Green Dal (Microwave)

This is my first attempt to make dal in microwave and I was quiet happy with the output. 

Ingredients
Split green moong dal - 1/2 cup
Water -  3 cups or as needed
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp


Method

• Wash and Soak dal for 30 minutes.
• Wash again and add it to a microwave safe bowl. Take a big bowl otherwise the water may spill.
• Add 1 1/2 cup water and microwave it for 5 minutes.
• Mix and add 1 cup water and microwave again for 5 minutes.
• Mix well and add turmeric powder and salt. Add water if needed. Cover and microwave again for 5 minutes.
• Mix well and see if the dal is done. If not microwave again covered for  2 minutes.
• In another microwave safe bowl add ghee and microwave for 1.30 minutes.
• Add cumin and asafoetida and microwave for another 1 minutes.
• Add this ghee to dal.
• Add garam masala and garnish with cilantro leaves or mint leaves.
• Serve hot.

• This goes to MEC started by Srivalli.

Maa Chole ki Dal

W


hen I was young, daily my mom used to ask which dal would you like to eat today. We used to reply black dal, green dal, yellow dal, white dal. There is a big variety of dals and we were not knowing the names. This is what every kid do in childhood. Basically I belong to family who eats dal at least 5 days a week. Dals are the source of protein in a vegetarian family. Even though dal is a basic food for me, this recipe was new to me. I ate this dal first time at my friend's place. Thanks to her for introducing me a new recipe.

Ingredients
Split urad dal with skin(Maa) - 3/4 cup
Chana dal(chole dal - 1/4 cup
Water - 3 cups
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Chopped Green chilli - 2
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Chopped onion - 1
Chopped tomatoes - 2
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp

Method

• Wash dals and soak them in water for 30 minutes.
• Drain the water and cook dal in pressure cooker with salt and turmeric powder till done.
• Heat ghee. add cumin seeds and asafoetida. When seeds splutter add ginger garlic paste and green chillies. Add onion fry till transparent. Add tomatoes and fry them till tender. 
• Add this tempering to dal and mix well.
• Add garam masala and this creamy dal is ready to serve.
• Garnish with cilantro leaves and red ghee.

Red Ghee

         Heat 3 tsp ghee in a small pan. Add 1/4 tsp red chilli powder. When the ghee turn red turn off the                                               heat and remove the pan from hot surface otherwise the chilli powder will burn.

This goes to Food palette series

Pindi Chana Masala

Pindi Channa Masala is a north Indian Dish. Channa/chole is the Indian name of chickpeas aka garbanzo beans. This is made in almost every North Indian home. Although every home is having its own recipe, this recipe given here is followed widely. I was asked by a friend to add some authentic North Indian recipes to my blog....so here it is.

Ingredients :

Chole/ channa / Garbenzo beans - 1 cup
Chana dal - 2 tbsp
Onion - 1 medium
Tomatoes - 3 medium
mint leaves - 1/2 cup packed
Grated Ginger - 1"
Garlic - 2 cloves Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp
Hing a big pinch
Green Chillies - 2
Salt to taste
Chole masala - 1 1/2 tsp (MDH)
Tea bags - 3
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:
Soak chole  for atleast 6-7 hours.  Make sure to take big vessel and enough water because the chole  almost doubles. Pressure cook it with channa dal and tea bags. Add salt to it. Take care that chole should be properly boiled but not over cooked. 

Make a paste with onions, green chillies and mint leaves. Get ready the paste of tomatoes. Take a heavy bottom pan and add oil. Add cumin seeds. When seeds started crackling, add hing, add finely cut garlic ( you can crush it too), grated ginger. After few seconds add onion paste and salt. Cook on medium heat till the raw smell disappears. Add tomato paste and chole masala, Fry till the oil seprates.
Once this is cooked, add this to the cooker in which we have chole. Mix well. Adjust the salt. Adjust the consistency of chole by adding water. This depends on how thick you want your chole. Give 1-2 whistels. Garnish with onions or onion greens and serve hot.

Note : You can add some fresh lemon juice  or tamarind water to the channa.

Dal Palak

Dal and palak (Spinach) make a very healthy combination. This dal can be cooked with chana dal (bengal gram lentil) or even moong dal (yellow lentils) or toor dal. I prefer this recipe with tur  dal.
Dal palak is very easy to make. It cooks very fast in a pressure cooker. 
It can be served with hot rice or chapati.
Ingredients
Toor dal/Yellow lentil - 1 cup
Fresh green spinach, chopped - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tea spoon
Ghee- 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Jeera 1/2 teaspoon
Hing - a pinch
Ginger paste - 1/2 teaspoon
Green chilli - 1

Method
Pressure cook the dal and spinach with some turmeric and salt for 2-3 whistles. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a kadai, crackle some jeera, add the ginger paste and green chillies and fry for a minute. Add the cooked dal-spinach and mix well. You can add  onion and tomatoes too but generally I don't use onion in my dal, this is the way I make dal.
Serve hot with rice or phulkas.

Sending this to Food palette series Green

Dal makhni - not buttery at all but tasty

I always associate dal makhni with lots of cream and butter. That's what most recipes suggested and the version in restaurants presented. Creamy dal makhni with lots of ghee, butter and cream taste heavenly with Naan and rice. Yum.

I used to make dhal makhni just the same way, lots of cream, butter and ghee. The more butter and cream you add the better it is. I would happily pour a packet of cream and butter.

Now a days hubby dear is avoiding eating extra calories so I thought to make it in only 2 spoon oil. OMG!!! I was shocked. I never thought something that tasty could be made from less oil.


Ingredients :

2 cups Whole urad dhal/maa ki dhal. Its black in color.
1/2 cup Rajma
1/2 cup channa dal
1 inch Ginger, chopped very finely. I usually grate it
1 tsp cumin seed
2 tsp oil
1cup milk.
3 tsp curd
2 tsp roasted cumin powder
2 tsp garam masala (home made).
1 teaspoon salt


For Tadka

1 medium size tomato finely chopped
1 green chili finely chopped pieces
1 inch ginger, cut into fine long strips
1 teaspoon chole powder