Broccoli Masoor Dal Sabzi

Today it's broccoli and masoor dal sabzi with garlic naan, for lunch. I thought i will share my lunch with every one, in the cyber way of sharing.

Ingredients

1 cup - Masoor dal
2 cup - Broccoli, chopped
1 - Tomato, diced
1/2 inch piece - Ginger, grated
1 pinch - Asafoetida / Hing
1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 tsp - Crushed red chili powder
1/2 tsp - Jeera powder/ Cumin seed powder
1/2 tsp - Garam masala powder
Salt to taste
Corn oil

Seasoning

1 tsp - Mustard seeds
2 - Shallots, chopped

Method

1 ) In a saucepan, cook masoor dal with turmeric powder, crushed red chili powder, hing, jeera, garam masala powder, ginger, tomato, salt to taste and little oil. Add enough water to cook the dal.

2 ) When the dal is cooking, in another pan, heat some oil and pop mustard in it. Add shallots, brown lightly, then add broccoli and stir fry. Cook on low heat. Don't over cook broccoli.

3 ) Once the dal is cooked, add broccoli , mix in well. Adjust salt to taste. Cook on low heat for 2 minutes. Take off the stove and serve

Serve hot with rice or roti.

Chana Fry

Chana also know as garbanzo beans, chickpeas is full of health benefits. You can read the health benefits of this legume here.

Now this is a simple and mildly spiced chana fry. This can be a very good snack or as a side dish.

Ingredients

2 cups - Cooked chana or 1 tin of cooked Garbanzo beans

Seasoning

1 tsp - Mustard seeds
1 sprig - Curry leaves
1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp - Black pepper powder ( add more if you like it spicy and like peppery flavour )
1/4 cup - Freshly grated coconut

Salt to taste

Method

1 ) When using dry chana, soak chana overnight and pressure cook in 3-4 whistles . When using cooked & canned chana, drain all the water and wash well. Set aside.

2 ) Heat oil in a kadai or wok. Add mustard, then curry leaves, turmeric powder and black pepper powder. Fry for minute on low heat.

3 ) Add the cooked chana to the spices, stir and fry on low heat. Add grated coconut, stir and mix. Take off the stove and serve.

This same recipe is followed in making :
kadala (malayalam), kala chana ( Hindi )

In picture : Kadala / kala chana

Brinjal Mooru Kootan

Today is April Fools day and did some of you have a good time making a fool of the other ? It was really funny in the school days to be silly and try all your stunts to make a fool of your friends. That's some good memories.
Today my taste buds are craving for something tangy. I had some green brinjals in hand and thought why not experiment with them. So this recipe is the result of that experiment. If you like tangy taste, you will like/love, but not dislike this curry. Green brinjals are fried and cooked in yogurt gravy.

Ingredients

8 - Green round brinjal, chopped lengthwise
1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp - Red chili powder
1/2 tsp - Asafeotida/ hing

For Yogurt gravy

1. 5 cup - Sour thick Yogurt / curds
1 big flake - Garlic, chopped
1/2 inch - Ginger, chopped
1/2 tsp - Cumin powder / Jeera powder
Salt to taste

Seasoning

1 tsp - Mustard seeds
1 sprig - Curry leaves
2 -3 - Whole red chili
Corn Oil

Method

1 ) Heat oil in a pan, add turmeric powder, red chili powder and hing. Fry for a minute. Then add chopped brinjal, Stir and fry till brinjal is browned. Do not add salt now. Brinjal should not get mashed up.

2 ) Meanwhile, grind and blend ingredients for yogurt gravy in a blender. Add this to the fried brinjal. Add salt to taste and bring to a boil on low heat. Take off the stove.

3 ) Heat oil in a pan, pop mustard seeds, then add curry leaves and whole red chili. Fry for a minute. Add this seasoning to the brinjal yogurt curry.

Serve this delicious brinjal yogurt curry with plain rice.

Mango Kadhi with Onion Pakoda

Yummy yummy mango kadhi, relished with onion pakoda's. Kadhi's are very popular in northern India. This kadhi is sweet and sour in taste. You can enjoy this kadhi, on it's own.

First make Onion pakoda and keep it ready.

Ingredients

1 cup - Bengal gram flour / Besan

1 big - Onion, chopped

1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder

1/4 tsp - Red chili powder

1/4 tsp - Ajwain

Salt to taste

Method

1 ) In a bowl make a thick paste of besan, turmeric powder, red chili powder, ajwain and salt to taste with water.

2 ) Add chopped onions to the besan mixture and mix in well.

3 ) Heat oil in a wok or kadai. Take a small amount of prepared mixture and add to oil and fry to golden brown color. Strain and keep aside. In the same way make pakoda's with rest of the mixture.

You can serve this onion pakoda / fritters as a snack. Now for this recipe, keep pakoda's aside, to add later to mango kadhi.

This is similar to how cauliflower pokoda is made. Have a look to see pics....

Mango Kadhi

Ingredients to make mango kadhi

2 - Ripe mangoes, peel the skin & cut to pieces

2 cups - Yogurts / curds

2 tbsp - Besan / Bengal gram flour

1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder

1.5 cup - Water

For Seasoning

1 tsp - Mustard seeds (optional)

1/2 tsp - Jeera / Cumin seeds

1/4 tsp - Asafoetida/ hing

1 sprig - Curry leaves

2 - Whole dry red chili

1/4 tsp - Fenugreek seeds/ Uluva / methi

1 tbsp - Ginger & green chili paste

1/2 bunch - Coriander leaves, chopped

1 tsp - Sugar

Salt to taste

Method

1 ) Add mango pieces to a blender and blend to a smooth paste. Add yogurt, besan, turmeric powder and salt to taste to the blender. Run the blender and mix the ingredients well.

2 ) Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard. After mustard pops, add jeera, asafoetida, curry leaves, whole red chili , and fenugreek seeds. Fry for a minute on low heat.

3 ) Add ginger - green chili paste and fry for a minute or two. Now add the mango mixture, water and sugar. Bring to a boil, simmer and stir. Add chopped coriander leaves to the kadhi . Cook for 2 - 3 minutes on low heat. The consistency of the kadhi should be like a thick soup. Take off the stove.

4 ) Add the prepared onion pakoda's to the mango kadhi. Immerse pakoda's in the kadhi.

Serve hot with basmati rice.

Mango Kadhi is so similar in taste to mambazha pulissery of kerala.

Chana Masala

Garbanzo beans or chickpeas is known as Kabuli chana in Hindi. Reading about this beans from different sources on the net, i gather this is a versatile legume, full of good nutrients and a lot of health benefits. It's a good source of protein, zinc, folate, vitamin E, potassium, dietary fiber and iron. Contains soluble fiber which helps in lowering cholesterol and helps in stabilizing Blood Sugar. It's low in fat.
Chana masala or chole is popular dish among the Punjabi's in India.

Ingredients

500 gms - Kabuli Chana or 2 tins of cooked Garbanzo beans
1 - Onion chopped
3 - Tomatoes chopped
1 tsp - Garlic paste
1 tsp - Ginger paste
1/4 tsp - Turmeric
1/2 tsp - Red chili powder
1/2 tsp - Garam masala powder
2 - Bay leaves
1 tsp - Amchur powder / Mango Powder or 1 tsp - Lime juice
3 tbsp - Oil

Roast and grind to powder

2 tsp - Coriander powder
1 tsp - Jeera / Cumin
1/2 tsp - Pepper corns
1 - Cinnamon stick , 2 - Cloves

Garnish

Coriander leaves chopped

Method

1 )When using dry chana, soak chana overnight and pressure cook in 3-4 whistles . When using cooked & canned chana, drain all the water and wash well. Set aside.

2 ) Roast and grind to a powder,cinnamon,cloves, peppercorns, jeera and coriander powder.

3 )Heat a heavy bottomed pan. Pour oil, add bay leaves. Stir for a minute. Add onion and saute till golden brown in colour. Then add garlic and ginger paste and fry for 2 - 3 minutes.

4 ) Add chili powder, turmeric powder, roasted & powdered ingredients and fry for a minute. Add tomatoes and saute till oil separates.

5 ) Add the cooked chana, salt and cook covered for 5-10 min on low flame.Add water as required, if you need more gravy. Add salt to taste.

6 ) Add the amchur and garam masala powder. Stir and mix well. (if amchur is not available, add 1 tsp lime juice after taking off the stove and when still warm )

Garnish with corinader leaves. Yummy and delicious chana masala to serve with roti or batura

Dal / Lentil & Broccoli Fry

Broccoli is a vegetable, with dark green florets and looks similar to the cauliflower.It belongs to the cabbage family. Broccoli is a highly nutritious vegetable. It's a good source of soluble fiber and folate. Also has Vitamin K, C and A.

Broccoli needs very little cooking time. This is a very simple recipe with lentil and broccoli.


Ingredients

2 florets - Broccoli, cut the florets into small pieces
2 cups - Toor dal / Lentil
1/2 tsp -Turmeric powder
1 tsp - Red chili powder
2 cups - Water
Salt to taste

Seasoning

1 tsp - Mustard seeds
3 - Shallots, diced
Curry leaves
Coconut oil



Method

1 ) Cover and cook dal with turmeric and red chili powder in two cups of water. Add some coconut oil, when cooking the dal. This gives out good flavour. Add salt when dal is almost cooked. Take off the stove. Dal should not be over cooked.

2 ) In a pan heat oil and add mustard. After mustard pops, add shallots and fry to a golden brown colour. Add curry leaves.

3 ) Add broccoli to the pan and stir fry. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes on low heat. Add to the cooked dal and mix well. Fry adding little oil. Take off the stove.

Serve with roti or rice.

Fried Channa dal with Paneer

Ingredients

1.5 cup - Channa dal/Bengal gram dal
200 gram - Paneer,cut into cubes
1 medium size - Onion, chopped small
2 medium size - Tomatoes, quartered
2 pieces - Cinnamon
2 - Black cardamoms
4 - Cloves
2 - Bay leaves
1 - Whole red chilli
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 tsp - Red chilli powder
1 - inch piece - Ginger
3 flakes - Garlic (grind ginger & garlic to a paste)

250 ml - water ( 1 2/3 cup )

Corn oil

Salt to taste

Garnish

Few sprigs coriander leaves, chopped

Method

1 ) Wash Channa dal and soak for 2 hours. Fry the cubed paneer to golden brown colour.
2 ) Heat oil in pan and fry onions till light brown in colour.
3) Add ginger-garlic paste, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and whole chilli and stir fry for a minute.
4 ) Add tomatoes and keep frying till oil separates.
5 ) Add Channa dal, salt, chilli & turmeric powder and fry for 5 - 7 minutes.
6 ) Add water, close the lid and cook on medium heat till Channa is well cooked.
7 ) Add fried paneer to the cooked dal.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve..........enjoy this delicious curry with rice or roti.

Eggplant & Capsicum with Paneer

Ingredients

500 gm - Eggplant, cut into cubes
2 - Green Capsicum, chopped
3 - Tomatoes, quartered
50 gm - Paneer,cubed
1 medium size - Onion, chopped
1 tbsp - Garlic - ginger paste
1 tsp - Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 tsp - Garam masala powder
salt to taste
Corn oil

Garnish

1 cup - Corinader leaves, chopped

Method

1 ) In a non-stick pan, fry paneer cubes, till golden in colour. Drain and set aside.

2 ) In the same oil, add onions and saute until lightly brown. Add garlic - ginger, chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and saute for 2 minutes.

3 ) Add eggplant, capsicum, tomatoes, cover and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle little water, if too dry. Add salt to taste.

4 ) Add paneer and cook for 2 minutes more. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with roti.

About Paneer

Paneer is high in protein.It's a type of soft cheese,used in Indian cooking. Food prepared with paneer is very delicious. Paneer is made out of fresh whole milk,which is boiled and curdled with a little of lemon juice or vinegar. Then the content is drained into a muslin cloth, excess liquid is squeezed out and is placed under a heavy pan or any heavy flat material. After one hours or so after the paneer is formed,it is ready to be used. Whatever remaining unused paneer can be stored in a refrigerator.
Ready made paneer is available in Indian stores.

Parval Sabzi

Parval - Pointed gourd,a Small cucumber like vegetable.
This vegetable is new to me.... i had no idea what it was.
I came up with this recipe and it turned out well. Now i am hooked on to it.

Ingredients

350 gm - Parval, cut length wise
6 big flakes - Garlic, crushed and minced
1 tsp - Crushed red chili powder
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 sprig - Curry leaves
Sesame oil
Salt to taste

Method

1 ) Heat oil in a nonstick pan, add garlic and curry leaves. Fry garlic for a minute, then add chili powder and turmeric powder.
2) Add cut parval, salt to taste and little water. Close with a tight lid and cook on low heat. Sprinkle more water if necessary. Cook till parval is cooked.

Serve with chapati.

Collard greens with Channa dal

Ingredients

Collard green - 1 bunch (cut into small stripes)
Channa dal - 1 cup
Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp spoon
Green chilli - 4
Salt

Seasoning

Mustard - 1 tbsp
Shallots -3 diced
curry leaves
jeera -1 tsp
hing /Asafoetida- 2 pinches
whole red chili-3
Sesame oil -2 tbs

Method

1 ) Cook Channa dal with turmeric, green chilly and salt till semi cooked. Add collard greens and cook till well cooked.
2 ) Now season with mustard,jeera, asafoetida,whole red chilly and the diced shallots(fry shallots till brown). Add to the cooked Channa dal and collard green.
Serve with rice or chapati.


Collard greens with Masoor dal

Follow the same procedure as above. Instead of channa dal, use one cup masoor dal. Cook masoor dal and collard green together. Since cooking time for masoor dal is less.


More recipes on collard greens

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