Sadhya Recipe

Rinse 3 cups rice under cold water until water runs mostly clear. Drain.

In a heavy-bottom pot or rice cooker combine rinsed rice and 4.5 cups water. Allow to soak 20 minutes if time permits.

Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover and cook 12–15 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Let rest covered 10 minutes and fluff with a fork. Keep warm for serving.

Cook the Dal

Rinse 1 cup toor dal until water runs clear. In a pressure cooker or pot add dal, 3 cups water and 1/2 tsp turmeric. Cook until very soft (about 3–4 whistles in pressure cooker or 25–30 min stovetop). Mash lightly and adjust consistency with water so it is pourable but thick.

Tempering and Finishing

Heat 3 tbs ghee in a small pan. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds and 1 tsp cumin seeds; when mustard splutters add 0.25 tsp asafoetida, chopped garlic (if using), 2 slit green chillies and 10 curry leaves. Sauté briefly and pour this tempering into the cooked dal. Add 1 tsp salt, mix well. Keep warm.

Traditionally for Sadhya, the parippu is served on top of rice with ghee. Reserve a small ladle to pour over rice at plating.

Cook dal for sambar

Rinse 1/2 cup toor dal and cook until soft with 1 cup water and 1/4 tsp turmeric (pressure cooker 2–3 whistles or 15–20 minutes stovetop). Mash and set aside.

Prepare vegetables

Chop 3 cups mixed vegetables (drumstick cut into 2-inch pieces, carrots, brinjal cubes, pumpkin, okra). In a pot add the vegetables, chopped tomato, 1.5 cups water, 2 tbs sambar powder, 2 tbs tamarind pulp, 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp turmeric. Bring to a simmer and cook until vegetables are tender (10–12 minutes).

Combine and simmer

Add the mashed dal to the vegetable pot, adjust consistency with up to 1 cup additional water to reach desired sambar thickness. Simmer 6–8 minutes so flavors meld. Taste and adjust salt/tamarind.

Tempering

Heat 2 tbs oil in a small pan, add 1 tsp mustard seeds and 0.25 tsp fenugreek seeds. When mustard pops add 8 curry leaves and pour the tempering into the sambar. Stir and keep hot.

Make rasam base

In a saucepan, simmer 2 chopped tomatoes with 1 cup water until soft and broken down (5–7 minutes). Mash lightly. Add 1 tbs tamarind paste, 1 tbs rasam powder, 0.25 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 cup cooked mashed toor dal. Add up to 2 cups water to reach soup-like consistency.

Simmer

Bring to a gentle boil and simmer 5 minutes so tamarind and rasam powder integrate. Crush in crushed garlic if using and simmer 1 more minute.

Tempering

Heat 1 tbs oil or ghee in a small pan. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 0.5 tsp cumin seeds and 6 curry leaves. When mustard pops pour into rasam. Stir in chopped cilantro. Keep hot.

Prep and cook vegetables

Heat 1 tbs oil in a wide pan. Add 0.5 tsp mustard seeds and 1 tsp urad dal. When urad dal turns light golden add 1 broken red chilli (or green chillies) and 10 curry leaves. Add 3 cups finely chopped green beans (or cabbage) and 0.25 tsp turmeric and 1 tsp salt. Sauté covered on medium-low for 6–8 minutes until just cooked but still with bite.

Add coconut

Mix in 1 cup grated coconut and cook 1–2 minutes more, then remove from heat. Adjust seasoning and keep warm.

Cook ash gourd

In a saucepan combine 2 cups cubed ash gourd, 1 cup pre-cooked black-eyed peas and 1 cup thin coconut milk with 1 tsp salt and 2 slit green chillies. Bring to a simmer and cook until ash gourd is tender, about 8–10 minutes.

Finish with thick coconut milk

Lower heat and stir in 0.5 cup thick coconut milk. Warm through gently (do not boil aggressively) for 2–3 minutes. Add 1 tsp coconut oil and 8 curry leaves, stir and remove from heat.

Cook tubers

Boil 1 cup cubed yam and 1 cup raw banana pieces in lightly salted water until just tender (10–12 minutes). Drain and set aside.

Prepare coconut paste

Grind 0.5 cup grated coconut with 1 green chilli and a few tablespoons of water to a coarse paste. Mix this paste with 1 cup whisked yogurt and 0.25 tsp turmeric; beat until smooth.

Combine and simmer

In a pan heat 1 tbs oil and lightly sauté 6 sliced shallots until translucent. Add the cooked yam and banana pieces, pour in the yogurt-coconut mixture and warm gently on low heat for 4–5 minutes until flavors marry. Do not boil after adding yogurt to prevent curdling. Add 1 tsp salt to taste and remove from heat.

Warm banana chips and pappadams (deep-fry or roast) just before serving so they are crisp.

Place 1/2 cup pickle in a small bowl for serving.

Cook roasted rice

Rinse 0.25 cup roasted rice. In a small saucepan add rice and 1 cup water. Simmer until rice is very soft and water is mostly absorbed (10–12 minutes).

Add jaggery

Add 1 cup grated jaggery to the warm rice, stir until dissolved. Strain if there are impurities. Bring to gentle simmer.

Finish with coconut milk

Lower heat and stir in 1 cup thick coconut milk and crushed cardamom pods. Warm through without boiling vigorously. In a small pan heat 2 tsp ghee, fry 10 cashews until golden and add on top. Remove from heat and keep slightly warm or at room temperature for serving.

Serve the hot cooked rice on a large banana leaf or platter. Place a small serving of parippu on the rice center and drizzle 1 tsp ghee over it. Arrange small portions of sambar, rasam (in small bowls or poured), thoran, olan, kalan, pickle, banana chips and pappadam around the rice in traditional order. Serve payasam at the end as dessert.

Sadhya is traditionally enjoyed with hands; provide spoons for rasam/payasam if preferred. Serve immediately while hot.