Beetroot Dal Tadka

This is one of the most yummiest dal recipe ever. And this is super high in nutritional value also . This is a great vegetarian option and if you eat eggs increase the nutritional value that much by adding egg to it.

Beetroot Dal Tadka (Lentils with beetroot)

Beetroot dal anda tadka

Ingredients:

 

1. 1/2 cup of finely chopped onions
2. few curry leaves
3. 2 dried red chillies
4. 1 can shoestring cut beetroot (or 1 -2 cups fresh beetroot chopped and boiled for 1 whistle)
5. 1/4 cup each of chana dal and green or yellow moong soaked in water for 30-60 minutes
6.  2 tablespoons oil divided
7. 1/2 teaspoon each of ginger-garlic paste, cumin, mustard seeds, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and asoefitida.

2 Eggs if using eggs (Non vegetarian option)

Pressure cook the dal for 3 whistles and set aside.

 In a pan heat 1 tablespoon oil and make scrambled eggs with little salt. Drain and set aside (Non vegetarian option)

In a pan heat the remaining oil and add cumin, mustard seeds and 2 dried chillies and curry leaves and fry till they start to splutter. Add onions and fry for 5 minutes. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add bettroot and all the powder ingredients and stir well. Add the pressure cooked dal and scrambled eggs (Non vegetarian option) and stir well. Simmer for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with coriander and enjoy with Tavva Paratha

cauliflower dal

I have been searching for recipes to incorporate more vegetables into my little man's diet. He loves dal and rice so I have been making different dal (lentil) recipes with vegetables in them and the following recipe is one of the best ones' yet

Cauliflower Dal (Lentils with Cauliflower)

Cauliflower Dal

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup lentils
2. 1 to 1.5 cups cauliflower cut into small florets
3. 1 tomato chopped fine
4. 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
5. 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, kalongi (nigella seeds), ginger garlic paste, turmeric
6. 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
7. 1 tablespoon oil
8. 3/4 teaspoon salt
9. 2 green chilli chopped

Cook the dal with 3 cups Simmer until the dal is tender, about 20 to 35 minutes. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add all the seeds and fry for a minute. Add the onion and fry for a couple of minutes. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add the tomatoes, cauliflower, add half of the salt cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Add cauliflower to the dal and simmer for 10 minutes. Also add the green chillies. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

Persian lentil curry

Little Mr. Junior who used to just loooooovvvveeee the indian dal or sambar recently had a change in his tastes and doesn't want to eat rice with dal anymore. But that being a staple food in a house, I am seriously stuck. SO am searching for new ways to make lentils and today is the persian way of making red lentils or masoor dal

Persian Lentil soup (Tangy Red lentils made with vegetables)

                                  

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup each of red lentils or masoor dal, grated carrots, thinly sliced onions
2. 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
3. 1 tablespoon oil
4. 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric, chilli powder, salt, finely chopped garlic
5. 2 tablespoons lemon juice

In a pan heat the oil and fry the onions till golden brown, take a tablespoon out and set it aside. Add the carrots and garlic and fry for a few minutes. Add tomatoes and all the spices but hold the salt and fry for 5 minutes. Add 3 cups water and the lentils and bring to a boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are soft. Add the lemon juice and salt ans garnish with the fried onions set aside and cilantro and serve.

Enjoy

Maat ki Phalli Nariyal Masala

Maat ki phalli or Gawar ki Phalli or Cluster beans , Goru Chikuddu in Telugu was not one of my favorite beans back in India. After after coming here anything which reminded me of home became my favorite. This was like "Doob ne waale ko tinke ka sahara hi bahut"... meaning the thinest of threads becomes a lifelife for a drowning person.
                             And I found different recipes which make this cluster beans very yummy. This recipe is one of such recipes. Enjoy

Maat ki Phalli Nariyal Masala (Cluster beans with coconut and spices)

Maat Nariyal Masala

Ingredients:

1. 1 package frozen pre-cut cluster beans (12 oz) thawed
2. 1/4 cup dessicatted coconut
3. 1/3 cup thinly sliced onion
4. 1 tablespoon each of coriander powder, dried mango powder
5. 2 tablespoons oil
6. 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
7. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, turmeric, cumin, mustard seeds, urad dal
8. 1-2 green chillies chopped

In a pan heat the oil and fry the cumin, mustard seeds and urad dal for 3 minutes. Add oniuons and fry till they get tender. Add green chillies and ginger and fry for a couple of minutes. Add cluster beans and cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients stir to combine and cover and cook for 5 more minutes. Garnish with a handful of finely chopped coriander and enjoy

Serve with Tomato Moong Dal  

Tomato Toor Dal