Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Kadamba Sadam


After many days of making cookies and brownies, I couldn't bear to "cream butter, add sugar". I needed something savory to work with. And what better blog to turn to than Suganya at Tasty Palettes. Her recipes are amazing and her photographs are beautiful. And hers is the chosen blog this month at Tried And Tasted, started by Zlamushka and hosted this month by Curry Leaf at Experiments, Emotions, Experiences with Food.

This is a recipe that we enjoyed growing up but I haven't had it in a long time and had no idea how to make it. I was excited when I found it at Suganya's blog and decided to make it for lunch. As she says, its truly comfort in a bowl.

Kadamba is an assortment or string of similar things and sadam means rice. So this is basically a vegetable curry (made with as assortment of mixed vegetables in a spiced tamarind curry, mixed with rice). When we made this at home, I remember the curry cooked with the rice so that they were all mushed together, but I couldn't wait to try Suganya's version.


Kadamba Sadam

(recipe from Tasty Palettes)

4 cups Mixed Vegetables (I used carrots, peas, shallots and beans)
3 tbsp Tamarind Paste
1 Tomato, chopped
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/4 cup Coconut Milk (I left this out)
1/2 cup Toor Dal, cooked till soft and and mushy
1 pinch Asafetida
2 tbsp Cilantro leaves, chopped
Salt, to taste

Spice Mixture:
2 tbsp Chana Dal
1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Urad Dal
6 dried Red Chillies
1 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
1/4 cup Grated Coconut
1 tbsp Oil

Roast the spice mixture ingredients in the oil. Cool the mixture and grind with the coconut to make a smooth paste.

Tempering:
1 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
3-4 Curry Leaves

The directions, exactly from Tasty Palettes:

Dissolve tamarind paste in 1 cup of water. In a deep vessel, boil tamarind water along with salt, turmeric powder, tomato and mixed vegetables for about 15 minutes. The vegetable should be fully cooked and the tamarind shouldn’t smell raw anymore.

Add the cooked dal and spice paste and allow sambar to boil for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Finally add the coconut milk, if using and switch off the flame. Mix well and let the coconut milk to heat through. Stir in asafoetida and cilantro.

In a small skillet, heat oil/ghee and splutter mustard seeds. Remove from flame and add curry leaves. Add this seasoning to the sambar. Serve this sambar with rice and additional ghee, if preferred.

Mix generous ladles of sambar into rice (called saadam in Tamil), mix well and serve warm ‘Kadamba Saadam’ with crunchy cucumber slices, vegetable chips or appalam. The rice should not be dry, but porridge like consistency.

If you want to include onions, slice ‘em thin and sauté with mustard seeds while seasoning and add to the sambar. Omit asafoetida though, as it doesn’t go well with onions or garlic.


This was true comfort food for me and my family. We loved it. Thanks Suganya!

35 comments:

amna said...

You are not going to believe it but this dish has been in my head for the longest time possible!!

Suganya said...

I have been having curry cravings of late, Arundathi. The authentic South Indian ones. So I can relate to you. I am truly happy that you tried this authentic Thanjavur recipe. Thank you :)

Kitchen Chronicles said...

Yummy, Kadamba Saadam. Luv it very much. I used to get it from a temple in my native place a special prasadam. And I used to luv it very much. I could eat the whole prasadam alone, but then there used to be lot of demand for it and atlast I just used to get 1 or 2 spoons. Since then I wanted to prepare it at home. Maybe I think i will try it now.

Lavanya Raj said...

Arundathi..My favourite rice variety, Your looks Yummy!!

You can also add scrapped coconut instead of coconut milk.

Unknown said...

wow perfect choice looks so mouthwatering

FH said...

Hahaha! I feel the same way too. After cooking few desserts, I can't stand the smell of sugar!

This dish almost looks like Bisibele Bhath, delicious! :)

Shama Nagarajan said...

yummy healthy rice dear..my most favourite

Ranjani said...

My husband made the nutella brownies yesterday and they were phenomenal!!! a little gooey on the inside just the way I liked them, and totally moist and chewy, thanks for sharing such this awesome recipe:))You are solely responsible for any extra lbs I've put on after last night!

The rice looks interesting, almost like sambher rice with the fixings or a big pot of khichdi! but I guess the tamarind and coconut milk might make it diffnt! I don't blame you for shifting gears after all that baking..I'd be craving some heat in my food too!

A_and_N said...

Thats a very nutritious recipe. It sounds a bit similar to saambar saadham which is a fav here :)

Sujatha said...

Sounds and looks very similar to bisibelabath.. love the color and texture.. looks delicious!

Anonymous said...

kadamba saadham looks awesome - a bowl of absolute goodness :)

Deepthi Shankar said...

I have been wanting to make this since ages .. I love the flavors

Unknown said...

Wow wat a real comfort food...i love this like anything...

Manju said...

Ive never had kadambaa sadam, but have heard and read about it a lot! looks like a perfect comfort food. Will try it one of these days!

Bharti said...

That's making me hungry. Sounds kinda like tamarind rice with veggies?

Siri said...

Yum Yummy looking Sadam Anu. will definitely give it a try!

Cheers,
Siri

Poornima Nair said...

Suganyas recipes are really wonderful. Yours has come out perfectly, looks delicious.

Arundathi said...


Thanks everyone. Yes, Suganya's recipes are always wonderful.

This is a bit like sambar and rice, bisibela bath and pongal all rolled into one, if that makes sense.

Its extremely versatile and true comfort food.

Unknown said...

Loks like ultimate comfort food!

Indian Khana said...

Looks so gud....comfort food

Lakshmi said...

nutrition and different flavors packed in one bowl! Good One

Anonymous said...

Anu
I need to eat this right now!!!
OMG!!! with a little podi........heaven!
Malini

CurryLeaf said...

Love the entry and truly sorry I could not respond earlier.I saw it in my dashboard,but could not open it as sometimes I get problems with blogger/mail.Hearty Thanks for the delicious entry and you can send as many recipes as you like.Sorry I could respond earlier to your query regarding it.THANKS

Arundathi said...


Thanks everyone - Yes, really comfort in a bowl!

Malini - I know about that - I was craving something like this too - make it - its really like a khichdi/sambar rice combined in one.

Curry Leaf - No problem at all. thanks.

Anonymous said...

Warm, filling and comforting. It sounds like a good one. It's good to have a vegetarian dish that is comforting too.

Anonymous said...

Looks yummy! Healthy and wholesome.

Chitra said...

Hmm,droolworthy recipe arundhati,yes its a combination of bisebelabhath,sambhar saadam,pongal etc..love the pics and recipe:)

Raaga said...

We love this too :-)

♥Rosie♥ said...

Arundathi, wow this dish looks wonderful!

Rosie x

Arundathi said...


Arwen from Hoglet K - Yup, it truly is vegetarian Indian comfort food!

homecooked - Thank you!

Chitra - Thank you! The recipe is all thanks to Suganya!

Raaga - isn't it delicious?

Rosie - Thanks so much. Do try if you're looking for something truly south Indian to eat!

Anonymous said...

Hi Arundhati,
Thanks for the posts. Iam a newbie in this blogworld. Your blog is really interesting. The recipes here are very inviting. Sure will have to try them.
Kadamba sadam is one of my favorites.. It looks delicious...I have been thinking to make it for long time and now after seen your recipe iam not waiting anymore to try it...

Arundathi said...


Anuradhav16 - welcome and happy blogging. I hope you enjoy the recipe - its a keeper!

zlamushka said...

hi arundathi :-)
great rice dish :-)
thanks for participating T&T in March. I hope I ll see you around this month as well.

Arundathi said...


Z - Thanks a lot. Will definitely be there in April - love Lisa's blog!

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