Spinach lentils Stew / Palak Dal

Off late, I’ve been trying to get on a protein diet. As a vegetarian, we tend to intake a lot of carbs and with all the hustle going on about healthy living, I wanted to indulge in healthy living as well 😉 Hehe.

This palak dal in not only easy and simple, but super delicious as well. Club it with hot Phulka’s or steamed rice or just eat it as is. I’ve made this as a one pot recipe, thus saving more time and effort as well 🙂 So without taking much time, lets jump right in….

Ingredients :

• Spinach finely chopped 15-20 leaves
• Tur dal (Split pigeon peas) 3/4 cup
• Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Red chili powder – 1 tsp
• Asafoetida a pinch
• Ghee (clarified butter) 2 tablespoons
• Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
• Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
• Garlic chopped 3-4 cloves finely chopped
• Medium sized Onion finely chopped -1
• Salt to taste
• Lemon juice 1 teaspoon

Method :

• In a cooker, add ghee, Asafoetida, cumin seeds, garlic and sauté for one minute. Continue to sauté till onion gets lightly browned.

• Add the lentils, turmeric poster, red chili powder, spinach and sauté for half a minute. Mix well.

• Add one cup water, salt and stir.
• Close the cooker and let it cook till about 3 whistles.
• Switch the stove and wait till the cooker cools down completely.
• After 30 mins, open the cooker, add lemon juice, mix and serve hot.

Don’t forget to link/ comment/ share if you enjoyed this post.

Adios 🙂

Moong Dal Sabzi/ Split Yellow Lentils

Have you wanted to make something healthy yet yummy? Something that doesn’t require buying 100’s of healthy ingredients before getting started? Well, I’ve been there and most of the time I’m inspired to cook healthy meals, I often end up not doing it because I do not have those ingredients in my pantry and then you know what happens :p Mission healthy food : FAILS! Hahaha

But who comes to rescue during these tragic moments of course my MOM 🙂 This lentils recipe is not only super yummy but super super healthy as well and guess what : all the ingredients used are almost available all the time. So instead of having you all to read more of my stupid tragic stories, let’s just get started.

Ingredients :

• Moong Dal/ Split yellow lentils – 1 cup
• Medium sized tomato – 1 roughly chopped
• Calabash /bottle gourd/ Lauki – 1/2 cup roughly chopped
• Small onion – 1 roughly chopped
• Salt
• Red chilli powder – 1 1/2 tsp (you can add more or less as per your taste)
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Kitchen king masala or Garam masala – 1/2 tsp ( optional)
• Fresh lemon juice – 1 tsp (optional)
• Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds – 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves – 4-5
• Ghee/ Clarified butter or oil – 2 tbsp

Method :

• Wash the lentils and let it soak atleast for 30 mins ( It cooks faster if done this way. If in a hurry, it can be skipped as well)
• Put lentils, veggies and a little salt to a pressure cooker and let it cook up to 3 whistles.

 

• Let the cooker cool down, then open it and whisk the dal/ lentils till everything looks incorporated.

• For the seasoning, take a small pan or kadai – add ghee (can be substituted by oil), mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric powder and red chilli powder.

• As you see them splutter, add them to the lentils. Add salt as per your taste.

• Add the Kitchen king masala/ garam masala and switch off the stove.
• Add lemon juice and mix everything together.
• Tada!! The yummy dal is ready to be served with roti’s/ rice or can just be eaten as is.

Note :

If the dal looks dry, you can add water to it. I added 1 cup of water and let it boil before serving it

Hope you all enjoyed this recipe.

Until next time, Adios!

Stay happy, stay healthy 🙂

Rajma & Peas Pulao

This was my first experience ever with a cooking class overseas and I must admit, I was overwhelmed.

It is always so much fun to share stories and tales of your country in an international community. Here, at the International Center at Stanford, I’ve been able to try out different things and the journey has been simply amazing. I’m sharing with all of you, the joy & spirit of togetherness got by food. 🙂

Here is a glimpse of the first class that I taught here. We cooked Red Kidney Beans Gravy with Peas Rice. Recipes are given below!

Happy cooking & sharing 🙂

Recipe :

Red Kidney Beans

Ingredients : ( Serves 2)

Kidney Beans – 1 can or soaked overnight & boiled
Water – 1 cup
Salt – to taste
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Oil – 2 tbsp
Onions – 2 medium, finely chopped/ blended
Ginger – 1 tsp, minced
Garlic – 1 tsp, minced
Tomatoes – 2 cups, puree
Cumin Powder – 1 tsp
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Chaat Masala – 1 tsp                                                                                              

Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Garam Masala – 1 tsp or Rajma masala ( 2 tsp)

Method:.

• In a medium size pan on medium heat, add in the Oil.
• Allow it to heat up and add in the Onions & stir frequently.
• Add in the Ginger and Garlic, mix well and cook till the onions start to brown.
• Add in the Tomato Puree. Mix again.
• Cook till the oil starts to seperate. Keep an eye on it and keep stirring frequently.
• Add in Coriander Powder, Chaat Masala & Garam Masala or Rajma Masala.
• Add in a little water to help mix in the dry spices and to prevent it from burning.
• Cook for a couple of minutes
• Add the kidney beans. Mix well and allow it to come to a boil again. Add salt as per taste.
• Add in some of the fresh Cilantro leaves and keep some for garnishing.

Peas Rice:

Ingredients:

Basmati rice – 1 cup
Green peas (fresh or frozen)-1 cup
Coriander leaves – fistful/ finely chopped
Salt as required

For the seasoning 
Oil – 1 1/2 tbsp              

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp (optional)
Cardamom -2
Cinnamon – 1 inch piece
Bay leaves – 2

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan and add the ingredients mentioned under seasoning.
• Saute for a few seconds.
• Add peas, chopped coriander leaves. Add rice and saute until the water (if any) evaporates.
• Add 2 cups of water, salt as per taste (approximately 2 tsp salt) and bring it to boil.
• Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook completely.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy 🙂

Kurma Paratha

A yummy Indian gravy that is had with a paratha, a shallow fried Indian bread. You can also have the kurma with either rice or dosas!

   

 

To make the kurma, get the following ingredients in one place:

• 2 tbsp oil or ghee
• Small piece of laung, tej patta, dalchini
• 1 onion (paste)
• 1 cup half-boiled veggies (carrot, beans, potato, peas, any of your choice)
• 2 tbsp cashew, 1 tbsp khuskhus, ¼ coconut, 1 tbsp saunf or fennel, 1 green chilly – grind all these into a paste
• A pinch turmeric powder
• Salt
• Coriander (for garnishing)

Lets start making the kurma!

1. Take oil in a pan. When hot, add laung, tej patta and dalchini.
2. Add and sauté the onion paste.
3. Add the vegetables. Saute for a minute or two.
4. Add turmeric powder and then the coconut paste. Fry well for a few minutes.
5. Add salt. Garnish with coriander.

Simple step to make a paratha look layers..Laccha paratha!

• Once you roll the round chappati, cut it into strips.
• Apply ghee and a little wheat flour on each layer and place on top of one another. Do not press. Place the last strip upside down, so that the ghee touches the second last layer.
• Make it stand vertical, press it a bit and roll it, in a way that the lacchas or layers are seen
• Roll it into a circle again. Do not press hard while rolling as this will stick the layers.
• Roast like a normal paratha.
• Once you take it off the pan, push and press from all sides so that the layers are seen!

Masoor Dal Makhani (Black Lentil Dal Soup/ Side Dish)

Who doesn’t like Dal Makhani? It’s always a must-order menu item when we go out to eat in any Indian restaurants!

But this time, I wanted to try an alternative version of Dal Makhani using Masoor Dal instead of the using the traditional urad dal (split black gram) and to my surprise, it was a major hit with my husband and everyone in the family 🙂

I usually make this in all festive occasions, potluck parties or just for ourselves. One of my very close friends, just loves it as a soup!! How cool is that? One recipe with multiple serving styles!

So, let’s get started!…

Ingredients :

• ¾ cup whole Black Masoor dal ( Black Lentil Dal – soaked overnight
• ¼ cup rajma ( Black Kidney Beans – soaked overnight)
• ½ cup finely chopped onions
• 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped
• 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 large tomatoes chopped roughly
• 2 to 3 cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 small to medium tej patta (bay leaf)
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ⅓ cup low-fat cream ( sour cream)
• ¼ tsp kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves, crushed
• 3 tbsp butter
• salt as required

Method :

• Soak Masoor Dal and the kidney beans overnight ( 7-8 hours). Drain them the next morning and add 3 cups of water in the pressure cooker along with the cinnamon stick. Cook oh medium-high flame till soft or till you hear 6-8 whistles. Keep the cooked beans and lentils aside.
• 
• In a pan, add butter. When it begins to melt, add the cloves.
• Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, chopped onions and sauté them till the onions get translucent. Add a pinch of salt to quicken the process.
• Next, add 2 tsp of ginger garlic paste and sauté.
• Next add the chopped tomatoes ( You can use tomato puree as well). Add red chilli powder, green chillies, turmeric powder,salt and give it a thorough mix.
• 
• Close the pan with a lid and cook for 8-10 mins till tomatoes are cooked well enough and you see butter leaving the sides of the pan.
• Add the cooked lentils and beans and 1 cup of water. (You can adjust the water depending on your choice of consistency).
• Make sure to stir often to avoid the lentils on sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• You can break a few lentils and beans from the back of your stirrer to thicken the dal.
• Keep the dal on simmer for around 9-12 mins. The more you simmer, the better it tastes 😉
• When the gravy has thickened enough, add cream, kasuri methi. Stir well and switch off the stove.
• Yum, dal makhani is absolutely ready to be served along with indian bread (roti/ naan) or can be eaten with rice or just served as a soup 🙂

 

Do share your experiences/ photos and don’t forget to like/comment if you enjoyed this recipe 🙂

Happy cooking! Adios 🙂

 

Basic White Curry

It’s simple, can be stored, and exquisitely rich! Guests will be left dazzled as to how such a chef-like curry could be made by you! This basic curry acts as the base of making the actual curry. Find the white curry recipes in the links provided below.

To make the basic white curry, gather the following ingredients:

• 2-3 onions
• 3 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp Ginger Garlic Green chilly paste
• 1 bayleaf
• 3-4  tbsp magaz (watermelon seeds, white)
• 3-4 tbsp cashewnuts
• 2 tsp garam masala powder (available at Indian stores)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 75 gms khoa (a dairy product)
• Salt
• 2 tsp kasoori methi (available at Indian stores)
• 1 tsp white pepper powder
• 50 ml fresh cream

The basic curry that we are going to make can be stored in the fridge for almost a week. Lets start!

1. Boil onions in a pan for around 5 mins, else sprinkle water on the onions, microwave for a minute, and boil again. Strain the water. Grind to make a paste.
2. Boil cashew and magaz, strain the water, and grind both to make a paste.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add bayleaf and ginger garlic green chilly paste. Sprinkle a little water and fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add the onion paste. Fry for 5 minutes.
5. Add the cashew magaz paste. Fry for another 5 minutes.
6. Mash the khoa with fingers and add it to the pan. Add all the remaining ingredients, sauté well and switch off the gas.

This is the basic white gravy that can be stored.