Halu saaru is a traditional curry which is delicious and healthy curry. It is prepared with the combination of dry field beans and snake gourd, it is a regional curry recipe which is prepared without adding sambar powder. Milk is added in the curry, hence the name haalu saaru (haalu means milk) saaru means sambar. Try and enjoy this traditional sambar with rice.

Preparation time – 15 min

Cooking time – 30 min

serves – 4

Ingredients –

To cook –

Dry Indian field beans – 3/4 cup

Padvalakai/snake gourd – 1/2 kg chopped into medium pieces

Salt to taste

To grind –

Coconut – 1/2 part of a coconut or 1 cup grated

Onion – 1 1/2 chopped roughly

Garlic – 5 to 6 cloves

Pepper – 3/4 tsp

Dry red chilies – 6 to 7 (adjust to your taste)

Poppy seeds – 3/4 tsp

Roasted gram – 1 1/2 tbs

Turmeric – 1/4 tsp (optional)

For seasoning –

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves – 2 springs

Oil – 1 tsp

Other main ingredient –

Milk – 1 big glass about 150 ml (boiled and cooled)

Method –

To make or to prepare Haalu saaru/sambar –

Remove the outer layer of padvalakai/snake gourd with a knife by scraping the skin of it (lightly), cut vertically and remove the seeds in it. chop it into medium pieces, immerse in water and keep ready.

Heat a pan, dry roast dry Indian field beans to light brown in a medium flame.

Ensure it is roasted take care not to burn, add the roasted beans in a pressure pan add 1 1/2 cup of water and cook until it is done/ cooked ( pressure cook it for 5 to 6 whistles)

When the beans are done add chopped snake gourd into it add salt to taste and cook it for 1 whistle.Remove it from the flame. When the cooker is cool and the pressure settle down by its own, open the lid of the pan.

Add coconut, poppy seeds, onion, garlic, pepper, dry red chilies, roasted gram and grind it to smooth paste by adding water.

Add grounded paste to cooked veggies and combine

Add water to your consistency, check the taste add salt if necessary, bring the curry to boil in a medium flame for 8 to 10 min. Switch off the flame.

For tempering heat a tsp of oil in a tadka pan when it is hot add mustard seeds in it allow it to splutter, add curry leaves saute and remove it from the flame, add it to the curry.

Finally add milk.

Combine stir together properly. That’s it Haalu saaru is ready.

Enjoy this Veg milk curry with rice or ragi mudde.

Notes –

It is a regional Karnataka recipe which is served with rice.

It is a healthy curry for growing children and for all age groups.

The consistency of the curry will be medium thick in consistency.

You can add milk when the sambar is hot no need to wait to cool.