Kalakose Cooker Sambar - Brussels Sprouts Sambar

KALAKOSE COOKER SAMBAR 

Dibs had bought Kalakose / Brussels Sprouts along with various other colourful and healthy looking vegetables from  Paddy Market. The baked kalakose she prepared was delicious with a crisp exterior and a soft luscious interior.

TO BAKE KALAKOSE:

1. Wash 500 gms of  kalakose thoroughly and halve them.
2. Rub them evenly with a tablespoon of olive oil.

3. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of salt and 3/4 tsp of crushed pepper and toss well.

Kalakose

4. Spread out the prepared klakose on a flat baking tray in a single layer.

5. Bake in a preheated oven (200 degrees centigrade) for about 25 minutes till it starts  becoming crisp and brown.

Baked Kalakose

My mind went 50 years down memory lane while I relished the baked Brussels Sprouts. 

My beloved paternal aunt was a super cook. She was the first to bring in 'non traditional' vegetables into our kitchen where we always cooked traditional food with only 'traditional ingredients' and 'traditional vegetables'! Sarasu Athai purchased 'English vegetables' from Russell Market and with her magical touch converted them into super delicious innovative as well as conventional dishes. Her Kalakose Sambar was one of them, the taste of which still lingers in my mouth. 
I used a pressure cooker to prepare kalakose sambar for convenience.
INGREDIENTS:

Brussels sprouts /Kalakose - 10 
Fresh Fenugreek leaves / Menthya Keerai (chopped) - 1/2 cup 

Tomato - 1 big ( chopped ) 

Split yellow pigeon peas/ Tuvar dal - 1/2 cup 

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch 

Tamarind - Marble size 

Salt - 2 tsps 

Sambar Powder - 2 tsps 

Sesame oil - 2 tsps 

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp 

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp 

Red Chillies ( broken) - 2 

Asafoetida - 1 pinch 
Curry leaves - a few 

Fresh grated coconut - 2 tbsps
Jaggery - 1/2 ts
METHOD 

1. Wash Tuvar dal and keep soaked for half an hour. 

2. Remove the loose outer leaves if any and wash the Kalakose in running water. 

3. Soak tamarind in warm water and extract a thick juice. 

4. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the mustard seeds. 

5.When the mustard seeds splutter add the fenugreek seeds and fry till golden in colour. 

6. Add broken red chillies and asafoetida. 

7. Add curry leaves and the chopped fenugreek leaves after the chillies turn crisp, and saute till you get a pleasant aroma and switch off flame. 

8. Add the soaked dal, tamarind extract, jaggery, turmeric powder, salt, sambar powder, coconut, chopped tomatoes and the Kalakose to the seasoning and stir well. 

9. Add 2 1/2 cups of water. 

Ingredients in the cooker

 

10. Cook till the cooker gives out three whistles (After first whistle, turn flame to medium from high) and switch off flame. 

11. Remove when the pressure subsides and stir it once so that only the dal becomes mushy.

Kalakose Sambar

Relish the flavoursome Kalakose Sambar with steaming hot rice topped with a spoon of fresh ghee.