Tomato Dal

My friend brings this dish quite often and it is mouth-wateringly delicious. It is an amazing way to transform the simple dal.

Tomato Dal with rotis in my newly acquired soup bowls

Ingredients :

1. 1/2 cup toor dal
2. 2 tbsp masoor dal
3. 2 large tomatoes
4. A tiny piece of tamarind
5. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
6. Salt to taste
7. 1 tsp oil
8. 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
9. 1/2 tsp cumin/jeera seeds
10. 2 tbsp chopped onions
11. 2 pods of garlic crushed
12. A pinch of hing/asafoetida

How I made it :

1. Pick, wash and soak the toor and masoor dal for ten minutes.
2. In a pressure cooker, add the dal, sufficient water, tomatoes chopped, tamarind, salt and turmeric powder.
3. Let this boil for one whistle on high and about 4-5 whistles on low.
4. When pressure releases, heat one tsp oil.
5. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
6. When the mustard stops spluttering, add the onions and garlic.Fry till onions are translucent.
7. Mix the dals well and add to the tadka. 
8. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve.

We had it with rotis and stuffed capsicum. This recipe is a definite keeper. You can avoid the tamarind, if you don't like the sourness it imparts.

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150th post - back to my roots - Sai Bhaji with Kichdi

Finally my 150th post, but not necessarily my 150th recipe. I decided to get to my roots and make the famous Sai Bhaji with Kichdi. This combination is absolute comfort food, especially when served with fried potatoes on the side.

Sai bhaji is similar to a keerai masiyal but has added vegetables like carrots, ladies finger, brinjals and potatoes.
The Kichdi is a simple rice dish wherein green mung dal is added to the rice alongwith some turmeric powder.

Ingredients for the sai bhaji :

1. 1 bunch paruppu keerai/spinach
2. 1 small handful of chana dal picked, washed and soaked for 1 hour or toor dal
3. 1 tsp kasuri methi or small handful of fresh methi leaves
4. 1-2 green chilly
5. 1 tsp jeera seeds
6. 1 large potato cubed
7. 4 small brinjals cubed
8. 5-6 ladies finger cut into 2 inch pieces
9. 1 carrot cut into roundels
10. 1 onion chopped
11. 2 large tomato chopped
12. salt to taste
13. 1+1 tsp oil
14. 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
15. 1 tsp coriander powder
16. A pinch of asafoetida
17. 1 tsp Garam masala (optional)

How I made it :

1. In a cooker, heat a tsp of oil.
2. Put in jeera seeds. Fry for a minute till they change colour.
3. Add the green chilly. 
4. After 30 seconds, add the onions.
5. When the onions turn pink, add the veggies. Fry till the brinjals are 80% cooked.
6. Add the tomato.
7. When tomato is soft, add the dal and fry for a minute or two.
8. Add the spinach chopped and enough water to cover everything.
9. Adjust salt and give one whistle on high and 2-3 whistles on low.
10. When pressure releases, mix well, mashing some of the potatoes.
11. In tadka pan, heat one tsp of oil, add red chilly powder and asafoetida. Pour this on top of the spinach dal mixture. Ideally garam masala will be added too. I did not have any so skipped adding it. 
12. Serve hot with kichdi or bhuga chawara

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Upcycled - dal cutlet

Leftovers is something we face from time to time. This time I had leftover cabbage dal. I was torn between making dal parathas or trying something different. I am just back from home and keep thinking of mom's droolworthy cutlets which she sells at her cafe. So I thought of trying out a dal cutlet. Here's my upcycled dal cutlet recipe. Do try it and let me know how it turned out.

Ingredients :

1. 1 cup leftover dal - I had dal with cabbage but used it all the same
2. 1 boiled potato mashed
3. 1 tsp ginger garlic paste - optional, don't add if already present in your dal
4. 1 chopped green chilli
5. 1/4 tsp garam masala - optional
6. 1/4 tsp amchur powder
7. Maida/Corn flour - enough to make the mixture come together
8. Salt to taste
9. Oil for frying
10. Breadcrumbs - 1 cup

How I made it :

1. Mix all the ingredients from 1 to 8 together. 
2. Ensure that the mixture is not watery. I usually make my dal a bit thick and leftover dal does get thick. It should be like the same consistency of may be the aloo mixture for aloo paratha as in the picture shown.
3. Heat oil.
4. Make small balls out of the mixture. 
5. Cover with bread crumbs. 
6. Shape into any desired shape. I made small discs as tikkis.
7. Fry on medium heat till dark golden brown on both sides.
8. Serve hot with tomato sauce or pudina chutney

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Dal tadka

Dal when cooked well can leave you licking your fingers. Alka's recipe Tadka Dal is a must try. I've made it many a time now and it has never failed. Earlier, when I started cooking, I would call mom and ask her when I forget a recipe or a step in the recipe. With the opening of the cafe, mom tends to be busy. Alka's recipe has been a saviour and good reference guide. I made very very minor modifications to my liking but the dal is still "dal"-icious.

Ingredients :

1 cup masoor dal picked, rinsed and soaked in water 

1 medium onion chopped

1 large tomato chopped

4 cloves of garlic chopped into small pieces

Water

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

1 tbsp oil

Coriander leaves for garnish

For tadka :

1 tbsp ghee

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds

1 whole red chilli

1/2 tsp red chilli powder - my addition to get a little spicier dal

How I made it :

1. Pour oil into pressure cooker. Add chopped garlic.
2. Turn on heat and fry till garlic pieces brown. 
3. Add the onions and fry till translucent.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook till you can easily mash them in.
5. Add the dal, turmeric powder, salt and water - about 1 and a half cups of water.
6. Cover and cook for 5 whistles on high.
7. Once the pressure releases, mix the dal with a fork. 
8. Heat the ghee for the tadka in a tadka pan. Add the mustard and cumin seeds.
9. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the whole red chilly and red chilly powder.
10. Pour this over the dal.

Goes well with steamed rice or rotis or peas pulao or jeera pulao.

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