Oats Khichdi (Oat and Lentil Stew)

In my quest to cook with Oats, I am discovering new and easy recipes. I am loving this new side of culinary feasts that I had missed on for so long.
This recipe is is a combination of Oats and Moong Dal. In South India, this dish is known as Pongal and traditionally cooked with rice.
It is a great dish because it can be devoured any time of the day, requires minimal ingredients, and can be prepared in a jiffy!
For the traditional Khichdi recipe, check this out.

Ingredients:
1. Cumin seeds, 1 tsp
2. Curry leaves, 3-4 twigs
3. Ginger, 1 inch, minced
4. Oil
5. Cashews (optional), a fistful
6. Peppercorn, crushed, 3-4 (optional)
7. Oats, 1 cup
8. Moong dal, 1/2 cup, steamed/cooked through
9. Water, 1.5 cup
10. Salt to taste
11. Turmeric powder, 1 tsp
12. Hing, a pinch
13. Green chili, 1, chopped
14. Spinach, a bunch, chopped

Directions:
1. Heat a non-stick wok.
2. Add in oil. When the oil is hot, add in cashewnuts, cumin seeds, hing, ginger, curry leaves, peppercorn, and green chili.
3. When they turn brown and the cumin starts to sizzle, add in oats.
4. Then add water, turmeric, and salt and mix well.
5. Cook for about 5 minutes until the consistency is thick and oats absorbs most of the water.
6. Add spinach and moong dal.
7. Mix and adjust the seasoning.

Serve warm.

Thanks to Rak and Sailu for this delicious and healthy recipe.

Home made South Indian Sambhar Masala (Authentic Spice Mix for Lentil Soup)

I have always wondered how an authentic sambhar is prepared. My mom and I would ask any Southie we would see around but never managed to hit the recipe on the right note. Our Sambhar always had a North Indian touch to it which tasted great but it was frustrating to not be able to replicate the taste at South Indian restaurants despite our efforts. Recently, I met my husband's friends' wife and she guided me right. She told me the recipe verbally and on the go but it got stamped on my memory - engraved!

Here it goes:

Ingredients:
1. 6 tsp coriander seeds
2. 2 tsp urad dal (white gram lentil)
3 2 tsp moong dal
4. 2 tsp chana dal (yellow split gram)
5. 2 tsp cumin seeds
6. 1 tsp methi seeds (fenugreek)
7. 1-2 cinamon stick
8. 4-5 cloves
9. 5-7 dried red chili
10. 1/2 tsp heeng
11. 1 inch mace (this is my addition)
12. grated coconut 1/4 cup (this is my addition)

Instructions:
1. Dry roast everything.
2. Make a powder using a blender.
3. Store in an air tight container

Verdict: Dry roasting is not a great idea. Consider frying in oil to easen the grinding process. This masala or spice mix tasted similar to the store bought one (MDH brand found at Indian grocery stores) but the satisfaction of having made it at home was immense.

Typical vegetables used in sambhar are: radish, beans, carrot, green pepper, and squash.

Palak ki Dahl (Spinach Lentil Soup)

This recipe is yet another comforting, healthy dish. It is relished in most Indian homes as a stew or soup over a bed of white basmati rice. This recipe is inspired from my mother's recipe. I like this one due to its high nutritious value.

Ingredients:
1. 1/2 cup of frozen spinach, cut
2. 5-7 fists of toor dal
3. Salt
4. Turmeric powder
5. Lemon juice
6. Garam masala
7. Oil for tempering
8. Mustard seeds
9. Green chili slit/chopped and red chili powder (optional)
10. Curry leaves (optional)

Instructions:
1. Wash toor dal and soak it in water.
2. Place the washed dal in a pressure cooker along with some water.
3. Throw in the spinach, salt, and turmeric powder.
4. Boil the dahl in a closed pressure cooker and allow 5-6 whistles to blow.
5. When the lid of the pressure cooker opens on its own, add garam masala, lemon juice and red chili powder.
6. Mix.
7. Temper:
7a. Heat oil in a pan, then add mustard seeds.
7b.  When the mustard seeds begin to cracke, add curry leaves and green chili.
8. Immerse this into the Dahl soup.

Serve warm.

Dal Fry (Lentil Soup)

Basic yet comforting. perfect for a cold rainy day or when you are down with the flu. Stay healthy, my friends! Don't let that virus get to you!

Ingredients:
1. Garlic, minced
2. Ginger, minced
3. Onion chopped
4. Green chili, minced
5. Tomato, chopped
6. Toor dal, 1 cup
7. Cumin seeds
8. Mustard seeds
9. Methi (fenugreek) seeds
10. Heeng,
11. Salt
12. Turmeric powder
13. Oil.


Instructions:
1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker.
2. Add methi and mustard seeds and let it crackle.
3. The add cumin seeds and heeng and let it sizzle.
4. Add onion, garlic, ginger, chili and fry.
5. Add turmeric powder and washed toor dal.
6. Stir then add water, tomato, and salt.
7. Close the cover of the pressure cooker and let 5-6 whistles to blow.

Serve warm.

Restaurant Style Dal Makhni (Buttery Lentils)

The Queen of all Dahls - Dahl Makhni is sheer indulgence. The literal translation in English is Lentil Butter. Righly so due to it's thick, rich, and creamy texture. It's one of those dishes that are a must-have on the menu for a special occasion or festive mood. In fact, this charmer has enough magic to transform a simple afternoon lunch or daily dinner in to a sinful special feast.
Dal Makhani or Maa ki Dal is a signature North Indian number that will get you rave reviews from your house guests.  Try it once and enjoy the extravaganza!

1. 1.5 cup whole urad dal (black gram)
2. .5 cup rajma (kidney beans)
3. .5 cup chana dal (split yellow gram)
4. 6-8 pods of garlic.
5. 1 inch ginger peeled.
6. Ghee, 3 tsp
7. 100ml or 1 can of tomato paste
8. Fresh cream, 10ml appx
9. Salt to taste
10. Cumin seeds
11. Heeng
12. Garam masala, 2-3 tsp
13. Red chili powder, 2 tsp appx
14. 2 tbsp butter or more as per dietry restrictions
15. 2 thai chili, minced

Instructions:
1. Soak 1-3 overnight.
2. Coarsely grate the garlic and ginger.
3. Boil the the soaked dal in a pressure cooker with 3/4 portions of the garlic ginger paste.
4. When the lid of the cooker opens, mash the dal with the back of a ladle.
5. In a deep bottomed vessel, heat ghee.
6. Add cumin seeds to the ghee and let it sizzle.
7. Add heeng, kasuri methi and the rest of the coarsely ground garlic ginger paste and chili.
8. Saute for a few mins.
9. To this, add the tomato paste and mix well. Cook until the tomato leaves the oil.
10. Add in the mashed dal and mix again.
11. If needed, add water to the dal and then boil it on low heat.
12. Add red chili powder, garam masala, salt, butter, and cream.
13. Simmer on low heat for an hour or more, stirring occasionally. If and as required, add water.
Note: This will give the dish the right texture and taste. Note that the consistency should be rather thick and not runny.
14. Adjust seasonings as necessary and to taste.

Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and fresh cream.
Serve with Indian flatbread or white rice.
A gourmet's delight!

Lauki/Dhoodhi/Ghiya Chana (Bottle Gourd with Lentils)

 Lauki-Chane ki sabzi is a classic dish that my mom would make for lunch as an accompaniment to Rice and Dal. I later discovered that this dish is typical of Gujarati cuisine, as well. 'Score', I said to myself. 'For once I see an overlap between the food I grew up eating and the Gujju cuisine that I have been learning. For once, I know a Gujju recipe without having to try'!


Bottle gourd with lentils is a nutritious and easy to make side dish. A bowl full of goodness.

Dhoodi Chana is a tangy curry with a slight nutty flavour  that comes from the lentils. This crunch nicely complements the mellowness and smooth texture of bottle gourd.

Ingredients:
1. 1 medium bottle gourd, peeled and minced
2. 1 cup chana dal, soaked for 1/2 hour
3. Oil, 2-3 tsp
4. Tamarind pulp, 2-3 tsp
5. salt, to taste
6. 1 medium onion, chopped
7. 2 thai chili, minced (optional)
8.  Garam masala, 2 tsp (optional)
9. cumin seeds, 1 tsp

Instructions:
1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and then add cumin seeds.
2. When it starts to sizzle, add onion and green chili.
3. Saute until translucent.
4. Add Chana dal and bottle gourd and salt.
5. Mix well.
6. Add 1/4 cup water and pressure cooker until 1 whistle blows.
7. Allow the pressure cooker's lid to open.
8. Add tamarind pulp and garam masala.
9. Boil on high heat with an open lid to let any excess water evaporate.

Garnish with kasuri methi (optional).

Serve warm with phulkas/roti/indian bread.

Lentil Fritters (Chana Dahl Vada)

I am not a fan of high calorie, oily food. But every once in a while I like to indulge. I tried lentil fritters on my last trip to India and fell in love with them. I never thought I would make them myself. Inspired by Prathibha, I thought I'd give it a try. My fritters were not as good as the ones I had on the Surat (Western India) railway station but it was definitely a savoury and popular snack. It was different from the mundane. These pakodas/vada/fritters brought a smile on the face of my loved ones which made my day and all worth it in the end! Thanks, Prathu!


Needs preparation. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:
1. Yellow Split Pea (Chana dahl), 1 cup.
2. 3-4 green chilis chopped.
3. 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro.
4. 1 tablespoon fresh curry leaves, chopped.
5. 1 small red onion, chopped.
6. Salt to taste
7. Oil for deep frying
8. 1 tablespoon ginger, chopped

Instructions:
1. Soak chana dahl overnight.
2. Grate it without water until a rough and course paste is formed. Some pieces of chana dahl can be left ungrated.
3. Add to this, cilantro, curry leaves, red onion, green chili, ginger for a few seconds.
4. Make small balls by patting and then deep fry these flattened balls in hot oil.

Serve hot with tea.

Sambhar (Spicy south Indian lentil stew)

Sambhar is a popular South Indian and Sri Lankan dish liked by North Indians the same. Sambhar is a vegetable stew or chowder based on a broth made with tamarind and toovar dahl.
South Indian food, people, and culture are inexorably linked to a ubiquitous dish as in idli (rice cakes) and sambhar, sambhar and rice and so on. Each state in the South prepares it with a typical variation, adapted to its taste and environment.
Sambhar is my all time favorite. A lot of things changed but my liking for sambhar never did. Sambhar was the first few things I learned to cook.

No preparation required. Serves 4-6. But I can finish this all by my self :P

Ingredients:

1. 7 fists arhar/toor dahl
2. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
3. 2 teaspoons salt.
4. 1 tablespoon minced garlic
5. 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
6. 1 small onion, chopped
7. 1 small tomato, chopped
8. 1/2 zucchini or bottle gourd cut in inced sized squares. You can also add okra, eggplant, drum sticks if you want.
9. 3 teaspoon sambhar masala. I used MDH.
10. 2 tablespoons olive oil
11. 1 heaping teaspoon mustard seeds. I like to add fenugreek seeds and asafoetida as well but my mom butted in and didn't let me this time. ;-)
12. 4-5 fresh curry leaves
13. 1 dried red chili
14. Tamarind pulp (imli ka saar)
15. 1 green pepper, chopped into inched sized squares.

Instructions:

For the dahl
1. Soak arhar dahl in water for about 15 mins. Wash and then put it in a pressure cooker.
2. Add turmeric powder and salt.
3. Add water water to this - about a finger's depth of water from the dahl to the surface.
4. Cover the lid of the pressure cooker and let 2 whistles to blow.

For the masala
1. Heat olive oil in a pan and when hot, add mustard seeds.
2. When the seeds splutter, add curry leaves and red chili.
3. Add onions and fry until they turn golden brown.
4. Add ginger and garlic and fry for a few minutes. Then add tomato.
5. When the tomato is al dente, add green pepper, zucchini, and sambhar powder.
6. Add tamarind pulp.
7. Cover and cook until all vegetables are al dente.

When the pressure cooker's lid opens, add the masala and boil with an open lid for about 5-10 minutes.

Server hot with steamed white rice and roasted potatoes for lunch. Alternatively, you can have this with idli (rice cakes) or dosa (Indian crepe) which I will show you how to make in another post.

Dal makhani modified (Lentil butter)

Dal Makhani is a must have entrée at any North Indian restaurant. It is considered a part of a sumptuous meal and a special dish for many Indians. You will often find this delicacy at parties and at feasts. The traditional way to cook Dal Makhani was to do so slowly and for hours on charcoal heat. This would give it a creamy texture. In this Any-time-on-demand world, the recipe has changed. The modern recipe involves cooking the lentils quickly and adding cream for the desired texture.

To each one, her own. And rightly, this recipe is modified by me. It was a long day, the fridge was empty, and my body was tired but does my palate listen? No. I was still craving Dal Makhani and had been for a long time. I had soaked kidney beans which was a motivator. So, I decided to cook it quickly, my way - the convenient way.

Needs preparation. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:
1. 3 fists Kidney beans, soaked for 8 hours
2. 6 fists black lentils, washed and soaked for 10-15mins.
3. 3/4 teaspoons garam masala
4. 1 small onion, finely chopped
5. 1/2 tablespoon grated ginger
6. 1/4 tablespoon grated or crushed garlic
7. 1 heaping tablespoon full of ghee or clarified butter
8. 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
9. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
10. 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
11. 1 Cinnamon stick
12. 1 bay leaf for aroma
13. 1 dried red chili
14. 2 teaspoons full of coriander powder
15. 1 teaspoon cumin powder
16. 1.5 teaspoon salt
17. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
18. 1.5 tablespoon sour cream
19. 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
20. 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
21. 3 glasses of water


Instructions:
1. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker.
2. Add bay leaf, red dried chili, cinnamon stick, and mustard seeds and allow to crackle.
3. Add cumin seeds, fenugreek and wait until the popping sound fastens.
4. Add ginger, garlic, onion and fry until the onion turns golden brown.
5. Add cumin powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, red chili powder, asafoetida.
6. Cook for a few minutes until the fat starts to leave the masala. You will see the yellow color of the ghee seperate from the onion.
7. Add soaked kidney beans and lentils and water.
8. Add salt and close the lid of the pressure cooker. Allow at least 8 whistles to blow.
9. Turn off the heat. Allow the lid to open by itself. Then add cream and cook with a covered lid for another 5 minutes.
10. Serve hot and garnish as desired.

This can be eaten as a hearty soup, as curry with Roti or with parantha. It tastes even better the next day because the lentils absorb the spices with time.

Things I could have gone without: bay leaf, cinnamon stick, coriander powder.
Things I could have done: Add tomato, fennel seed powder, use a slow cooker instead of a pressure cooker, use whole black gram lentil instead of black lentil, cook lentils and kidney beans separately and mash the lentils for a smoother texture.

Kitchen flavours and Trupti told me about Lentil Mela and suggested I participate. So here I go!

Gujarati Dahl

Dahl/Dal/Dhal when translated in English is nothing but yellow lentil soup/ stew. Dahl is a staple food of India. It is known to be high in protein and help in digestion. It is both nutritious and flavorful. Dahl comes in a variety and has different names in different parts of India.
Gujarat is a western state in India, and Gujarati food is typically sweet and spicy. So, this recipe prepares Dahl with both sugar and salt.



Ingredients:
1. 2 cups toor dahl (also known as arhar dal)
2. 2-3 sprigs of fresh curry leaves.
3. 1 large tomato, chopped.
4. 1-2 Green onions, chopped (optional)
5. 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder
6. 1/2 teaspoon paprika
7. 1.5 teaspoon salt
8. 2 teaspoon sugar (use grated jagerry if you have it)
9. 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
10. 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
11. 1/2 teaspoon methi (fenugreek seeds)
12. A pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)
12. 5-10 drops of lime juice.
13. 3 cup water
14. 1 tbspn ghee (pasteurized butter)
15. 2-3 dry red chili, broken into pieces

Directions:
1. Heat Ghee in a pressure cooker
2. When the ghee is hot, add mustard seeds and bring it to splutter
3. Add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds until the seeds turn brown and the popping sound fastens
4. Add onion, turmeric powder, chili powder, curry leaves, Hing, paprika, and cook until the onion softens
5. Add tomato, lime juice and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Wash toor dahl and soak in water while the tomato cooks
7. Add dahl and water to the pressure cooker.
9. Add sugar and salt and close lid to allow the Dahl to boil. Let 4-5 whistles blow.
10. Allow the steam to come out of the pressure cooker. When the lid of pressure cooker opens, garnish as desired.

Dahl is ready to be served hot as a soup or over a bed of white Basmati rice for an evening dish. Enjoy!