2) Dosakai cut into chunks and cooked(save the broth) - 1/2 cup
3) Onions cut into chunks - 1/2 cup
4) Sambar powder - 11/2 tsp
5) Coriander powder - 1tsp
6) Red chilly powder - 1tsp
7) Turmeric powder - 1tsp
8) Tamarind extract - 2tblsp or 1/4th cup
9) Curry leaves - few
10) Green chilly - 1
11) Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
12) Salt to taste
13) Sugar or jaggery - 1tsp
14) For tempering:
a)mustard seeds - 1tsp
b)cumin seeds - 1tsp
c)fenugreek seeds - few
d)hing - little
e)oil - 2tblsp

In a pot,add oil and saute the above tempering ingredients.Add onions and fry till it becomes translucent.Then,add the cooked dosakai along with its broth.Allow it to boil for a minute or two.Now,add the tamarind pulp and other spices along with curry leaves and green chilly.Bring it to a boil or wait for lovely aroma to come.This is when you add the cooked dhal to the sambar.Add salt and sugar now.See to that,the consistency of the sambar is little watery and light,not thick.Cook for 5 more mins and switch off the stove.

Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.

Yummy pulusu is ready!!! Tastes great with hot steaming rice with ghee,served with any fried curry and papad.

Note: Any vegetable can be used if you do not wish to use dosakai.But,I feel dosakai,sorakai(bottle gourd),vendakai(ladies finger or okra),gives a great taste to this sambar.Can even add tomatoes to the sambar.