Channa Palak Dal

Most of the daal/lentils cooked in Indian way is in curry form or lets say liquid state. I have hardly come across any dry or semi dry Indian style dal or lentils; until one day when I visited my friend in Bristol. She cooked Channa Dal with Spinach and served it as a side subji. I was hooked. 

Apparently Channa Palak Dal is very popular is many parts of india, just that I had it for the first time. Channa is also known as chole or chickpeas but this isn't that channa. It is chana dal or split bengal gram as known in English. 

Cooking with spinach is not easy, cleaning the spinach with good amount of water is so important. So, whenver you cook with spinach make sure that rubbish clearance is done well, select only the good leaves. The dish is loaded with iron, minerals, proteins and what not. Palak/spinach gives this dal a green-healthy twist. Other ingredients like garlic, ginger, tomato brings up the taste value too. If you are bored having same staple tuar or moong dal then you have to try this.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup channa dal (soaked for atleast 4-5 hours)

2 cups palak/spinach

1 large tomato, chopped finely

4 cloves garlic, grated

1 tablespoon ginger paste

2 tablespoon oil

1/4 teaspoon hing/aseofetida

1 tej patta/bay leaf

2 whole red chilles

1 teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds

1/4 teaspoon akka dhaniya/coriander seeds, crushed slightly

1/2 teaspoon haldi/turmeric powder

1 teaspoon dhaniya/ coriander powder

Red chilli powder, to taste

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon ghee

1 teaspoon kasuri methi

Method:

In a kadai heat oil. When oil is hot, add hing, jeera, tej patta, whole red chilies and coriender seeds. Saute for 5 seconds. Turn the flame to low.

Now add chopped garlic and ginger paste. Saute for 1 minute.

Add chopped tomato. Mix in salt, haldi, red chilli powder and coriender powder. Add half cup of water. Mix. Cover and cook for 5 minutes ot till tomatoes are soft.

Add channa dal now. Add 1 glass of water. Cook covered. On a low flame let the daal cook. Keep an eye on water quantity-you do not want dal to be over cooked or turn mashy.

Add in palak. Mix. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. 

You know dal is cooked when you press a grain between your thumb and finger it should mash easily.

Mix in ghee and kasturi methi before you serve.

Notes:

If you forgot to soak the channa dal, I would suggest to boil it separately in an open for at least 20 minutes.

Panchmel Daal: Panchpuran Dal: Panchtatra Daal: Rajasthani Marwadi Dal: For Bati

There is always one man who will never hurt a woman and that is her dad, her father, her papa. A daughters first love is her father and I truly stand by this. I love my dad, he is my lifeline, I don't know what would I do without him. Even though we speak daily, I miss having morning tea with him, discussing about horoscopes in the newspaper. Telling him this that, having lunch together and then seeing him again for dinner. I don't need any special day to thank him, but since its father’s day, I decided to dedicate this post to him. 

Check out last year fathers day post- Kache/ Raw/ Green Tomato Chutney :)

My father is the one who holds me when I cry, scolds me when I am wrong, shines with pride when I succeed and have faith in me when I fall. He was a strict dad while we (me and brother) were growing up and we were really sacred of doing or telling something stupid in front of him. He never scolded us for bad results in exams or failing but he had his own rules like speak to everyone politely, don’t watch senseless Indian soaps (we were allowed to see KBC), don’t go outside home after 8 pm alone. He is the one who believes in society, social norms, god, and religion but is still cool. This I guess it is mostly the behavior of an Indian dad :)

Back then if my dad came to know that I take alcohol he would have been very angry and disappointed but now he is like a friend to me. I don’t hide things from him; I just know he will understand. Last year on my trip to India I had shared the drink with the three most important guys in my life-papa, bro and my husband; I still don’t believe I sipped alcohol in front of papa. But that’s about my papa he knows how to mold himself and understand his kids when time is right :) Simple living, high thinking :)

I am so unlike papa in terms of food choices, what he likes the best, I dislike the most. I am more like maa :) So growing up I never really liked the combination of daal roti (lentils and Indian flat bread or chapati) I was more daal chawal (lentils and rice) kind of a girl. Any daal in any form, just give him roti and he would be the happiest person on earth. Me and mom loved daal but just with rice. But something happened; I got married to a daal roti person, just like papa-huge sucker of daal roti combination. 

So every time we visit my home in India, my mom makes different kinds of daal for my husband and papa. This time she made Panchmel Daal or Panchpuran Daal or Panchtatra Daal which is the combination of five kinds of lentils. There is a Punjabi way to make it where you add lots of ghee and garlic but maa made it in authentic rajasthani style, a marwadi way. This daal is usually paired with baati (Rajasthani dish) and churma. 

To make the best panchmel daal you need:

• To soak the lentils for atleast half an hour.
• Pressure cook for 2 whistles. Grains must be visible, over mushy daal is not authentic marwadi daal.
• Mix of 5 lentils which is bengal gram dal (chana dal), black gram (urad dal),yellow gram dal (moong dal), green gram dal (moong chilka dal) pigeon peas spilt and skinned (arhar, tuvar, toor, tuar dal). But even white urad daal, red masoor dal or moth beans work fine.
• 5 whole spices- red chilli (sukhi lal mirch), bay leaf (tej patta), cumin seeds (jeera), fennel seeds (saunf) and mustard seeds (rai).
• Ginger is must but garlic isn’t. You can garlic too, but it is not must.
• And ghee, a good quality Indian ghee (clarified butter).

 This is a simple dal but the flavour values are truly amazing. You need basic indian spices and little time to cook this dal, cook slowly to have creamy and thick dal. I like to have with jeera rice and it is roti (as you know now) for Mr. Husband.

Author: Shweta Agrawal

Serves: 3-4

Cusine: Indian: Rajasthani: Marwadi

Ingredients:

2 cups of dal. Mix of equal quantities of:

bengal gram dal (chana dal), black gram (urad dal),yellow gram dal (moong dal), green gram dal (moong chilka dal) pigeon peas spilt and skinned (arhar, tuvar, toor, tuar dal).

4 cups of water

2 whole red chilli

1 bay leaf/tej pata

1 teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds/saunf

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds/rai

1 teaspoon ginger minced or grated
2 green chillies slitted

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi

1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/4 teaspoon garam massala

1/4 teaspoon aesofetida/hing

3 tablespoons ghee

1 tomato finely chopped

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
1/2 teaspoon kasturi methi to garnish (optional)

Method:

Wash all the lentils. Soak in water for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes drain the water.

In a pressure cook add 4 cups of water, washed lentils, turmeric powder and little salt. Cook for 2 whistles.

In a wok or kadai heat 2 tablespoons ghee. When ghee gets hot add cumin, mustard seeds, fennel seeds and bay leaf. Break whole red chillies and add it too.

Add aseofetida, green chillies and minced ginger. Cook for 30 seconds.

Add chopped tomato. Mix in turmeric powder, garam massala, red chilli powder and salt. Cook covered for 1 minute or till tomato turn soft and mushy and you see oil appear on the edges.

Add pressure cooked lentils. Add lemon juice. Check salt. Cook covered on slow heat for 10-15 minutes. 

Just before serving add remaining 1 tablespoon of ghee.Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and kasturi methi.

Notes:

You can use other lentils as well, like white urad daal or red lentils.

If you don't like ghee, feel free to use oil. You can decrease the amount of ghee if you are a weight conscious person ;)

You can boil lentils in open pan as well, it will take more time. Pressure Cooker saves time and it is really worth investing in a good cooker if you like to cook Indian dishes.
Kasturi methi (dried fenugreek leaves) is easily available in any Indian grocery store. I used MDH one.

Serving suggestions:Serve with plain basmati rice, jeera rice or any indian bread.

Serve as a side with dry indian curries like gobi matar, gajar matar or bhindi pyaz.

Pair with bread sticks or bread and serve like a soup.

It will be a great combination if served with rajasthani baati.

Make a complete marwadi thali. Serve along marwadi aloo pyaz ki subji, marwadi lehsun chutney and bajre ka rotla.

Daal Tadka In Microwave- Red Split Lentils In Microwave

Daal Tadka In Microwave-Believe me is very simple and quick . No need to wait for pressure cooker to release whistles or have another pan for tempering. Cook daal in microwave its awesome. Do try!!

Ingredients:

2 cups masoor dal /split red lentil)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds /rai / sarson
1/2 tsp cumin seeds /jeera
a pinch of asafoetida /hing
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
2 tsp chopped green chillies
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric powder /haldi
1 tsp coriander/ dhania powder
salt to taste

Red Chiili powder- ½ tbsp

Lemon juice -1 tbsp
oil -8 tbsp

Method

Clean, wash and soak the dal in enough water for 10 minutes. Drain and keep aside.

Put the 4tbsp of oil in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 15 seconds.

Add the onions and green chillies and microwave on high for 2 minutes.

Add the ginger and garlic paste and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and microwave on high for 1 minute.

Add the soaked dal, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt along with 4 cups water, cover and microwave on high for 20-25 minutes, while stirring every 3 minutes in between.Mix in it lime juice.

Take another small microwave safe bowl and add remaining 4 tbsp of oil and heat for 2 minute. In the hot oil add the asafoetida, cumin, red chilli powder and saute for 2 seconds

Pour this tempering on the cooked dal and mix well.

Eat piping hot with bread or rice.

Lehsuni Daal/ Garlic Lentils

Made with masoor daal (orange lentils) this dish is simple and very tasty. It is in fact almost a staple in most homes. It makes a great accompaniment for plain boiled rice and a vegetable curry. Lehsuni Daal means lots of garlic and thus it is important that garlic turns a bit golden in colour, its only then this Daal will be flavorful.

Ingredients:

1 cup masoor daal

3 cups water

2 tablespoon vegetable/sunflower/canola cooking oil

Salt to taste

1 onion chopped fine

1 tomato chopped fine

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

3 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)

2 green chilli choppes

1/2 teaspoon asafoetida

1 tsp cumin seeds

10-12 cloves of garlic

Method:

Wash the daal thoroughly.

Mix the daal, water, cooking oil, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt to taste, onion and tomato in the pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles.

In another small pan, heat the ghee well and add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle. 
Add the garlic and chillies and fry till the garlic is light brown. Add the asafoetida and turn off the fire.

Quickly add this ghee and spice mixture to the boiled daal and stir well.

Eat piping hot with bread or rice. .

Notes: Any yellow daal- masoor, moong, tooar can be used.

If you do not like garlic flavour, reduce the amount of garlic.

This daal can be cooked thick or thin. I like it thin. Thus adjust water as per your preference.

Spinach Yellow Daal/ Palak Daal

Little could be faster and simpler than this tasty, filling and easily digestible Toor Dal and Spinach, an elegantly flavoured thick paste of protein-rich pulses and mineral-rich greens that makes a complete light meal when served on a bed of hot rice. 

Ingredients:

2/3 cup toar dal/yellow lentils
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon turmeric/haldi
1 pound spinach/palak chopped
1 tablespoon ghee/oil
1 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger/adrak, minced
3 dried whole red chilies
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida/hing
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

Method:

1. Thoroughly rinse the toar dal under running water.
2. Place in a pan and soak for 2-3 hours in 2 cups of water. Later add turmeric and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium and cook, partially covered, until the dal is tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the spinach, replace the lid to partially covered, and continue to cook until the spinach is cooked and most of the liquid is gone. Turn off the heat and let the dal and spinach sit.
3. Heat the ghee oil over medium heat in a frying pan. Toss in the chillies and ginger and fry, stirring frequently, until the ginger just begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garam masala, then add the asafoetida, stir once, and pour the seasonings into the dal and spinach. Stir in the lemon juice and salt.

Serve hot with bread or rice. 

Daal Masala

Surprisingly, I never tasted or had Dal Masala in India; I had it last Sunday in London and I loved it because it was very different from all the dals that I had till date. Dals cooked in most of the houses is of liquid consistency but Dal Masala is a thick dal with different flavours.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup yellow moong dal (split yellow gram)
• 1/3 cup masoor dal (split red lentil)
• 1/3 cup urad dal (split black lentils)
• 1/3 cup toovar (arhar) dal
• 3 onions, grated
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 3 tbsp ghee
• salt to taste
• chopped coriander (dhania)
• 5 cloves of garlic (lehsun)
• 2 tsp coriander (dhania) seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
• 8 whole dry kashmiri red chillies
• 25 mm. piece ginger (adrak)
• 3 sticks cinnamon (dalchini)
• 3 black peppercorns
• 3 cloves (laung / lavang)

Method

1.   Wash all the dals together and soak for an hour

2.   Then boil dal in a deep pan with 4 cups of water till is done.

3.   Take garlic,coriander seeds, cumin, turmeric, dry red chilli, ginger, cinnamon, peppercorns and laung and make a fine paste in the blender.

4.   Heat the ghee and fry the onions till it becomes light pink in colour.

5.   Add the paste(made in step 3) and fry for 3 to 4 minutes.

6.   Slowly add the tomatoes and fry again till it leaves oil.

7.   Then Add the cooked dals and salt.

8.   Cook it covered till it boils.

9.    Garnish with coriander.

Serve hot with Rice or Bread.

Simplest Dal

Nutritious and flavorful, Dal is the quick choice for any meal. Dal is one of the principal foods of the India which is used for soup, starters to dessert. All states have their own way of making dal, what I have made here is simplest form of  Dal (Tuar Dal). I will be soon  posting various forms of daal.Check my snack time daal.

http://merrytummy.blogspot.co.uk/

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Yellow Lentils (Tuar Dal)
• 4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons oil (Any)
• 2 whole red chilli
• 1 tsp cumin (Jeera) 
• 1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro/coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric (Haldi)
• ½ tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder (Lal Mirch)
• Salt to taste 

Method:

1. Wash lentils and drain well. 
2. In a pressure cook, cook rice with 4 cups of water, salt and turmeric till 4 whistles.
3. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Add cumin, asafoetida and whole red chilli.
4. Then add chopped tomatoes with red chilli powder and keep stiring. Cook till tomatoes are soft.
5. Lastly add cooked lenthils and bring to boil.
6. Garnish with chopped cilantro/coriander.

Serve hot with Rice or bread.