Our Everyday - Dal Tadka

Dal refers to at least 60 kinds of dishes made from beans, peas or lentils. One of the most common dals in India is made from channa, the Indian chickpea. Another, made of lentils, is known as Masur. It is quick and easy to make and in raw form has a beautiful, orange-pinkish color, hence some people refer to it as red lentils.

I used to use Toor Dal before we moved to Bahrain, but once i started using Masur Dal, i realized this is much more lighter and easier to cook. Now we have Dal Tadka as part of our meal almost everyday. So here you go...

Ingredients:

Makes 4 servings

1. Masur Dal: 1 cup
2. Water: 4 cups
3. Onion: 1 small (Sliced or Chopped)
4. Cumin Seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
5. Turmeric Powder: 1/2 teaspoon
6. Ginger Garlic paste: 1 teaspoon (mix equal parts fresh ginger and fresh garlic)
7. Chili Powder: 1 teaspoon
8. Salt: 1 teaspoon
9. Tomatoes: 2nos (diced or chopped)
10.Green Chilies: 3nos (slit) or 2 nos (chopped)
11.Tamarind Paste: 2-3tsp (optional) or lemon juice (optional)
12.Garlic: 4 whole cloves, (sliced)
13.Dried Red Chilies: 3nos
14.Coriander Leaves: 2tablespoon (chopped)
15.Oil: 1 tablespoon

Method:

Step 1: Wash and drain dal. Boil dal in water with sliced onion, 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds, turmeric, ginger-and-garlic paste until lentils are soft (usually less than 10 minutes).

Step 2: Mash the mixture and add chili powder, salt, tomatoes, green chilies and tamarind (or lemon) juice. Boil until it is a thick soup (add water as necessary), about 1/2 hour.

Step 3: Set the dal aside and let cool.

Step 4: After it cools, blend the dal in the blender or food processor and pour into large saucepan. ( i avoid this step, i want my Dal as simple n' stress free as possible)

Step 5: Heat 1 tablespoon oil and brown the other 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds. Add sliced garlic and dried chilies. Brown and pour over dal, add the chopped coriander at this stage and stir. Now its ready to be served with rice or bread.

Lohbia aur Khumbi (Black Eyed Peas with Mushrooms)

Black-eyed peas are called Lohbia in Hindi. Combined with tomatoes and khumbi (mushrooms), lobhia can make a very hearty vegetarian meal. I tried this for the first time and really liked it. This recipe is from the book "Indian Cooking" by Madhur Jaffrey.

Pulses are a part of our everyday food. I used to not like it as much when i started cooking. But now, truth be told, even i enjoy it a lot. Started off with Punjabi Rajma Curry (Red Kidney Beans curry) n' then i started using Moong Dal, Masoor Daal (red lentils), Toor Dal, Black Eyed Peas & Brown n' White Channa regularly. Where i don't like non vegetarian food, RJ just loves it, n' where i love vegetarian food, RJ just hates it. So we had to find a balance somewhere and thankfully legumes came to our rescue. So here you go...

Ingredients:

1. Black-eyed peas: 1 cup
2. Tomatoes: 1cup(chopped)
3. Oil : 1/2 cup (i used only 3tbsp)
4. Cinnamon stick: 1 inch piece
5. Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
6. Onion: 1 cup(chopped)
7. Garlic: 5 cloves (diced)
8. Khumbi (mushrooms): 1 cup (sliced)
9. Coriander Powder: 2 tsp
10.Cumin Powder: 1tsp
11.Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp
12.Cayenne: 1/4 teaspoon (i didn't have this so i added nearly a tsp of kashmiri chili powder instead)
13.Coriander/Cilantro Leaves: 2tbsp
14. Salt: as required or 1tsp

Method:

Step 1: The first thing you must do is soak the lobhia in water over night or for 7-8hours. This will make the beans soft and manageable.

Step 2: Then, boil pre-soaked lobhia for 40 minutes or until very soft. (i cooked them in a pressure cooker instead for 15-20 minutes on medium flame, i added salt along with this)

Step 3:Then, briefly boil tomatoes, peel off skin, and chop into large chunks.

Step 4:Heat oil in a kadai (frying pan) and add cumin and cinnamon. Soon after, add garlic and onions.

Step 5: Once the onions turn golden brown add khumbi (mushrooms) and fry for 5 minutes.

Step 6: Add the tomatoes, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, and cayenne. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, till the oil separates. (i added the powders first to ensure that the masala is cooked well and only then did i add the tomatoes.)

Step 7: Add the cooked lohbia to the above stir it to mix well and leave it covered for another 15minutes. (the water in which the lohbia was cooked can be added along with this according to the consistency of the final gravy that you require.)

Check for salt n' add more if required and add the chopped cilantro, stir well and let it sit on low heat for another 5 minutes and it's ready. This is best served hot with rice, chappathi or Naan...

It's only recently that i read about the event My Legume Love Affair and i'm sending this post for the 22nd edition of the event hosted by Ruchikacooks.


Also, sending this to the Vegetable Marathon Event- Beans hosted by Anita's Kitchen.

Rajma - Red Kidney Bean - Indian Curry

This is one dish i can make n' make it well even in my sleep. I have made this a countless number of times as my husband loves it. Infact i made this for him even before we got married n' i'm sure one of the major reason for us being married today is my rajma curry....;)

So here we go.....
Ingredients

Rajma: 1 1/2cups (soaked overnight or at least for 6-7hrs)
Water: 6-7 cups (at least)
Onion: 2 nos (medium)- (finely Chopped)
Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 1/2tsp (preferably fresh) (if u are using ready made i guess 1 tsp will do)
Tomato- 1-2nos (Chopped)- puree it if you like... might taste better...
Cream/ Curd: 1 tbsp (optional)
Salt- as per taste
Oil: 3-4tbsp (the recipe book i had consulted 4yrs ago said some 6tbsp)
Coriander/Cilantro Leaves & Green Chili: for garnishing

MASALA POWDER

Chili Powder: 3/4tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/4tsp

Coriander Powder: 2 tsp

Garam Masala: 1tsp

Amchoor: 1/4tsp (optional) but adding it brings a great flavour
FRESH GARAM MASALA
Black Pepper Corns: 4-5nos
Cardamom: 2nos
Bay Leaf: a small piece
Cinnamon: 1 small piece
Cumin Seeds: 1/2 tsp

Method

Step 1: Pressure cook the soaked rajma for 30mins on low fire. I cook it with salt as i think it tastes better this way.

Step 2: Grind fresh garam masala (preferably by hand in a mortar and pestle). Add oil into a hot wok and add this ground garam masala once the oil is hot.

Step 3: Add chopped onion and the ginger garlic paste. Fry it well so that the raw taste won't remain.

Step 4: Add all the masala powder to this. Add a little water from the water in the cooked rajma. If you are cooking the rajma and making this gravy at the same time then this won't be possible, if so then add just a little plain water. Cook it till oil separates.

Step 5: Add chopped/ puree tomatoes. Fry it till its really soft and squash the pieces if any with a spoon.

Step 6: If you are adding cream or curd...add it now. The color of the gravy will turn a light brown at this point. Stir it for a min or so n' it will turn back into the dark brown color.

Step 7: I add some cooked rajma to this gravy at this point n' mash it up together to get a thick paste. Ok...this step can be avoided too...but somehow i like doing this. ;)

Step 8: Add only the beans to the gravy and cook for a while, stirring to get the flavour on the rajma. Add the extra water from the cooker and leave it covered for 10mins of so. Add enough water to form a thick gravy (keeping in mind that it will thicken once it cools).

This is ready to serve with some garnish. It tastes really good with Indian Chapatti and plain rice and i almost always serve it with an easy cucumber salad. My husband is does not eat most of the veggies everyone likes (if cooked), but if given as a salad (those that can be used for a salad) he will finish the whole thing without any problems. ;) I also use the same ingredients and follow the same steps to make Lobia (Black Eyed Peas- Indian Curry).