Ponnanganni Keerai Sambar Recipe

 Recently my MIL gave me a big bunch of Ponnanganni keerai from our Salem house backyard. It is known as Dwarf copper leaf Alternanthera sessilis) in English, ‎Gudari Sag in Hindi, ‎Ponnaganti Koora in Telugu, ‎Honagonne soppu in Kannada, ‎Kozuppa, Ponnankanni in Malayalam.There are two varieties available in the market. One is with green leaves called nattu ponnanganni and the other is with pink leaves called seemai ponnanganni. In this sambar recipe, I have used the one with pink leaves. This keerai has so many health benefits. Its very good for eyes, helps to reduce body heat, cures piles, head ache, asthma and many more. I prepared this sambar for rice following my MIL’s keerai sambar recipe. It tasted so good. We loved it very much more than Ponnanganni keerai poriyal or kootu. You too give a try. Lets see how to make Ponnanganni keerai sambar recipe with step by step pictures.

Do check out my Keerai sambar recipe, Keerai kootu, Arai Keerai masiyal.

Ponnanganni Keerai Sambar Recipe

Ponnanganni keerai sambar recipe for rice

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Sambar recipes

Serves: Serves 3-4

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 10 Minutes

Total time: 20 Minutes

Chitra Ganapathy

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 250ml Toor dal - 1/3 cup Ponnanganni keerai / Dwarf copper leaves - 1 cup Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp Cooking oil - 1 tsp Salt & Water - as needed Tamarind – Big gooseberry size To temper & saute Cooking oil / ghee - 1 tbsp Methi seeds - 1/8 tsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp Red chilli or green chilli - 2 nos ( Pinched into two) Big onion  or small onions - 1 no / 10 nos Curry leaves - Few Sambar powder - 1 tsp Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Asafetida / hing - 1/8 tsp

METHOD

1. Pluck the leaves of keerai and set aside.Soak tamarind in 1 cup of water.
2. In a pressure cooker base, heat 1 tsp of oil and saute the keerai for few minutes.
3. Add toor dal, turmeric powder, water and pressure cook everything for 2 whistles in very low flame.
4. Remove the lid after steam is released. Mash the dal well and set aside.
5. Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard seeds, methi , cumin seeds, red chillies. Saute big onion or small onion till transparent.
6. Add tamarind extract, sambar powder, turmeric powder, hing and salt. Boil till tamarind smell goes off.
7. Now add the cooked dal + keerai and boil for few minutes. Remove and transfer to a bowl.
8. Serve hot with plain rice adding few drops of ghee.

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash the keerai leaves and set aside. Soak tamarind in 1 cup of water and take the extract. Peel and slice onions. Heat oil in a pressure cooker with 1 tsp of cooking oil. Saute the leaves for one minute. Add toor dal, turmeric powder, few drops of cooking oil. Let it pressure cook in very low flame for 2 whistles. Remove the lid after the steam is released. Mash the dal using a whisk and set aside. Heat oil in a kadai and splutter methi seeds, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Saute red chilli or green chilli, curry leaves and onion. Saute till onion becomes transparent. Add 1 cup of tamarind extract, sambar powder, turmeric powder, salt and hing. Boil for few minutes till nice aroma comes. Now add the cooked dal + keerai. Mix well and boil for 3 minutes till the desired consistency is reached. Add more water based on the thickness of sambar. Switch off the flame and transfer the sambar to a bowl.Serve with plain rice adding few drops of ghee. Enjoy !

Note

You can replace sambar powder with 1 tsp of dhania powder + 1 tsp of red chilli powder. Adjust the quantity of keerai as you wish. I like to add more keerai in the sambar. Reduce the number of red chillies for less spicy sambar.

Try this healthy ponnanganni sambar for rice and enjoy !

 

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