Navarathri sambar is a favorite in Chellam’s household. Be it Vishu, Navarathri, Diwali, Onam,or a Friday during Aadi masam,it’s mandatory that Navarathri sambar be prepared. The sambar or Pulinkari (that’s the original name) was and is been prepared during Navarathri in Puthucode, a small village in Kerala. Puthucode is my maternal grandmother’s native. Goddesses Annapoorneswari is the presiding deity of Puthucode. White pumpkin,red pumkin and yam are the veggies used in the pulinkari. It is told that, the whole vegetable is dropped on the ground, and the broken pieces were just cooked as big pieces and not cut into small pieces. Prepare the Pulinkari which tastes different from sambar and relish it with hot rice and olan as prepared during Navarathri in Puthucode.
Ingredients
White pumpkin–1 cup, cut into big cubes
Red pumpkin— 1 cup cut into big cubes
Yam —- 1/2 cup, cut into big cubes
Tuvar dal — 3/4 cup
Tamarind —- a big lemon size
Coconut —- 3/4 cup
Raw rice — 2 tablespoons
Methi seeds — 1/2 teaspoon
Dry red chili — 1
Green Chili — 4
Jaggery —- 1 tablespoon
Turmeric pwd — 1/2 teaspoon
Salt —- 1 1/2 teaspoon
Sesame oil —- 1 teaspoon
Few curry leaves.
