May 29, 2011

Sambharam /Spiced Buttermilk - Ultimate Thirst Quencher and Summer Cooler

Sambharam/Morum Vellam is buttermilk thinned with water spiced with curry leaves, limes leaves, hing, chilly and salt. In the olden days when fridge was not part of the kitchen, buttermilk was stored in the china pot/bharani. This will ensure that the buttermilk doesn't turn sour faster. Buttermilk and curd are different. Buttermilk is obtained after churning the curd and the butter is removed. Buttermilk is healthier than curd, with the butter removed. Buttermilk has many healing properties and Ayurveda always recommends the use buttermilk . You can read here to know more.

During the summer months, most homes in Kerala, will prepare the sambharam in large quantities and will be offered to any guests who drop in. In some homes, you can find an earthen pot filled with sambharam in their courtyard. Any passerby can partake the sambharam. In Kerala, summer is the period which the annual temple festivals (pooram/vela)  is celebrated. The celebrations will be through the day and participation of people will be in huge numbers, despite the scorching heat. And you can definitely find at least  one outlet where sambharam will be distributed free to the people. 

A glass of sambharam will instantly quench the thirst and can give a run for the money to any of the bottled drinks, available in the market. A sambharam need not be chilled. The inherent cooling effect of buttermilk is enough to cool your body. The chilled bottled drinks may cool your senses while drinking it, it may not cool the body. The buttermilk cools the senses and the body too.

Each house has their way of making this sambharam and there is no standard recipe for this. You can just go by your taste and availability of ingredients.



You need


  • Buttermilk -1 cup
  • Water - 3 cups
  • Green chilly - 2 nos, slit
  • Curry leaves - few sprigs
  • Lime leaves/Narakathila - 2 nos
  • Hing - few shakes
  • Salt to taste


Method
Take all the ingredients in a bowl. Crush the leaves and chilly between your fingers. This will release the flavors into the buttermilk. Enjoy the spicy, flavorful buttermilk. You can't stop with one glass. 




Check out the Blogging Marathoners doing BM#5 along with me 

Curry in a hurry under 30 min: Aarthi, Divya, Jayashree, Kaveri, Pavani,
Seven Days of Indian Sweets:Gayathri, Priya Suresh,
Seven Days of Microwave Meals: Monika,
Seven Days of Regional Specials:Harini, Vaishali, Suma, PJ
Seven Days of Colorful Dishes Kid's Special: Kalyani
Summer Coolers: Jayasree, Kamalika, Srivalli


15 comments:

  1. lovely..perfect for a hot summer day

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  2. In summers spiced buttermilk comes as a big thirst quencher..love it anytime.

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  3. I used to have this growing up .. love it.

    Vardhini
    VardhinisKitchen

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  4. Buttermilk is the best way to keep cool. We also prepare the same way but never used the lime leaves.

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  5. You are so right about not being able to stop with one glass.

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  6. Never tried buttermilk with lime leaves...love to try this... definitely a thirst quencher.....

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  7. love this..soothing for hot summers and healthy too..

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  8. Wonderful spiced buttermilk, feel like finishing it rite now...prefect drink for this hot weather..

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  9. Who will say no to this in this hot hot summer! Good for health as well :)

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  10. I can drink N number of glasses..and wont get bored of it..:)

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  11. Such a healthy cooler for this hot summer. Sounds refreshing.

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  12. Nothign like a glass of moor ....looks so refreshing

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  13. It is the ultimate thirst quencher. And even having few glasses of it will not harm. Perfect!

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