Peanut Chutney - 3

Ingredients:

• Peanuts - 100 grams
• Tamarind paste - 2 tsps
• Red chillies - 8-10 numbers
• Salt to taste
• Coconut (optional)
• Water for grinding

Method:

• Dry fry peanuts in kadai but do not remove its skin
• Let it cool down
• Grind the peanuts with tamarind paste, red chillies, salt and coconut
• Add water sparingly, it should be in chutney's consistency

Notes:

• You can eat this with dosa, idly, chapatti, etc...

Images:

Green Masala Salad Dip

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 5-6 green chilies
• 2 flakes garlic
• A bunch of coriander leaves
• A bunch of mint leaves
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Mix all ingredients in a blender.
• Serve with finger sized cut vegetables of your choice.
• Some suggested vegetables are carrots, blanched mushrooms, cauliflower florets, broccoli, spring onions, cucumber, celery stalks etc.
• The dip goes well with any other snacks too.

Aloo with Rich Gravy

Ingredients:

• 7-8 medium size potatoes (boil with salt and cut into cubes)
• 125 g cottage cheese (paneer)
• 3 green chilies (chopped fine)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger (smashed)
• 10 cashew nuts (chopped)
• Salt to taste
• For Gravy
• Hand ful of mint leaves, hand full of coriander leaves and 10 green chilies (ground together)
• 1/2 cup oil/ ghee
• 1/2 cup boiled onion paste
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1/2 cup curd
• 1/2 cup cashew nut paste
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Fry cubed potatoes until golden brown.
• Fry paneer pieces until golden brown and keep aside.
• Heat oil and put chopped green chilies, ginger and cashew nuts.
• Fry well.
• Add and fry the boiled onion paste until the raw flavour disappears.
• Add Green Masala, Curry Paste, ginger garlic paste, cashew nut paste and beaten curd; one after one.
• Simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and the potatoes, simmer for 2 minutes.
• Add fried paneer and allow it to cook for 2 more min.
• Garnish with swirl of cream.
• Serve with Nan or hot chapatti.

Crispy Cabbage

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cabbage shredded
• ¼ cup chopped capsicum
• 2 - 4 green chilies slit
• 10 – 12 curry leaves
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2 pinches asafetida powder
• 1 pinch garam masala
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. each cumin & mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp urad dal
• 1/4 tsp amchoor powder 1 Tab oil

Method:

• Wash and drain cabbage.
• Heat oil in a non-stick pan.
• Add cummin, mustard and urad dal.
• Let it splutter.
• Add asafetida, green chilies, curry leaves, turmeric powder.
• Add cabbage, capsicum and salt.
• Toss lightly with spoon.
• Sprinkle garam masala and amchoor powder.
• Toss it again.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes stirring continuously till it is crisp.
• Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with phulkas.

All-in-one Dal

Ingredients:

• toor dal - 1/2 cup
• moong dal - 1/2 cup
• onions - 1 (chopped)
• tomatoes - 1 (chopped)
• green chillies - 2 (chopped)
• ginger - about 1/2 sq.in (chopped)
• garlic - 2 to 3 cloves (chopped)
• peas - 1/4 cup
• carrots - 1/2
• (chopped)(can use the frozen peas and carrots available)
• spinach - 1 cup (chopped)
• salt to taste
• turmeric - 1/4 tsp.
• 1 sp oil / ghee

Method:

• Boil both the dals with turmeric in a pressure cooker.
• Boil or microwave separately the peas and carrots for a few minutes till they are cooked.
• In a non-stick pan put ghee/oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and a dash of asafetida.
• Add in the onions, ginger, garlic and green chilies and fry for sometime.
• Add tomatoes and fry for about a minute or two.
• Add cooked dals, spinach, peas and carrots.
• Add some water if the mixture is too thick.
• Add salt to taste and cook for about 4-5 minutes or till the spinach is soft and cooked.

Notes:

• (You can also boil the spinach, peas and carrots along with the dals, so the cooking time will be less.)

Spinach with Dal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup yellow moong dal
• 1 bunch fresh spinach chopped fine
• 1 tsp. ginger grated
• 1/2 tsp. garlic grated
• 4 green chilies
• 1 tbsp. coriander chopped fine
• 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. clove-cinnamon powder.
• 1/2 tsp. each cumin and mustard seeds
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. ghee

Method:

• Wash dal and pressure till done. (Approx. 2 whistles will do)
• Cool and remove dal from cooker. Wash and drain spinach.
• Put half the spinach in a mixie, add 2 green chilies and blend.
• Heat 1 1/2 tbsp. Ghee. Add seeds and splutter.
• Add garlic, ginger and chopped spinach. Stir.
• Add ground spinach. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
• Add dal and coriander. Bring to a boil. Do not overcook.
• Remove from heat. Heat the remaining ghee in a small pan.
• Add clove and cinnamon powder, remaining 2 chilies and pour over dal.
• Add lemon juice and salt. Stir well. Serve hot with rice or parathas.

Cabbage with dal

Ingredients:

• 1 /4 kg finely chopped cabbage
• 1/2 cup toor dhal or moong dhal
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds,
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt to taste.

Method:

• Soak dhal for 1 hour.
• Afterwards boil it in 1 1/2 cups of water until very soft and keep it aside.
• (Do not pressure cook the dhal).
• In a pan put the ghee.
• Add mustard, cumin seeds and garlic paste to oil, splutter.
• Add finely chopped cabbage and mix it well.
• Close the vessel and allow it boil for 6 to 8 minutes on a medium flame and keep stirring occasionally.
• When cabbage turns soft, add dhal, salt and mix well.
• Add some more water and allow it boil for another 7 to 8 minutes with vessel closed.
• Cabbage with dhal is ready to serve.
• This goes very well with chapatti.

Notes:

• Note: If you want you can add green chilly in this dish.

Yellow Moong Dal with Mango

Ingredients:

• Yellow moong dal 1 cup
• Toor dal 1/2 cup
• mango-1 (if sour mango 1/2)
• salt to taste
• green mirchi 1 or 2 p
• Onion (option)
• coriander leaves for decoration
• For Seasoning:
• ghee 1 tea sp.
• mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
• cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
• pinch of turmeric
• a pinch of asafetida
• red chilly powder 1/4 tsp

Method:

• Wash dal and boil until it will cook.
• In a pan boil some water and add mango pieces, turmaric, green chilly and salt.
• Cook until mango become soft.
• Now add cooked dal to this and boil if require add little more water.
• In other pan heat ghee add mustard, cumin seeds, asafetida powder, chopped onion and red chilly powder.
• Add this seasoning to dal and decorate the dal with some coriander leaves.

Yellow lentils with Palak

Ingredients:

• 1 cup yellow lentils (thur dal)
• 1 bunch coriander
• 3-4 bunch spinach
• 1-cup tomato (sliced)
• pinch asafetida
• 1-2 tsp. red chilly powder
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric
• 1 spoon ghee
• 3-4 flakes garlic
• 5-6 fenugreeks
• 1 onion; sliced
• 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
• 10-15 curry leaves (optional)
• 2-3 dry red chilly
• 1 sp oil / ghee
• Salt

Method:

• In a pressure cooker add water, lentils, spinach, fenugreek, garlic, a little of the coriander,
• one tomato sliced, one onion sliced, asafetida and close the cooker.
• Cook until the dal is soft (about 5-8 minutes)
• Mash this cooked mixture lightly.
• Add salt and chilli powder, cook on a low flame.
• Add turmeric and half of the curry leaves.
• In a saucepan, heat a little oil, add the remaining garlic and curry leaves, add dry red chilies and coriander seeds.
• When the oil is hot and sputtering add it to the dal.
• Allow to stand for a few minutes.
• Serve with rice/ chapati

Dal (Mixed dal)

Ingredients:

• 2 tbps of tur dal
• 2 tbsps of udad dal
• 2 tbps of moong dal
• 2 tbsps of udad dal
• 2 tsps ghee
• 1 green chilly, slit into two
• 2 pieces of garlic chopped coriander leaves
• 1" ginger piece, cut into small pieces
• 1 tsp of cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• juice of one lemon
• a few curry leaves
• salt for taste

Method:

• Pressure cook all the dal together.
• Remove and mash it well.
• In a hard bottomed pan, pour ghee, add cumin seeds, curry leaves, ginger, garlic and chilly pieces.
• Add the cooked dal, salt and turmeric.
• Cook till the dal starts to boil.
• Add water if the consistency is too thick.
• Remove from flame and add chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice.

Dal Fry (Channa dal)

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Channa Dal
• 2 Tomato
• 1 Onion
• 1 Spoon Garam Masala
• 1 Spoon Coriander Powder
• 1 Spoon Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 Spoon Aam Chur (Mango powder)
• 1/2 Spoon Red chili Powder
• 2 Spoons Butter
• 1 Spoon Fresh Cream
• 1/2 Spoon cooking soda
• Salt
• Fresh Coriander Leaves

Method:

• Soak Channa dal and cook with cooking soda, Turmeric powder, Tomato and salt in a pressure cooker.
• Fry onions in butter till golden brown.
• Add coriander powder, garam masala, mango powder and red chili.
• Add smashed dal. and mix well.
• Add fresh cream and mix well.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Masoor & Tuvar Dal with Zucchini

Ingredients:

• 1 cup masoor daal 4-5 tsp ghee
• 1 cup tuvar daal salt to taste
• 2 small zucchini; cut to small cubes
• To Garnish:
• 2 onion; finely sliced
• 6-7 garlic; finely sliced
• 1 inch long ginger; finely sliced
• a few bunches coriander leaves
• 3-4 tomatoes; cut into big cubes
• 1/2 tsp chat masala or a few drops of lemon juice
• a few curry leaves
• 5 green chilies; sliced
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds

Method:

• Pressure cook the two dals with a little turmeric, salt, green chilies, few drops of ghee, ginger, curry leaves & garlic.
• In a frying pan add the ghee, add cumin and mustard seeds , when they start spluttering, add onion & fry till its light brown in color.
• Add zucchini & fry till it becomes soft.
• Add tomatoes & continue frying.
• When you see the masala & the ghee separating, add the cooked dal.
• Add a little water if needed.
• Cook for about 5 minutes.
• Mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves & chat masala/lemon juice.
• Serve hot with chappati or rice.

Beet root Chutney

Ingredients:

• Beet root 2
• Salt
• Tamarind paste 1 sp
• Red chilly 4 - 5
• Mustard seeds 1/2 sp
• Udad dal 1/2 sp
• Onion 1
• Oil

Method:

• Grate beet root. Grind that with salt, tamarind and red chilly in a mixer grinder.
• Make seasoning with mustard seeds and udad dal
• Add chopped onions to that and fry well
• Add the grind beet root in that and fry again
• Add salt and stir well
• Remove from the fire and serve with dosa or eat with rice.

Notes:

• Note: You can replace beet root with carrot or cabbage and do the same to get more varieties of chutney.
• If you dont like onion, you can avoid and prepare chutney without onion also.

Bottle Gourd Koftha

Ingredients:

• 1 Medium size bottle gourd
• 3/4 Cup Channa dal Flour (Besan)
• 4 - 6 green chilly
• A pinch of Baking Soda
• Salt
• Ghee or Oil to fry
• For Gravy:
• Tomato 2 - 3
• Onion 1 - 2
• Ginger garlic paste 1 tbs
• Red chilly powder 1 sp
• Coriander powder 1 sp
• Salt

Method:

• .Remove the skin of bottle gourd and grate it.
• .Squeeze it with out water.
• .Add Channa dal flour, salt and chopped green chilies.
• .Dont add water. Keep oil in a pan.
• .Make small balls out of the prepared dough and deep fry them.
• .Keep aside.
• ..Make gravy and put the balls in that and bring it to a boil.
• .Remove from the fire and add some coriander leaves and serve with chapatti or puri.
• .To make gravy, Put tomatoes in hot water and remove the skin after one minute.
• .Smash tomatoes.
• .Cut onions, and fry with ginger garlic paste.
• .Then add red chilly powder and coriander powder.
• .Add salt and allow the gravy to boil for a while.
• .After 10 minutes, add the koftas in that and again bring it to a boil.

Notes:

• Note: Grind tomatoes and Onions together in a mixture grinder and grind them.
• Actually we are adding chopped chilies with the kofta. If you need more hot add some green chilies while grinding tomatoes and onions.
• You can use chow chow instead of bottle gourd.

Tomato Dal

Ingredients:

• 1cup uncooked toor dal
• For the Seasoning:
• 4 med sized tomatoes-chopped
• 1green chilly-sliced Coriander leaves-finely chopped
• 1 tsp mustered seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• A few curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp asafetida 2 tsp oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Clean the dal, add required water, turmeric powder and the asafetida and pressure cook the dal.
• In a pan, heat 2 tsp oil and add to it the mustard seeds, urad dal and the cumin seeds.
• When the dal turns brown and the mustard seeds begin to splutter add the curry leaves, tomatoes and green chilly.
• Cover and let it cook well till the tomatoes are soft and almost mashed-up.
• Add the cooked dal and mix well.
• Remove from fire and garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with plain rice or phulkas.

Dal Palak

Ingredients:

• 1 cup tur dal (wash it and soak it for1-2 hr with hot water)
• 1 cup spinach leaves; wash it and chopped it
• 2 table spoon of lime juice
• 1 tomato; finely chopped
• 2 table spoon oil
• 1 onion; finely chopped
• 1/2 tea spoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 tea spoon ginger garlic paste
• Pinch of asafetida
• 1 tea spoon red chilly powder
• 2 green chilies; finely chopped
• 1/2 tea spoon turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tea spoon coriander powder

Method:

• Take a vessel and cook tur dal in it.
• When it cooked 3/4 then add spinach leaves, onion, tomato, salt, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste and asafetida.
• Now cook all the things till they are cooked completely.
• In a frying pan heat the oil and add the other ingredients (except lime juice) and pour it over cooked dal.
• Now add lime juice in it and mix it well.
• Serve hot with chapatti or rice.

Soya Dhania Masala

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Soya Nuggets
• 2 Onions (Chopped)
• 2 - 3 Green chilies
• 1 Cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp gram masala powder
• 1 tsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
• 1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes
• Salt
• Oil

Method:

• Soak Soya nuggets in warm water for 15 minutes.
• Squeeze them and remove excess water. Keep aside.
• Heat a oil and add cumin seeds, ginger, garlic and onion, one after one and fry well
• Add socked and squeezed nuggets along with little water and add salt.
• Add finely chopped tomatoes and garam masala and allow the dish to boil.
• Grind green chilies and coriander leaves and make as paste.
• Add this paste to the dish.
• Cook further for a while and remove from the fire.
• Now ’Soya Dhania masala’ is ready to serve with dosa or chapatti.

Toor Dal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup toor dal
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 tsp. red chilly powder
• 1/2 tsp. coriander seed powder
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. garam masala (optional)
• 2 pinches asafetida
• 1 tsp. chopped tamarind
• 1 tsp. jaggery crushed
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1/2 tsp. each cumin and mustard seeds
• 1 stalk curry leaves
• 1/2 tomato chopped fine
• 1 tbsp. chopped coriander

Method:

• Wash and pressure cook dal till done. (Approx. 4 whistles will do).
• Cool cooker and remove dal.
• Beat the dal with a hand beater till smooth. Keep aside.
• Make a thin paste of the dry spice powders and salt and 1/2 cup water.
• Heat ghee in a saucepan, add the seeds to splutter. add tomatoes and curry leaves.
• Fry for a minute. Add masala paste. Fry for a minute.
• Add the chopped tamarind and
• jaggery.
• Stir for a minute more. Add dal and stir. Add water.
• Bring to boil and simmer on low for 7-8 minutes.
• Garnish with chopped coriander.
• Serve piping hot with steamed rice and papads.

Sweet and Sour Dal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup toor dal 1/2 tsp.
• Dania (coriander seed) powder
• 1 tbsp. mint leaves finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp. garam masala
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
• 2 pinches asafetida
• 1 stalk curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. broken jaggery
• 1/2 tsp. each cumin & mustard seeds
• 3 tbsp. tamarind water / ½ sp. Puli paste
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 3 green chilies
• 5 cups rice starch water or water
• 1" piece ginger
• 1 tsp. red chilly powder
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder

Method:

• Wash and pressure cook dal in two cups water.
• Cool, remove, drain and keep aside the top water of dal.
• Remove two tbsp. Thick dal and keep aside.
• Beat the remaining dal with a hand whipper, adding the water that was kept aside.
• Crush the green chilly and ginger together.
• Make a paste of all the dry powders in 1/4 cup water.
• Keep aside.
• Heat ghee in a pan and add the seeds.
• Add ginger garlic and stir.
• Add asafetida, mint, masala paste and stir for a minute.
• Add jaggery, tamarind water and stir.
• Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Add beaten dal.
• Boil for 6-7 minutes.
• Check taste for salt and spiciness.
• Garnish with chopped coriander.
• To be served with hot steamed rice.
• To serve, place one serving of rice on a plate with 2 tea sp. Ghee and dal.
• Or serve with chappati.
• Children will like this dal.

Mixed Dal

Ingredients:

• 1/2 toor dal
• 1/4 cup yellow moong dal
• 1/4 cup masoor dal
• 1 onion grated
• 2 green chillies sliced
• 1/4 tsp. ginger grated
• 1/2 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. red chilli powder
• 3-4 tbsp. butter
• salt

Method:

• Mix and wash dals well. Soak for 30 minutes.
• Pressure cook till soft but not overcooked. (Approx. 3 whistles)
• Mash a little with the back of a spoon, while hot.
• Heat butter in a deep pan. Put cumin seeds.
• Add onion, ginger and green chilies.
• Stir fry till soft; add masalas (red chilies and salt) and dals, mix well.
• Bring to a boil. Simmer for 3-4 minutes.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and lemon juice.
• Serve hot with rice, rotis, etc.,