Jackfruit Seeds Sambar (Halasina beejada huli)

I've always wanted to try to make this huli for a long time. Never had the courage to cook it as I knew it was a tedious job to peel the seeds & cook them. What made me think so, no idea. I've relished this as a child at home & also in marriage feasts. After getting the recipe from my mum here is the end product.

I'm sending this also to Deesha's South Indies - A Series on South Indian Cuisine.

Ingredients: -

20-25 Jack fruit seeds

1/2 cup toor dal

1/4 cup coconut gratings

2 tsp sambar powder (home made or bought)

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp tamarind paste

pinch of asafoetida

Salt

Oil / ghee

In addition to the above ingredients, you can also add fist full of Halsande Kalu or Dolichos beans while pressure cooking.

Method: -

1. Soak the seeds for an hour or so.

2. Try to peel the cream / white outer skin with fingers. If it peels easily, then you can go ahead. Else let them soak for few more minutes may be 15-20 minutes.

3. In a pressure cooker, cook toor dal with little salt & turmeric powder along with the peeled seeds.

4. Pressure cook till 4 -5 whistles. Seeds need to cook a few extra minutes.

5. In a blender, blend together sambar powder, tamarind paste & coconut gratings first without adding water. Then add water to get chutney consistency paste.

6. In a pan, pour the cooked toor dal & bring it to boil on a medium flame.

7. Then add the masala paste & cook for 5-6 minutes & remove from flame.

8. Prepare the seasoning by adding asafoetida & mustard seeds to a hot tsp of oil / ghee. When the seeds splutter, pour the seasoning over the sambar.

9. Serve hot with rice.