Loading
Showing posts with label Simple Dals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Simple Dals. Show all posts

Gurugakku Pappu / Chenu Akka ~ Authentic Andhra | Step by Step Recipe

Now if I am to say what this variety of greens is called in English, then I am really at wits ends to know what it is called in English. This is a variety of greens that is only grown in the back yards in villages or towns. Amma got these green when we had visited our native place sometime back. I was so surprised at the different versions that they used to prepare with this. We made a pappu with it, and it made a wonderful meal.

I have been trying to update this space for a while, yet something or the other comes up and I loose focus. I have also been busy teaching my boys for their term exams. It's been equally a tough period for me, as I have to understand how to make them understand. They have so much portions to study, I wonder why 5 year old kids need to learn so much. They have sample worksheets followed by the actually exams. I am sure they have so many other things that can do much in ways to teach them. 

Anyway coming to the recipe, check out the step by step pictures to make this dal.










Ingredients Needed:

Chenu akku - 1 bunch
Toor dal - 100 gms
Green chilies - 3-4 long
Tomatoes - 2 small
Tamarind - 1 small marble size
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tsp

Seasonings
Mustard, Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves few
Sambar onions. - 4

How to make the dal

Wash and take the greens in a pressure cooker along with washed toor dal, green chillies, tomatoes,
tamarind, sambar onions and enough water. Pressure cook till done.

Once the pressure falls, remove the water and churn the greens and dal using the lentil masher.

Heat a pan with oil, temper with seasoning ingredients. Saute till the onions are sauteed well. Then add the mashed dal with greens.

Add salt and enough water and bring to boil. Simmer for couple of minutes as required.

Serve with steamed rice.

Follow RecipesDream

How to make Sambar - Tirunelveli Style | Step by Step Recipe | Lunch Box Series : LBS#61


Being from South of India, Sambar is almost a staple for us at home. Though in Andhra sambhar is not supposed to be a native dish. Yet these days it's quite common to hear it being prepared frequently. But when you talk about Tamil Nadu and the way Sambar is made, well it's inevitable that there are many ways to make this simple dish.

Even though I make Sambar almost twice or thrice at times a week, I was still tempted to learn the way this sambar was made by my colleague's mom. They hail from Tirunelveli, and this is the way they make their sambar. I am sure even this might vary from other families from the same city. Tirunelveli is famous for its Tirunelveli Halwa. I was happy knowing another delicacy from the place.

When I finally made it at home, I did forget some and by practice added some. Like my friend said they normally don't add tomatoes. But then I got it confirmed from her mom that tomato can be added. Well it's all what's available at hand finally I guess. Still this had lots of different steps involved. It tasted great with steaming Rice. I took this for my lunch and had fun.


Step By Step Pictures

Heat a pan with oil, saute shallot onions, Brinjal pieces, Green chilies till they turn light brown.
Add chopped tomatoes
In another pan, add 1 tsp oil, roast coconut, cumin seeds, shallot onions and 1/2 tsp bengal gram
Allow it to cool.
Meanwhile, stir the mashed tomatoes, add red chili powder, Coriander powder.
Next goes the tamarind extract and salt to taste
Bring it to boil
Add cooked toor dal to the pan, add required amount of water.
Make a smooth paste with the roasted ingredients. Add to the boiling dal.
Finally season it with curry leaves, methi seeds, Hing, Urad dal and mustard seeds.


Ingredients Needed:


Toor Dal, cooked - 1 cup
Tamarind extract - 2 tbsp (adjust to taste)
Shallot onions - 4
Tomato - 1 medium
Green chilies - 1 medium
Red chili  powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Brinjal - 3 medium
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Water - 2 cups

For the Ground paste

Coconut - 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Shallot Onions - 3

For Seasoning

Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Asofoetida / Hing - a pinch
Curry leaves - 4- 5


Method to prepare:

Pressure cook Toor dal with twice its amount of water til soft. Keep it aside.

In a bowl soak Tamarind and extract the pulp from it. If you want you can mix the red chili powder, coriander powder and salt in this water and keep it aside. I normally prefer to add to the dal directly.

To make the ground paste:
In a separate pan, add 1 tsp oil, roast chopped Coconut, Cumin seeds, Small Onions and little Bengal gram. Allow it to Cool and grind to a smooth paste using water. This can be added raw but I wanted the roasted aroma of the coconut.

To make the Sambar:

In a pan, add shallot onions, brinjal pieces and green chilies. Sauté well.

Then add chopped tomatoes and fry till it's soft. Then add the Red chili powder, Coriander powder, tamarind extract and salt.

Simmer for 5 mins for everything to get cooked well. Then add the cooked dal, bring to boil.

Then add the ground paste required water to get required consistency.

Seasoning the Dal
Finally season by heat a pan with oil, add a pinch of hing, Curry leaves, methi seeds, Urad dal, mustard seeds. Pour this over the boiling dal.

Enjoy with Steaming Rice and vegetables.

Notes:
Different vegetables like Radish, Drumstick can be used.
You can make instant spice powder by roasting Dry Red chili, Coriander Seeds and Bengal Gram and powdering it to be added directly.
Tomatoes can be avoided if you want.

Check out other Rasam, Sambar, Kuzhambu 

Follow RecipesDream

How to make Dal Fry Restaurant style | Step by Step Recipe | Lunch Box Series : LBS#60

When we eat out, it is normally the North Indian food that gets ordered. Naturally the vegetarian gravy is always Paneer Butter Masala no doubt. When there are more vegetarians dining along with me, the other dish that gets the next place will always be the Dal Fry. Dhal Fry complements the spicy paneer Butter Masala and makes a great combo with the vegetarian fried rice too. It's always very mild but is rightly done in all quarters.

I always wondered why it is called fry, because it is a liquid dish. We tag a fry to be a dry dish. I guess this gets it's name from the fact that the restaurant chefs have all the things pre-cooked for this dal and just fries it before serving. Of course same goes for all other things, except this dish is more of a sauteing than anything else.

Anyway when the Paneer Butter Masala is as good as the one we order out in restaurant, I wanted to try out this Dal fry. I believe the unique taste here is because of the Masoor dal. I was browsing through my recipe collection and came across this recipe that I must have got from my GDM group and wanted to try it right away. It has the same taste you get in the restaurant and I made it for our Lunch box, paired with Jeera Rice.
 
This is a simple dal that can be served with rice/rotis. Especially with fried rice and Naans.

 

Step by Step Picture Recipe

Take both Masoor dal and Moong dal in a pressure cooker.
Add green chilies, garlic and ginger to be pressure cooked together.
The dal is almost mashed, so you don't have to mash it any further.

In a non stick pan, add ghee, saute onions, red chilies
Then add onions, saute till it turns brown.
 Next goes the tomatoes, add salt for it to turn soft.
 Add the cooked dals.
Mix well and add water as required.






Bring to boil.


Dal Fry ~ Restaurant Style
Cooking Time from start to finish: 30 mins.
Serves 4.

Ingredients Needed:
Masoor dal / Red Lentil - 3/4 cup
Yellow Moong dal / Split Green gram - 1/4 cup
Green chillies - 2-3
Grated Ginger - 1 tsp
Garlic, crushed - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Dry Red chillies - 1-2
Onion  - 1 medium
Tomato - 1 medium
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Chopped Coriander leaves - 3 tbsp
Butter or Cream for topping - 1 tbsp (opt)

Method to prepare:

Wash the dals and pressure cook with water along with ginger, garlic, turmeric, salt and broken green chillies. The dal should be well done and not too watery. If you want you can mash the dal a bit with the back of the ladel

Heat the ghee in a non stick pan, add the cumin seeds and red chilli. Then addd onions and fry till light brown.

Next add the finely chopped tomato and fry for 2 mins. Once this is done add the dals and simmer on medium heat for 5 mins

Finally garnish with coriander and top with cream/butter (optional)

Serve hot with rotis/parathas


Notes

If you are serving with Naans the dal can be little thicker
Please remember that the dal thickens a bit as it cools or loses temperature
If you want to avoid ghee you can use regular cooking oil. But the restaurant effect comes out more by the addition of ghee.


Other North Indian Recipes

Lunch Box Recipes
Simple Dals

Make this for your Sunday lunch and enjoy!
Follow RecipesDream

Masoor dal Lasuni in Microwave | Microwave Red Lentils with Garlic | Step By Step Recipes

Masoor dal lasoon is one of those simplest dals that you can make within minutes. Masoor Dal on its own gets cooked much faster than other dals likes Toor, Urad etc. And making it more inviting by adding Garlic to make Masoor Dal Lasooni was next to perfect solution.

This month my Microwave Easy Cooking stopped at Kamalika's space and since Kamalika wanted to have Delicious Dals cooked in Microwave, I thought this would be best choice. Cooking in microwave, makes it more interesting because while it gets cooked, you can do other things. Instead of always wanting to keep an eye on it.

I wanted to make the most of the day being off, by taking Step by Step to showcase how simple cooking in microwave really is.

Masoor Dal Lasuni, Pulihora ~ Our Meal


Lets get the Masoor dal soaked for 5 mins.


Micro for 10 mins


You can see how beautifully the dal has got cooked


Mix the seasoning ingredients together in a micro safe bowl.


Brown the onions along with garlic and green chilies for 3 mins.


Remove and add the dal to the browned onions along with water.


See how well it has started boiling!


Your bowl of Lasoon Masoor Dal is ready!



Masoor dal Lasuni in Microwave

Masoor Dal - 1 cup
Onions - 1 small
Garlic - 4 cloves
Green Chilies - 2 big
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric a pinch
Oil - 1 tsp

Method to prepare:

Wash and soak Masoor dal for 5 mins.

In a microwave safe bowl, micro for 10 mins with thrice its amount of water. Then gently mash the dal with a masher or back of a ladle.

Take the chopped onions, cumin seeds, finely chopped green chilies, chopped garlic in the microwave bowl along with 1 tsp of oil. Micro for 3 mins.

Then add the turmeric and salt to the onions. Micro for 1 min.

Remove the bowl outside, add the mashed dal along with 1 cup of water. Mix everything well.

Microwave for 4 -5 mins, until you see the dal thick.

This took about 15 minutes of cooking in microwave, excluding 5 mins of soaking time for the dal.

This is my entry for MEC : Delicious Dals hosted by Kamalika. Have you got your dals ready?
Follow RecipesDream

Bottle Gourd Dal (Sorakaya Pappu)

I know I may not find much time to cook lot of new dishes. But knowing that I am finally posting this Sorakaya Pappu / Bottle Gourd Dal after so many months later, it surely makes me realize how hectic things can be!

Just when I thought I was going to have a relaxing mornings, now that Konda's vacation started, boys started their school. Which means I was to bind, cover two sets of books. Imagine doing it for 15 each, which really isn't that much. Only I end up doing it in the last minute. It was no different this time too. I was hopeful that I could get it done by the night. But I couldn't find the labels. The woes are never ending. I completely forgot about these during the weekend as I was busy cooking for the book.

We decided to re shoot all the pictures again and I realized what a hectic task it is. Hubby dear got new bags for the boys. The entire Sunday was spent walking around with the bag on their back. With my brother and his family relocating, we were busy helping with their packing. The boys had a free reign and played to their heart content. Result was Peddu couldn't get up early for school. We literally had to force him. As I still had to give their books I went with them to the school.



Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 15 mins
Cuisine : Andhra Cuisine

Ingredients Needed

Tur Dal - 1 cup
Sorakaya / Bottle gourd - 1 cup cubes
Dried Red chillies - 5-6
Onion - 1 small
Tomato - 2 medium
Garlic - 4 cloves
Tamarind - small marble sized
Turmeric a pinch
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard, urud dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves few
Water for cooking



Method to prepare:

Clean the dal and keep aside. Chop onions and tomatoes. Crush the garlic cloves along with the skin.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add mustard and urad dal. then curry leaves. Once it splutters, sauté onions, red chillies and garlic. Once onion is brown, add dal and fry for few mins.

Then add tomatoes, sorakaya pieces, tamarind, turmeric, and water for cooking. Cover it with lid and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles till the dal is cooked well.

When the pressure is off, take the dal masher or pappu guthi, mash the dal well with the red chillies. Add salt. and cook on high flame for 2 mins.

Serve with steamed Rice.

Normally sorakaya is mashed well and blended with the dal. But if you prefer to have bigger chunks don't overcook it.

Interested to find other ways to cook Bottle gourd?


How else do you cook Bottle gourd? Do share!
Follow RecipesDream

Gongura Alasandalu Pappu. ~ Sorrel Leaves with Black Eyed Peas Recipe

Sorrel Leaves with Black Eyed Peas is a recipe I never knew existed! Until one day when Athamma bored with the same dishes I seem to be making, suggested making the Gongura with Alasandalu. It surely had a different taste and a rustic tough to it. We made this months ago, though this finally gets to the spot. Athamma was back from trip and came back loads of Gongura, with hopes of pairing it off with as many different things that she can.

We made a pappu, a chutney, a pickle and still found some lying around for attention. Finally not knowing what else we can make with the sorrel leaves, Athamma said she remembered her mom making it with Black-Eyed Peas or Alasandalu as called in Telugu. Though Hubby dear wasn't very trilled at being offered a dish with this combination, after tasting it. surely agreed this had a different and unique taste.

We are all trying to get used to the new timings for the kids. So it will be a while before I get to do some new dishes. Meanwhile the regular comfort dishes gets an upper hand. Not only these simple dals are favorite, they are easy to make. While one may not really attribute simplicity to this particular dish, I would say it will accord to an extent. Especially if you are on the lookout for a change.


Gongura Alasandalu Pappu. ~ Sorrel Leaves with Black Eyed Peas Recipe

Red Sorrel Leaves - 2 handful
Dry / Fresh Black Eyed Peas - 1 cup
Green Chilies - 3-4
Tomatoes - 1 small
Salt to taste
Oil - 1-2 tsp
Water enough to cover

For tempering
Red Chilies - 4
Curry leaves - 4 -5
Mustard Seeds+ Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
Onions - 1/2 medium

Method to prepare:

If you are using the fresh peas, you can directly cook the dal with Sorrel leaves.
If you are using dried Black Eyed Peas, there are two ways. First is you can soak the peas overnight and then pressure cook it along with the leaves. Second is by dry roasting it first before pressure cooking it.

I never remember to soak it overnight. So of the best tip that I learnt from Amma was roasting the dried Black eyed peas till it is done. Once it is cooled, pressure cook it before using it in the dish.

In this dal, first dry roast the dried black eyed peas till it is really crisp. Then all add the washed sorrel leaves, tomatoes, green chilies. Add enough water to cover. Pressure cook till it is tender. I normally do about 4-5 times.

Once the dal is cooked well, mash the dal with the gongura well with a masher.

Heat a pan with oil. add mustard seeds, Urad dal, Red dry chilies and curry leaves. Saute for few minutes. Then add onions. Fry well. Add salt.

Then add the mashed Alasandu pappu. Bring to boil.

Serve with rice or rotis.


Notes

Since the sorrel leaves are sour, add only little of tomatoes.
The spice will be enough to balance the sourness, so add the required amount of chilies.

Other Black Eyed Peas Recipes


Other Gongura Recipes 

Follow RecipesDream

Lunch Box Series : LBS#52 ~ Cabbage Moong Dal!

Every time I sit to write a post, I think for a moment what story I have got to share or how to improve my recipe writing. Well I know its a whole topic on its own. But I have aimed to write simple sentences with crisp notes to make the recipe sound as simple as how the dish is. Most of our everyday cooking involves dishes that are very simple and not so complicated. Yet they are the most satisfying meal one can ask for.

Though I am extremely fond of Paneer Butter Masala and can eat it everyday, I will still welcome a dal with open arms. And most times I really can't tag a dish as belonging to a particular cuisine as I always end up tweaking to my own taste. So unless I try a dish from a source who claim authenticity over it, I don't tag it anything but from my kitchen! I am sure this is true with many of you. Recipes are only there to guide, we are at liberty to add in a flavour that's close to our heart.



Like I love tasting and feeling that pungent and striking sense when you bite into a garlic. I can add garlic to anything and still love it. But if you give me ginger, please I may not talk to you again. Well not literally but I am somehow a bit biased on ginger. Haven't got over my childhood outlook towards that, I guess.

Coming back to the dish for today, I have posted something similar already. Just wanted to try a different combination along with a vegetable. I truly believe even adding or introducing a new spice to the same old dish, makes it a refreshing change. And that's what happened. It was the same old Moong dal but a simple change here and there, you have a new dish all together!

And cabbages are such things that when you buy them, they never seem to get over. I make a stir fry, then a kootu, then something else, finally this dal. There is still something left.

Of course it made our lunch box experience better as we had a new topic to discuss!

Today's Lunch Box had

Chapatis
Moong Dal with Cabbage
Curd Rice



Moong Dal with Cabbage

This takes about 15 minutes from start to completion and adds as a great boon for a quick lunch box!


Ingredients Needed:

Moong Dal - 1 cup
Cabbage - 150 gms
Onions - quarter of an onion
Tomatoes - 1 medium
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 - 2 tsp

Method to prepare:

Shred cabbage into fine pieces. Wash and pressure cook Moong dal along with cabbage with a pinch of turmeric. One whistle is enough as we don't want the moong dal to be over cooked.

Heat a pan with oil, add in the cumin seeds. When they splutter add the onions, fry till they are done but not brown. Then goes the tomatoes, salt. Cover with a lid and cook till the tomatoes are soft and done.

Add the Red chili powder and simmer again till oil comes out of the sides. Now add in the cooked dal with cabbage. Mix everything well. Simmer till the dal is done.

Serve with chapatis.

Do check out these delicious Ribbon Pakoda before you take off!


Follow RecipesDream

Sambar, Kootus, Kuzhambu and Rasam Recipes

Follow RecipesDream

Lunch Box Series : LBS#45 the tale of the beerakaya continues!

I am sure you must be eager to know how the tale continues. For those of you who are clueless on the story, please read the tale of the Beerakaya Kura. The second of the two beerakai, found itself taking the form of a pappu! I do think people from Andhra are fond of their pappu. Anything you give them they can make a pappu out of it. And this Beerakaya pappu is the most favorite of Amma. She says she can never get it as good as how her mom makes. I think I can never get most dishes as how Amma makes. I conclude that all Mom's cooking is unparallel. Having said that, I ardently hope my kids feel the same about my cooking too down the lane!

Coming back to the tale, Amma always tells her mom's Beerakaya pappu was the ultimate dish she loved. It was so thick that even a slash with knife would be hard to cut it neat and was so delicious. They were a family of 10, yet the dal was never runny. It will have that thick consistency of Kaati Pappu types. All you need is just this dal with steaming rice, you sure will have a ticket to heaven! Of course, I might serve this with a dash of Avakaya. Still I knew and could understand her sentiments. I always loved her dal. Its not your spicy dal mind you. But not very bland too, just right enough to elevate your taste buds. This not being a seasonal veggie, you get it round the year or so I think, as Amma used to make this quite often. She never had anybody complain on being served this.

Then entered the prodigious son-in-law, for whom 2 tsp of fiery chili powder or bright green chilies are not really spicy enough. So this not so bland dal, was a sore experience! Thus came the end of this favorite dal at home, never to be made so often, reserved for certain days during his absence. Many years passed, months ran away, when one fine morning I received a call from Amma. They were then in the city of joy and found their joy too. The flowing Ganges, the cool breeze, added to their excitement came this discovery that sublime dishes got elevated to a different level in that place. I could hear the excitement in Amma's tone when she said it almost felt like a memory from her childhood, thinking of the way it tasted as how her Mom makes. I was so happy hearing it.

Ridge Gourd Curry


Forward a couple of years ahead, and you find me with two beerakaya on hand. Not knowing what else I should contrive on it. I was itching to make that beerakaya pappu and so gingerly asked hubby dear if I can. He sure showed surprised that I should still remember that, but years have bowled it soft and he pleaded that I should make it a bit more spicy for it to be palatable!

So this found its way to our lunch box today and I was chicken enough not to ask him how it tasted. But I knew it must have been good as hubby dear was obliging enough to click these pictures as I had to leave in a hurry for the office!

Today's Lunch Box had

Beerakaya Pappu
Plain Rice
Rasam
Vadiyalu

Beerakaya Pappu ~ Ridge Gourd Dal!

Beerakaya / Ridge Gourd - 1 medium
Toor Dal - 150 gms
Tomatoes - 1 big
Green Chillies - 5 -6 long
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Dried Tamarind - 1"
Water, enough to pressure cook.
Turmeric powder a pinch
Salt to taste

For tempering:

Onion - 50 gms
Oil - 1 - 2 tsp
Curry leaves
Red chilies - 2
Chopped garlic - 1- 2

Photobucket

Method to Prepare:

Grate the outer skin of the Ridge Gourd and chop into small pieces.

Wash the dal well and take it in a pressure cooker along with chopped tomatoes, green chilies, tamarind pulp, turmeric powder, add enough water and pressure cook till the dal is tender.

Once the pressure is off, heat a pan with oil, temper with the seasoning ingredients and pour the dal into the pan and bring to boil. Cook till you get the required consistency!

Serve with Rice or Roti!

For all I have spoken about this dal, I hope you try this out and enjoy!
Follow RecipesDream

Yet another Dal!

Well actually Amma told me that this has a name but in all haste I missed asking her what this dal is called. But then I always believe whats in a name, when something can hold on its forte all by itself right! She said she had made this remembering something she had read a long time ago and it came out really good. Wanted me to try and yes, though this sounds so much like the normal one that I make, it had that something of a different touch that it makes it stand out.

And the weekend being so hectic as usual that I don't even want to think about it, there isn't really no reason why I should talk about the days becoming more hectic. These days boys take forever to sleep, hence you can see the slow down of new dishes happening here. That does mean I dont' cook, but nothing new is coming out of the kitchen off late. So I have nothing to entertain than this simple yet delicious Dal, which IMHO, is the best. If you know that abberviation, well and good. But if you are like me, well I can't help by saying what it stands for..:)

Ingredients Needed:

Toor dal - 100 gms
Onion - 1 small
Garlic - 4 flakes medium, chopped as thin slices
Tomato puree - 125 gms
Green Chillies - 4 long
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tsp

Method to prepare:

Pressure Cook Toor dal with Turmeric till soft.

In a kadai, heat oil and splutter cumin seeds. Then saute garlic till slightly brown. Then saute onions.

Once the onions turn brown add the tomato puree, cook well. Then add chopped green chillies.

Finally add the cooked tur dal and add enough water and salt.


Bring to boil and cook till you get a good consistency.

Serve with rice or chaptis.

This quite spiked up our dull dinner somehow

Would love to hear your comfort food today! And yes greetings for a great week ahead!
Follow RecipesDream
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)