Tanni Saar (Sweet Leaf In Dhal Gravy)

(Updated Version)

Tanni Saar - now that’s a name that might raise an eyebrow or two! Directly translated, tanni means water and saar means juice. Oh dear! I’m not going to dwell on that translation, but let me tell you what Tanni Saar actually is. It's a delightful concoction of dal and sweet leaves, specifically known as tausi murungai keerai in Tamil. Think of it as a hybrid between dal curry, stew, and soup, with light coconut milk and your everyday kitchen staples rounding it out.

Having made Tanni Saar more times than I can count, I’ve played around with the recipe enough to give it a twist or two. Not drastically different, but enough to keep things interesting! The best part? We grow our own sweet leaves at Nava’s Zen, and they’re thriving like nobody’s business.

My Tempering Tweaks

Mustard seeds? Swap them out for cumin or fennel seeds.

Curry leaves? Coriander leaves work just as well.

Dried red chillies? Fresh red or green chillies bring their own kick. Or, skip them altogether if you're serving Tanni Saar alongside something spicy.

Oil? Experiment with mustard oil, coconut oil, or go all out with ghee for that rich, buttery flavor.

Dal Dilemmas?
Tanni Saar's dal can be switched up too! Yellow dal takes a little more time to soften, but masoor dal is a quick and easy option that doesn’t even need soaking. On the other hand, I’m quite fond of kadalai paruppu (chana dal), which I soak for a few hours and pressure cook to perfection.

(Masoor Dal)

Now, before I reveal the perfect dishes to pair with Tanni Saar, here’s my recipe for this tasty, heartwarming dish.

 

Tanni Saar (Sweet Leaf in Dal Gravy)

Ingredients

1 cup yellow dal

1 tsp turmeric powder

Water (as needed)

Cook these together until the dal softens. 

Other Ingredients

5 shallots, gently crushed

5 garlic cloves, gently crushed

2 cups thin coconut milk (add more if you like it soupier)

1 bunch sweet leaves, plucked

Lime juice (to taste)

Salt (to taste)

 

For Tempering

3 dried red chillies

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 sprigs curry leaves

2 tbsp oil

Salt (to taste)

 

Method

Once the dal is soft, add the sweet leaves and cook until they reach your desired texture.

Pour in the coconut milk, season with lime juice and salt, and give it a gentle simmer before removing it from the heat.

Temper the tempering ingredients, and mix them into the dal and sweet leaf mixture. Stir well.

Perfect Pairings:

Tanni Saar shines brightest when paired with something spicy -

PETAI SAMBAL

VEGETARIAN MUTTON VARIETIES

 

Salted Fish Sambal

Sardine Sambal

Vegetarian Tofu Sambal

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