Quite popular shrub found in the Coastal Karnataka and the Malnad region, Sambrani Soppu is also known as Sambar Balli or Doddapatre in the regional language – Kannada. It is also known as Indian Borage or Mexican Mint or the Spanish Thyme followed by various other colloquial names.
The entire world is experiencing lockdown and social distancing, with limited access to markets and so on. Wherever possible, people rely on veggies which have longer life or on home grown bio herbs and greens.
Also to re-iterate, maintaining physical and mental health during the lockdown period is equally important, by having optimum amount of nutritious food along with good physical exercise to mind and body.
Very easy to grow, Sambrani Soppu requires less water and is suitable to almost any climatic condition.
This shrub comes with lot of health benefits. Primarily, it is considered to be good home remedy for cold and cough. Not just that, it is also known to maintain salt and water balance in the body.
In its dried form, it is used to flavour up the food. In short, we have all the reasons to go for it!
Few other tambuli recipes that might interest you!
Coconut based recipes that might interest you –
Serves : 3
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
Sambrani Soppu: 8 to 10 leaves (Medium / Big)
Fresh coconut: 0.5 cup
Pepper: 1 tsp.
Jeera: 1 tsp.
Salt : To taste
Jaggery: Little
Yogurt / Buttermilk / Quark: 0.5 cup
Video Recipe:
Method 1:
· Carefully pluck the green leaves from the plant. I usually put the stalk / stem back in a separate pot and regrow. It helps me share the plant with my friends who wish for it
· Wash and dry the leaves. Roughly chop the leaves and keep aside
· In a pan, add 2 tbsp. of ghee and fry, pepper and jeera until they splutter. Add the cut leaves and saute for a few seconds (until the leaves slightly change colour). Remove from heat and let cool
· In a mixer grinder, grind the above with coconut to a smooth paste. To it, add salt, buttermilk / yogurt / quark and jaggery. Mix well
· To the above, add ghee tadka of jeera and mustard seeds
Sambrani soppu tambuli is ready to serve! Goes well with piping hot rice
Method 2: (About 4 leaves are sufficient)
· Grind coconut with little water to a smooth paste and keep aside
· Clean, wash and dry the sambrani leaves
· Now, in a bowl, take the buttermilk and salt. To it, add the leaves and smash nicely. Add the ground coconut, butter milk and little salt. Mix well
· To the above, add a ghee tempering of pepper, mustard seeds and jeera
Sambrani Tambuli Stories:
Sambrani soppu is something which we grew and took with us to each of the cities we travelled in India as kids, and back in Bangalore, we had our kitchen garden with pots filled with this shrub.
In Germany, a dear friend of mine, gifted me a small sapling roughly an year ago. It is one of my priced posession here. Whenever I pluck the leaves, I put back the stalk in a pot to regrow and share it with other friends of mine.
My daughter loves Sambrani soppu tambuli and she gives up on all other curries and accompaniments of rice for the day, to eat rice with Sambrani soppu tambuli!
My mom usually prepares Sambrani soppu tambuli, using the second method. I equally love it!
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