Slow Cooker Sambhar w/Farm Fresh Veggies

On a recent Wednesday afternoon I was doing what I’m fabulous at – procrastinating. I was huddled over my laptop at my kitchen table desperately typing away what would be a 700-word piece on last-minute Christmas shopping (how appropriate) for the Chicago Sun-Times. I had it all done in my head and that’s why I could still be typing away at noon when the piece needed to be in by midday. As I started some deep breathing exercises, arranged my notes and started typing there was a hard, fast knock at my door.

“Yes?” I asked a little too loudly as I pulled the door open in my workout clothes – a flimsy tank top and running pants. The wind had kicked up and was pushing its way in along with the snow that was starting to build. I figured it would take only a second to get rid of the likely neighborhood snow shoveler. I was irritated – very irritated. I was on deadline and needed to get going with my writing.

The first thing I noticed as I wedged open the door with my left foot was the greenish, grey box propped on the edge of the porch – and a delivery guy smiling through my foul – self-imposed mood.

“Hi. I’ve got your first delivery from Irv & Shelly’s Fresh Picks,” he said. “I’ll be the one making deliveries to you every week.”

Ahhhh….the lightbulb went off and I asked him in. A week before I’d signed up – after 10 years of thinking about it – to get a fresh, weekly delivery of locally grown seasonal vegetables – mostly organic. I had been looking for a place to try for years and finally through a friend decided to give Irv & Shelly’s Fresh Picks a try. They’re a Niles, IL-based operation that makes a commitment to fresh, local eating.

What I loved most about the veggies and delivery was the transparency of the organization. Each delivery comes with two sheets – one lists all the produce included in the order along with a description of it and the farm where it is from. The other lists quick cooking tips.

So, here’s what we got: parsnips, squash, Gold Turnips (well – the largest one I’ve every seen), cabbage, red onions (a little sharp but the crunchiest I’ve ever eaten), red potatoes, celeriac (celery root), carrots (with fresh dirt still encrusted in the crevices), portabella mushrooms and green beans (from California – but so crunchy my girls ate them raw).

I know from experience that if you want your kids to eat veggies you’ve got to first bring them into the house. Second – try showing your kids how they are grown and explain why they’re actually important for our bodies and likely you’ll see them respond positively.

Neha and Aria were both dancing around me as I carried the big plastic sac heavy with veggies and put it on the kitchen counter. Neha kept screaming, “Mom…we love vegetables. Thank you sooo much!” Yes, sounds contrived – but if you knew my girls you’d get it. They love their veggies to the point where I have to demand they stop eating them and start working on other things on their plates. It’s not because they’re naturally good eaters. I’ve spent 7 years with Neha and 4 years working on Aria. It’s hard hard work but it’s worth it.

We took some of the suggestions and sauteed the parsnips. Neha was sooooo excited to try her first parsnip. And it’s so much fun to say: parsnip parsnip parsnip. Aria ate all the carrots – so crunchy and fresh they just snapped when I tried splitting them with my two hands.

But, I had a whole box to get through. Most people would be perplexed how to get through so many veggies. How often do we buy root vegetables let alone really cook them up on a consistent basis? And when do we use them for much of anything else but a squash in a soup here or there?

Well, if you’re Indian you know exactly how to tackle the box. Why? Because we’ve grown up eating all of those incredible nutrients in various spiced dishes from dry to curried.

So, I got to thinking. Why not make my favorite South Indian lentil-based dish -Sambhar- and try it with these amazing fresh-from-the-farm vegetables? The results folks – hands down phenomenal!

This is a slow cooker recipe - which is the basis of my first cookbook out in the Fall 2010, but you can just as easily make it on the stovetop. The key with the slow cooker is that you can leave it and go.

I’m also including a recipe for your own Sambhar Masala. It is worth trying because it’s so much better homemade.

I know some of the spices may seem foreign to you, but be patient. Send me your questions – find a local Indian grocery store or go to your local Whole Foods and you’ll be good to go. The fresh curry leaf is key to this dish, so try to get some at an Indian grocer. Don’t use dried – it’s of no taste value.

And my advice to all of you folks – especially parents – don’t wait 10 years like I did to sign onto such a great service. Do it now and if you’ve got kids – get started teaching them – not just about the dish you’ve made – but all the ingredients that have gone into it. Let them try bits of veggies you cut up along the way. Squeeze a little bit of lemon juice and sprinkle salt on radishes and crunchy cabbage. Be fearless in the kitchen and likely your kids will follow suit.

It’s working on my kids – it can work with yours too. I promise!

South Indian Pigeon Peas and Vegetable Stew
Sambhar
Cooker: 4 or 5-quart medium
Setting and Cooking Time: high for 11 hours total, makes 17 cups (4 L)

(my food, but pictures by Zhao Photography/Eat A Duck I Must!)

This is one of the most popular South Indian lentil stews. Traditionally, it is eaten for breakfast or lunch with steamed idlis or large paper-thin savory crepes called dosas. My friends and family are still amazed that I can make this dish taste so authentic coming from a slow cooker – but I’ve done it many times over.

You can make this with store bought sambhar masala but I guarantee if you make the masala mix yourself you will never ever go back.

2 cups (473 mL) dried toovar dal, washed thoroughly
1 large yellow or red onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium tomato, coarsely chopped
2-3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium russet, Yukon Gold or red potato, peeled and chopped
1 medium daikon, peeled and cut into 2 ½ – inch strips
1 small turnip, peeled and chopped
5-6 dried red chilies
2 heaping tablespoons (30 mL) tamarind paste
3 – 4 heaping tablespoons (50 – 59 mL) sambhar masala (see below)
3 tablespoons (50 mL) salt
11 cups (2.6 L) water
2 tablespoons (30 mL) vegetable or canola oil
1 tablespoon (15 mL) black mustard seeds
10-15 fresh curry leaves

Put toovar dal (a yellowish, split and skinned lentil) and water in slow cooker and cook on high for 8 hours.

At this point, the dal will start to break down. Add onion, tomato, carrots, potato, daikon, turnip, dried red chilies, tamarind paste, sambhar masala, and salt to slow cooker and cook for another 3 hours. (Tamarind paste is sticky and difficult to get off the measuring spoon. I take the paste on the spoon and dip it into the hot liquid to clean the spoon off. Just dry it off before putting back into the tamarind paste and repeating.)

You can substitute other vegetables as well as long as together they measure about 8 cups. I’ve used string beans, okra, eggplant, cauliflower, parsnips and small pearl onions. South Indians also use a long, green vegetable called a drumstick, which is rarely found fresh in the U.S. but can be found in cans at well-stocked Indian grocers.

At the very end of cooking, heat oil on medium-high on the stovetop. Once it begins to smoke slightly, add mustard seeds and cook until they pop. Use a lid to cover the seeds while they are popping. Add curry leaves and cook 1-2 minutes until slightly browned. Mix constantly and be careful not to burn. Add mixture to the slow cooker very carefully as the hot oil may splash once it hits the liquid.

Serve with idli, dosa or rice. My kids often enjoy as a nourishing soup.

Try This! If you won’t be home to add the vegetables, just put everything into the slow cooker at one time (except the oil, mustard seeds, and curry leaves). The sambhar will taste the same, but the lentils won’t quite break down completely. A small price to pay for convenience!

To make in the 3 ½ quart slow cooker, cut all ingredients in half and follow above steps. Makes 8 – 10 cups (1.89 – 2.37 L).

To make on the stovetop follow above steps in a large pot on the stovetop. After the water and dal start to boil, turn to low and let the dish simmer for about 4 hours and up to 8 hours. Keep adding water if you need to as on the stovetop it will evaporate more than in a slow cooker. The base should have a soup-like consistency.

Note: The absolute best sambhars are made with homemade masala. I put off trying to make it most of my life thinking there was a secret to it that was beyond my grasp. I found it’s actually not hard at all! Make a batch and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Sambhar Masala:
I love this recipe from the moment I tried it from Raghavan Iyer’s 600 Curries.

½ cup (118 mL) firmly packed medium-large fresh curry leaves
½ (118 mL) cup dried red Thai or cayenne chilies
¼ cup (59 mL) yellow split peas (chana dal)
¼ cup (59 mL) coriander seeds
2 tablespoons (30 mL) cumin seeds
1 tablespoon (15 mL) fenugreek seeds
1 tablespoon (15 mL) black or yellow mustard seeds
1 tablespoon (15 mL) white poppy seeds
2 cinnamon sticks (each four inches (10 cm) long), broken into pieces
1 tablespoon (15 mL) unrefined sesame oil or canola oil

Combine all spices in a bowl. Drizzle oil over mixture and mix well.

Put mixture in a skillet pre-heated on medium high. Stir constantly until you see the curry leaves brown and curl up and the other spices brown. About 3 – 4 minutes.

Immediately put mixture in a plate to cool for about 20 minutes. Once cool, grind in a coffee grinder reserved for spices. Store in an air-tight container for up to 2 months.

Try This! Enjoy this masala sprinkled on popcorn for an Indian twist to family movie nights.