Soppina Saaru | Soppu Saaru
a traditional Karnataka style dish made with seasonal greens, cooked lentils, anda subtly spiced coconut masala.
Ingredients
- ½ cup of masoor dal or tuvar dal
- 3 cups of mixed greens – methi, palak, dill leaves and red amaranth
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 2 green chillies, chopped
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp jaggery powder
- salt to taste
For masala paste
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 red Kashmiri chillies
- ¼ cup fresh coconut
- 6 to 7 cloves of garlic
- a marble sized ball of tamarind
For tempering
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ¼ tsp asafoetida (hing)
- 2 cloves of garlic with skin, crushed
Instructions
- Wash and soak masoor dal for 15 minutes.
- Drain the water and transfer soaked dal to a pressure cooker.
- Add chopped tomato, green chillies, turmeric powder, salt and 1 ½ cups of water.
- Pressure cook the dal for 3 to 4 whistles.
- Open the pressure cooker once the steam escapes completely. Keep cooked dal aside.
- For the masala paste, heat a pan and add coriander seeds,cumin seeds, dry red chillies and black pepper.
- Roast the spices on low heat for few seconds. Allow the roasted ingredients to cool down.
- Transfer the roasted ingredients to a mixer jar. Add coconut, garlic and tamarind. Add little water and blend to a fine paste.
- Wash the leafy greens and chop them.
- Transfer the chopped greens to a pan. Add ½ cup water.
- Close the pan and cook for 7 to 10 minutes on low heat.
- Once the greens are cooked,add the masala paste and cooked dal.
- Add salt and jaggery powder. Mix well. Add around half a cup of water or as required to adjust the consistency. Bring it to a boil .
- For the tempering heat oil in a small pan.
- Add mustard seeds, crushed garlic and asafoetida. Once they start spluttering, pour the tempering into the Saaru.
- Serve hot with Ragi Mudde or rice or jowar rotis.