Chana Dal Maath ki bhaji

Maath ki Bhaji (Amaranth leaves) or as it is called in Telugu...Thota kura. This is one of my favorite leafy vegetables .

The other day I got "Pav" from the Indian store to make Pav Bhaji but life happened and I could not make the bhaji with potatoes for the Pav. I wanted to make another "bhaji" for the Pav and I made this awesome, super delicious Chana dal Maath Ki bhaji. This is awesome with the Pavs or rice or with any Indian bread.

Chana Dal Maath ki bhaji (Split peas with Amaranth leaves)

Chana Dal Maath ki bhaji

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup chana dal soaked in water for 30-60 minutes
2. 1 cup packed or 2 cups loosely packed chopped Amaranth leaves
3. 1 large tomato chopped
4. 1 large carrot chopped
5. 1/2 cup chopped onions
6. 1 tablespoon oil
7. 1/2 teaspoon each of nigella/onion seeds (optional), ginger garlic paste
8. 1 bay leaf
9. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, red chilli powder, turmeric
10. 1 teaspoon each of amchur powder (or 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice) , pav bhaji masala

Cook the chana dal in a pressure cooker along with the amaranth leaves, tomatoes and carrots for 10-12 whistles. 

In a pan heat the oil add the bay leaf and the onion seeds and fry for a minute. Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes or until they start to turn brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Let the steam escape. Open the cooker and add the dal mixture to the pan along with all the spices. Mix well. Simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with roti/rice/pav with chopped cilantro and red onions and lemon wedges

Amaranth Mushroom fry

Happy new year every one...It has been one heck of an year 2017. I hope 2018 brings the best of everything for everyone and above all may there be world peace and less people getting dislocated from their homes, no matter what the cause.

Anyway, I got my favorite leafy vegetable when I went to the Indian stores and I wanted to make something which the kids will also eat without fussing because mushroom is their fav. And this dry curry is so delicious, I had to blog it fast before I would forget it. You should try and if possible please let me know.

Amaranth Mushroom fry (Dry peanut based leafy vegetable and mushroom fry)

Thota kura Mushroom fry

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups chopped Amaranth leaves (Thota kura)
2. 8 oz button mushrooms sliced
3. 1/3 cup chopped onions
4. 1 tablespoon oil
5. ½ teaspoon each of salt, turmeric, urad dal, mustard seeds, chopped ginger, chopped garlic
6. 1 heaped teaspoon coriander powder
7. 2 dried red chillies

Dry roast

1. 2 tablespoons peanuts
2. 2 dried red chillies (reduce if you like less spicy)
3. Few curry leaves
4. 1 tablespoon dried coconut
5. 1 teaspoon cumin

Dry roast the ingredients under dry roast and let cool. Grind to a fine paste

In a pan heat the oil and add urad dal and mustard seeds along with broken chillies and curry leave. Fry for a minute. Add chopped onions and fry till they start turning brown. Add ginger and garlic pieces and fry for a minute. Add chopped thota kura and add salt and turmeric and cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and all the other spices and cook for 10 minutes. Add ground peanut powder and mix well. Garnish with cilantro and serve with hot steamy rice