Temple style Saaru / Devasthana Saaru Recipe

This is a traditional Saaru which is served in all the temples in Dakshin Kannada. The freshly roasted spices ground together with the roasted coconut lend the unique flavour to this Saaru. Garnished with coriander leaves and seasoned in oil or ghee as per preference.

Ingredients :

• 4 tbsp Coconut grated
• 3 tbsp Coriander seeds
• 10 pepper corns
• 1.5 tsp Jeera/cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp Methi/Fenugreek seeds
• 1/8 tsp Haldi/turmeric powder
• A kidney bean size piece of Hing /asafoetida powdered
• 12 Byadgi chillies
• Lemon size ball jaggery
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 5 tomatoes boiled & puréed
• 3 sprigs curry leaves .
• 2 tsps mustard
• Mixture of 1tbsp ghee and 3tbsps of coconut oil for seasoning though in temples they use only coconut oil.
• A small bunch of Coriander leaves.

Method :

Dry roast the coriander seeds, Methi, pepper and jeera separately till they give out their aroma. Roast the coconut to a golden brown. Add haldi to the hot roasted coconut & mix thoroughly. Roast the chillies with a little oil. Grind the coconut and the roasted ingredients to a paste with a little water. Set aside. Boil the puréed tomatoes in 5 large glasses of water with the tamarind paste, jaggery & salt. Add the ground masala, half of the chopped Corriander leaves, a few curry leaves and boil thoroughly. Heat the ghee and oil mixture . Add the mustard and after it crackles add the powdered Hing and curry leaves . Drop it into the boiling saaru. Give one boil and switch off. Garnish with the remaining coriander leaves.

Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.