Balekai Kodilu | Raw Banana Sambar ~ Udupi Style Sambar ~ Simple Delicious Food Recipes

For the third day of Indian States, under BM#56, Buffet on Table, I am going to give you a feast from the Udupi Cuisine. Of all the cuisines of Karnataka, Udupi Cuisine is very famous and renowned for its vegetarian feast.

As you all might know already, I am very fond of Indian Thalis and have eagerly lapped on reading different Indian Thalis. Sometime back NDTV Food featured Top 10 Udupi dishes and ever since then I have been wanting to make a Udupi Thali myself.

Another reason was, Padma got me Jackfruit Appalam/Pappad from her visit to Udupi. As she was travelling and visiting Krishna Temple, she was sharing the pictures and I was so taken in by them. That also made me decide that I ought to cook Udupi Thali. Ever hear of a papad leading to a thali? Well if you taste the Jackfruit appalam, you will agree on it.

One fine day, I finally sat down to pick up my Udupi menu. I knew I will not be able to prepare the elaborate and complete Thali. However I wanted to make sure that I picked up atleast one of the items listed in their elaborate menu. I saw this list and went ahead deciding.

Even before I knew about the Udupi Menu, I knew their Sambar was famous and wanted to make it. However from the Udupi Recipes site, I couldn't identify which was sambar. After hours of reading, I finally understood, it's called as Koddelu! I was reading about the Gulla Bolu Huli. I was having problems understanding the different regional words used. I am hoping I ended up with an authentic sambar, no matter how much I understood!

Another surprise element was reading that coconut being predominately used in Udupi Cuisine as well. So when a Sambar is prepared without coconut, it is called "Bol Koddel". As the natives think without coconut, the sambar is plain.

The Bol Koddel can be prepared in two ways. One using the Udupi Sambar powder, another without the sambar powder. Since I was anyway going to the full measurement, I went ahead to prepare Udupi Sambar podi as well.

The vegetables that you can use in the Sambar can be Yellow Pumpkin, Eggplant, Beans, Carrot, Raw Banana, Ash gourd, Yellow cucumber (mangalore southe), Ladies finger, etc. However the most preferred vegetable is the Brijal or Eggplant (Gulla in Tulu). I read that even cabbage and red amaranth leaves can be used.

Eggplant Bolu Huli is also a speciality at the Shri Krishna temple (Commonly known as Krishna mutt) of Udupi. Devotees from all over the country, throng the temple for this 'prasadam', served during lunch. I read about an interesting story on this variety of Eggplant that is locally grown. I was so glad I landed here as I enjoyed the visual treat this blogger has on her blog!

We also get a green variety of brinjal, however I couldn't procure it on the day I was cooking. So I decided on Raw Plantain.

This is part of the Udupi Thali

How to plan and prepar Udupi Lunch Menu, has details on how I went about preparing the thali,

As I have said in the beginning, my representative of any of the regional cuisines is not complete by any means. I have picked up dishes that I could make and knew my family will like. The choices and dishes that will be part of any thali is beyond my aspiration to cook and enjoy in one sitting!

Raw Banana Sambar

Ingredients Needed

Raw Plantain / Banana - 1

Toor dal - 3/4 cup

Tamarind - lemon sized ball

Jaggery - Big lemon sized

Turmeric powder a pinch

Green chillies- 2

Udupi sambar Powder- 3 tsp

Curry leaves- 1 strand

Coriander leaves handful

Asafoetida - Chickpea size

For Seasoning

Mustard seeds - 1tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Red chilly - 1

Curry leaves handful

Oil - 2 tsp

How to make the Raw Banana Sambar

Wash and Pressure cook Toor dal till soft. I cooked for 3 whistles, and added the banana pieces and cooked for another whistle.

Once the pressure falls, add tamarind extract, chopped green chilies, hing, jaggery, salt, Udupi Sambar podi and enough water to get the required consistency.

Finally add the coriander leaves and bring to boil.

Meanwhile in a smaller tempering pan, heat oil, add the tempering ingredients and when done, pour on the simmering sambar.

Remove and serve with Steamed Rice.