Dal palak (Spinach & Lentils Curry)

Our family has switched to greens (a lot of them) these days. I get very fresh Chinese spinach (phuay leng), sharp spinach, round spinach, Malabar spinach, red vege (a variation of Malabar spinach), amaranth leaves in the local supermarkets. This being an added advantage for me, I need not run around places to look for greens. I am happy to cook green leafy vegetables 4 days a week!!

I used Chinese Spinach to prepare dal palak (you can use the normal Indian palak too) & the taste was impressive. I’m going to prepare this often as everyone was very happy eating it.

Ingredients:
1 cup masoor dal (you could use normal toor dal too)
1 bunch spinach (I used 250gms packet)
½ tsp grated ginger
1 medium sized onion finely chopped
2 green chilli pods (chopped)
1 tsp dhania powder/coriander seeds powder
½ tsp chilli powder/paprika
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp milk cream (optional, I used nestle cream got from local market here)
1 tbsp oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
Salt according to taste
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped cilantro



Method:

• Wash the spinach well, drain out the water & pressure cook the leaves for 1 whistle (don’t add any water while cooking).
• Pressure cook the pigeon pea until soft (may be 2-3 whistles)
• Prepare a puree out of the cooked spinach without adding any water.
• Take a broad pan, add oil to it. When oil is hot, add cumin seeds. When cumin seeds crackle, add ginger, green chillies & finely chopped onion.
• Fry the onions till they turn golden brown. Add cooked lentils, spinach puree, salt, coriander seeds powder, chilli powder, garam masala & mix well.
• Allow the whole mixture to boil. Add cream & mix well.
• Turn off the flame, add lemon juice & garnish it with coriander leaves.
• Serve it hot with phulkas, naan or rice.
  

Paper Plain Dosa

I was introduced to Ramya’s "Mane Adige" recently & was really happy to see her recipes & the presentation she does for all her dishes. The recipe that attracted me most was her paper plain dosa. I immediately noted down the ingredients & prepared it in a couple of days.

At my home, I prepare different types of dosas 3-4 days a week. This recipe got from Ramya was too good to resist. I have decided to prepare them once in 15 days atleast ;)

I’m writing the ingredients here again for my reference.

Ingredients:
3 cups rice
1 cup urad dal
¼ cup channa dal
2 tbsp beaten rice
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds/methi seeds (Original recipe had 2 tbsp, I have used only 1 here)
Salt according to taste

Method:

• Soak all the above mentioned ingredients (except salt) for 4-5 hours.
• Prepare the batter by grinding the ingredients into a smooth paste. The batter should be like milkshake.
• Let the batter get fermented for 8-10 hours.
• Add salt to the batter, mix well & prepare dosas
  

In the above picture, you can see a pile of dosas prepared using the Mane Adige’s recipe.
I’m sending this recipe to "Easy Breezy Breakfast" event hosted by Simple Indian Food

Heerekayi Tambli (Luffa in yogurt sauce)

By now, it would be clear for all of you that, I use curd/yogurt to prepare lots and lots of dishes. We love eating yogurt in any form. Also, as I previously mentioned in one of the posts that, thin yogurt is said to have a cooling effect on the body & is very beneficial in tropical countries like Singapore. The situation for me is like.., ರೋಗಿ ಬಯಸಿದ್ದು ಹಾಲು ಅನ್ನ, ವೈದ್ಯ ಹೇಳಿದ್ದು ಹಾಲು ಅನ್ನ (Kannada proverb). The meaning of this is.., you ask for it & you get it (Please forgive my bad translation skills)

I enjoy preparing & eating atleast one variety of tambli (Yogurt sauce) every week. Tambli is such an easy preparation & it can well be prepared within 15-20mins. Not only easy to cook, but also packed with nutrition & tastes heaven.

You can find more information about ಹೀರೇಕಾಯಿ/ridged gourd here or in wikipedia

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped ridged gourd(use tender ones for preparing)
1-2 green chillies
1/2 tsp cumin seeds/jeerige
3tbsp cup grated coconut (fresh/frozen)
1.5 cups thin butter-milk/yogurt
salt according to taste

For tempering:
1 tsp ghee/clarified butter
a generous pinch of asafoetida
4-6 curry leaves
1 broken red chilli (optional)

Method:

• Grind together the ridged gourd, cumin seeds, green chillies, grated coconut using the buttermilk to a smooth paste.
• Mix this paste, salt with the remaining butter-milk.
• Prepare the tempering in a separate pan. Add ghee to a pan, when ghee is hot, add mustard seeds, when mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves, broken red chilli & finally add asafoetida.
• Pour this tempering on the yogurt sauce prepared.
• Mix well & serve it with rice.

Note :

1. Ridged gourd can be used with the skin, there is no need to peel & discard the skin.
2. If ridged gourd is not very tender, then cook it until soft by adding little water & then use the cooked ridged gourd to prepare the above recipe

Huli or Gojju avalakki (Beaten Rice in Tamarind Sauce)

One more beaten rice recipe that can be prepared & consumed on Ekadashi (11th day of new moon or full moon). On this day, our holy books advise us to observe fast. Scientifically also, it is good to fast once in 15 days as it helps to detoxify & cleanse our body. So, as part of this year’s resolution, I thought of observing fast on Ekadashi. Beaten rice, saabudana could be consumed on such days, that is why I normally prepare huli avalakki, avalakki bhath, avalakki oggarane, mosaru avalakki on such days.

Needless to mention, yesterday was ekadashi & it was huli avalakki or gojju avalakki at our home. For me gojju avalakki is literally, mix gojju with avalakki & it is ready. My granny & my mom prepare awesome gojju (puliyogere mixture). I just use the same thing for preparing this dish. For people who don’t get that puliyogere mix, they could buy MTR or for that matter any puliyogere mix & prepare.

Language Translations:
Kannada : Avalakki
English : Beaten Rice
Hindi : poha
Tamil/Malayalam : aval
Telugu: atukulu
Tulu : Bajil


(PS: In the above taken picture, I have skipped making the beaten rice a course rawa part as my blender was out of order & prepared without breaking the beaten rice)

Ingredients:
2 cups beaten rice
1 tsp seesame seeds
1 tbsp puliyogere gojju or 1.5 tbsp puliyogere pudi
1 cup water
3 tbsp grated dry coconut/copra/kobbari
Salt according to taste.

For tempering:
1 tbsp oil
8-10 cashewnuts (optional)
1 tbsp groundnuts
1 tsp urad dal/black gram dal
½ tsp mustard seeds
6-8 curry leaves
1-2 broken red chilli
Generous pinch of hing

Method:

• Wash the beaten rice 2-3 times thoroughly in water. Drain the water immediately & spread it on a broad plate (Water should be removed as much as possible, else it would become soggy).
• Once the beaten rice becomes completely dry, make a very coarse ( big rawa like mixture) of the same (each grain should just be broken into 2-3 pieces) The broken poha should look like cracked wheat.
• Add salt, puliyogere mixture, 1.5 cups of water to a bowl & mix it well.
• Sprinkle this water over the broken beaten rice. Mix it well. Repeat the procedure until the beaten rice is 80% moist. Let it soak for 5-10mins (ensure that the whole mixture donot become soggy). Add 1-2 tsps of the mixed water (if required)
• Meantime, dry roast the seesame seeds & make a coarse powder of it. This could be also added as is (so choice of adding the seesame powder or seesame as is, is individual’s choice)
• Prepare the tempering. Heat oil in a pan, when oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds splutter, add urad dal & fry till it turns golden brown. Add peanuts, cashewnuts & fry till they are golden brown. Add broken red chilli, curry leaves & hing.
• Pour this tempering on the soaked beaten rice.
• Add seesame seeds, dry coconut.
• Mix well & serve it.
  

alas!!, how can I forget the award I received from AniSheetu of "sweety-mykitchen".Thanks a lot, these awards mean a lot to me. I'm happy to pass these awards to Smitha of kannadacuisine, Deesha of VegetablePlatter , Notyet100 of asankhana, Ramya of maneadige, LG of TasteOfMysore

Pumpkin Idli

Yesterday when I went for vegetable shopping, I found very attractive bright yellow pumpkins in the market & got 1 whole pumpkin without even thinking what to prepare. After coming home, started to look for pumpkin recipes, found pumpkin idli in various blogs. When I looked at the ingredients & the quantity of pumpkin used, I found each blog mentioning varied amount & it was drastically different. So, decided not to experiment just by searching.

Next option was to call my mom or mom-in-law to get some recipes. I called my mom, told her that I have large amount of pumpkin with me & asked her for recipes. The first item, she mentioned was pumpkin idli. I asked my mom, if she was sure about the measurements & ingredients because I don’t remember my mom preparing it for many years & not only that she sometimes tells andaju mele hakamma. (meaning.., do some approximation & add the ingredients).But this time, she was quite sure about the measurements & I just followed her instructions. It was mouth-watering, colorful & filled with nutrition.

Ingredients:

2 cups grated pumpkin
1 cup idli rawa/semolina (donot use the upma rawa for this)
1/4th cup grated coconut
1 tbsp channa dal (soaked in water)
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves/cilantro
Salt according to taste (add less quantity than added for normal idli/dosa batter)
1 drop of oil on each idli mould.

Method:

• Mix together all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil). Don’t add any water, just mix everything thoroughly & keep it aside for 30 mins.
  

• Batter wouldnot be like normal idli batter, it would be just a mixture types. (Grated pumpkin would look predominantly as rawa gets mixed well with it).


• Grease the idli plates with oil. Drop a spoonful of this mixture on the idli plate & spread it (don’t press it hard to spread), gently spread it on the idli mould.


• Steam cook these idlis for 15 minutes. Serve it hot with chutney of your choice or just ghee (clarified butter).
  

We relished this on Sunday morning with ghee.
I’m sending this recipe to the ‘FIC-Yellow’ hosted by Sunshine mom of Tongue Ticklers.

Methi Matar Malai (Fenugreek-peas curry)

After seeing methi matar malai’s recipe in Smitha’s blog, my taste buds complained for not tasting it for a long time. The reason behind 'not tasting' is the availability of methi leaves here. I have never found nice methi here. From past 8 months, I have not prepared anything with Indian methi leaves!!! I substitute dou miao(available in NTUC) for methi, but I don’t get the authentic taste that I used to get in India. But, i thought..ok, let's be fair with dou miao...lets try methi matar malai with this and then, I can comment.I prepared methi matar malai using dou miao & it was not that bad…., but again not the authentic Indian taste.., what to do.., had to compromise with dou miao.

BTW, Dou Miao is a Mandrin word and is snow peas shoots. It is widely used in salads, sandwich etc.

Ingredients:
1 packet dow miow or 1 bunch methi leaves
1 cup green peas/batani/matar
½ cup thick curd (curd should not be very sour)
1 tbsp cashewnuts (soaked in water)
1 tsp khus-khus/poppy seeds
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp kasoori methi
½ tsp dhania powder
½ tsp jeera powder/cumin seeds powder
½ tsp amchur powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 onion (finely chopped)
Salt according to taste
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
1 tsp lemon juice (optional)

Method:

• Make a fine paste of cashew nuts & poppy seeds.
• Heat a small pan, add thick curd (I used Nestle set curd), cashew nut & poppy seeds paste. Keep the flame very low & keep stirring it. This would yield you thick white gravy once you cook for about 5 minutes. Allow it to cool.
• Heat oil in a broad pan, when oil is hot, add ginger-garlic paste & sauté until the raw smell disappears.
• Add onions & sauté till onion turns golden brown.
• Add chopped methi leaves & green peas. Saute these in oil for a minute.
• Add little water & cook the methi leaves & green peas till soft.
• Now, add chilli powder, salt, dhania powder, cumin seeds powder, amchur powder, kasuri methi & mix well.
• Add the white gravy prepared (curd, cashew nut-poppy seeds mixture).Mix it well, add garam masala & cook again for 3-5 mins on slow flame.
• Garnish it with coriander. I like to add little lemon juice too.., as I like it a bit more tangy (anyways, it is your choice)
• Serve it hot with phulkas or paranthas.

Vegetable Pulao

I was staying as a PG (paying guest) during my graduation days & my PG aunt used to serve us pulao as breakfast in the mornings to keep our tummy filled till noon. She was a very nice lady & she used to serve us as if we were her own children. Not to forget she was a very good chef & her native was Puttur/Kundapur (I don’t remember exactly). It was those graduation days when I was first introduced to the south canara food. I tasted pathrode, many varieties of dosas at her home. Oh! I can talk about my PG aunt for hours. We shall talk more about her sometime later. Now, I intend to cut it short & let you all know the vegetable pulao recipe learnt by her.

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped vegetables (cauliflower, potatoes, French beans, carrots, peas, corn etc)
2 cups basmati rice
1 medium sized onion sliced
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp powdered cinnamon
4 cloves
3 cardamom
2 bay leaves
3 green chilies slit
Salt according to taste.
3 tbsp butter/ghee/oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp mustard seeds
4 cups water

Method:

• Heat butter in a broad pan.
• When butter is hot, add cumin seeds & mustard seeds. When mustard seeds splutter, add bay leaves, powdered cinnamon, cardamom, cloves & fry for 20-30 secs
• Add ginger-garlic paste & sauté well. Add onions & fry till onion turns golden brown.
• Add green chillies, chopped vegetables & mix well. Allow the vegetables to be cooked in butter for sometime (Keep stirring to avoid the vegetables from sticking to the pan & getting burnt).
• Add water, salt & bring the mixture to a boil (Simmer the flame to ensure vegetables are cooked & soft)
• Meantime, wash the basmati rice & soak it. Drain the water & just keep the wet basmati rice. (If you soak in water for long time, the grains break & pulao would become sticky).
• When water starts boiling, add basmati rice & cover the lid to ensure proper cooking of the rice.
• Mix the rice in between only once. When the grains are separate & all water evaporates, turn of the flame & keep the pulao covered for a minute.
• Mix the pulao gently & serve it hot with a spicy raitha.

Hesaru Kalu Thovve (Green gram dal)

This is a healthy, nutrition packed & easy to cook dal for all those people who plan to reduce weight & become fit. I would not be wrong in saying that most of us have made big plans of reducing weight atleast this year :-p So, this one is for all of us indeed. This dal goes well with both rice and chapathi.

Ingredients
1 cup green gram/hesaru kalu/ hara moong
1 medium sized onion
½ tsp grated ginger
½ tsp garlic paste (optional)
2-3 green chillies chopped
½ tsp cumin seeds/jeera
A generous pinch of turmeric
Salt according to taste
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp lemon juice
Coriander leaves, a few for garnishing

Method:

• Soak the green gram in water for 1-2 hours.
• Pressure cook the green gram until completely soft (may be 3-4 whistles). Allow it to cool.
• Heat a broad kadai, add oil. When oil is hot, add jeera. When jeera turns golden brown add, ginger.
• Fry ginger until the raw smell disappears. Add green chilli & sauté for 30 secs.
• Add onions & sauté till onion becomes translucent.
• Mash the cooked green gram. Add the mashed green gram, turmeric, salt & boil on low flame.
• Turn off the flame & then add lemon juice, mix well.
• Garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves. Serve it hot with roti or rice.

This is my entry for My Legume Love Affair, started by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook. Also this goes to Srivalli's My Legume Love Affair-7th helping.

Soppina Huli (Amaranth leaves Sambar)

Soppina Huli & mudde (ragi balls) was our lunch for many years until I started carrying lunch to school. My mom keeps saying that I used to eat this sambar & mudde in my grand father's plate. I used to wait for him & make him feed me. Though I dont remember those days, they were my wonderful toddler years. Decades passed & even now I see my mom preparing the sambar with the same old authentic taste & all of us in our family relishing it.

I didnot have to put extra efforts to learn the recipe as I used to see my mom preparing this very often. I prepare this, once a week atleast, as my hubby and son loves to eat this. You can always say that I am just carrying forward the tradition. I am happy to take that too :)


Ingrdients:
1 bunch Amaranth Leaves / ದಂಟು ಸೊಪ್ಪು
1 cup Toor Dal
8-10 small onion (sambar onion)
1 tsp thick tamarind extract
1 tbsp sambar powder
1 small grape-sized jaggery
Salt acc. to taste

for tempering:
1 tsp Oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
pinch of asafoetida
3-4 curry leaves
1 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)

Method:

• Cook the toor dal in pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles
• Meanwhile, wash the amaranth leaves and chop it finely.
  
• In a broad pan, cook the onions and amaranth leaves until soft. Drain the water and keep it aside.
• Take a vessel; add the tamarind paste, jaggery, salt, water (use the water, used to cook the amaranth leaves)
• Boil the mixture until the raw smell of tamarind is gone
• Add cooked toor dal, amaranth leaves and onion to this mixture
• Add sambar powder; reduce the flame and boil it for another 5 minutes
• Prepare the tempering by adding oil to a tadka pan. When oil is hot, add mustard seeds
• When mustard seeds splutter, add asafoetida and curry leaves
• Pour this tempering this over the sambar prepared.
• Mix well and serve it with ragi balls or rice
  

PS: Dont add too much water while cooking dal or cooking leaves as it may make the sambar watery.

Avalakki Bhath (Beaten Rice Bhath)

Avalakki bhath is usually prepared on ekadashi (11th day of new moon or full moon) in few Ashrams & gurukulas to satisfy the hunger of the students & yet maintain the tradition of observing a fast. It is said that avalakki is ideal to be consumed on such days(I don't know the reason behind it, but will try to find out & let you all know). My brother-in-law is studying in one such institutions & he keeps telling about what kind of items could be consumed on ekadashi day. I just follow his instructions. I know, you would be thinking as to why I’m telling all these stories to you, it is because yesterday was “Vaikunta ekadashi” & it was avalakki bhath at our home.The preparation & taste is very similar to the very popular bisibelebath.

Ingredients:
2 cups yellow moong dal
2 cups thick beaten rice
1 cup chopped vegetables (french beans, peas & carrots)
1 tsp thick tamarind juice
¼ - ½ tsp powdered jaggery
1 tomato chopped
2 tbsp bisibelebath powder (You can see the recipe here or just use MTR bisibelebath. I used MTR as the powder was all over & did not have energy to prepare the powder)
Salt according to taste
3 tbsp grated dry coconut

For tempering:
2 tbsp ghee/clarified butter
½ tsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp peanuts
8-10 cashewnuts
1 medium sized capsicum sliced
8-10 curry leaves
1 red chilli (broken)
A generous pinch of hing

Method:

• Pressure cook the moong dal & chopped vegetables separately for 1-2 whistles
• Take a broad pan, add 2 cups of water & tomatoes to it. Add tamarind juice too & allow the tomatoes to get cooked completely.
• Meanwhile, wash the beaten rice & soak it in water.
• Add the jaggery, salt, bisibelebath powder, grated dry coconut to the cooked tomato mixture & keep stirring.
• Add cooked vegetables & dal to it. Allow it to boil for 2-3 mins.
• Now add the soaked beaten rice & reduce the flame. Cook on slow flame for 20 mins (Add water if mixture becomes too thick). Keep mixing in between as it gets burnt easily.
• Prepare the tempering by heating ghee in a separate pan. When ghee is hot, add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves, peanuts & cashew nuts. Fry till cashews & peanuts turn golden brown. Add red chilli, capsicum & fry for 2-3 mins. Add asafoetida & pour the tempering on the mixture prepared.
• Mix it well & serve it hot with papad or chips.

Corn Capsicum Masala

As mentioned in my previous post, I managed to prepare jeera rice & it turned out yummy.I wanted a nicer side dish for jeera rice. So, started looking in the internet for something nice & different. I found this recipe here. Made few modifications according to my family’s choice & we all just relished this dish with jeera rice. The non spicy mild jeera rice with rich, spicy & crisp corn capsicum masala was a true treat to our tastebuds. I’m going to prepare this combination again.

Ingredients:
1 cup sweet corn (fresh/frozen)
1 big capsicum (cut into long strips)
2 medium sized tomatoes (finely chopped)
2 medium sized onion (finely chopped)
1 tsp garlic, ginger, green chilli paste
½ tsp poppy seeds (dry roasted)
8-10 cashew nuts soaked in water
2 tbsp heavy cream
½ tsp jeera powder (cumin seeds powder)
½ tsp dhania powder
A pinch of amchur powder
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
½ tsp of garam masala
½ tsp chilli powder
3-4 tbsp butter
Salt according to taste

Method:

• Heat butter in a broad kadai, when butter is hot, add garlic, ginger green chilli paste. Saute for a minute.
• Add onions & fry it till onion turns brown (this takes around 5 mins or so). Onion has to become crisp.
• Meanwhile, make a fine paste of cashewnuts & poppy seeds.
• When onion is done, add tomatoes & cook tomatoes completely. Tomatoes should not only leave out oil, but also become like a puree. This takes around 10-12 mins.
• When tomatoes are done, add capsicum & cook capsicum till crisp.
• Add, cooked corn, cashewnut paste, heavy cream, kasuri methi to it & mix well.
• Add all the masala powders, starting from salt, followed by red chilli powder, dhania powder, jeera powder, amchur powder & lastly garam masala.
• Cook it on a low flame for another 5 mins & the gravy is ready

Jeera Rice (Cumin Rice)

As I mentioned in my previous posts that I was part of a wonderful team & we all used to work, eat & enjoy together as a team!! One of our team members was a Punjabi & his wife was an excellent cook. She used to pack nice Punjabi dishes for lunch. We all used to enjoy the dishes prepared by her. Now that I am not a part of that team, I’m missing all those nice food especially the jeera rice, rajma masala & rajma chawal, that he used to get for lunch. Thought of searching in Indian Restaurants to satisfy my craving. Just then flew an idea of preparing it by my own.
Went inside the kitchen, started looking for the ingredients, prepared it in the next 30 minutes & enjoyed eating. You also note down the ingredients, you never know when you might need it ;)

Ingredients
1.5 tbsp jeera/cumin seeds
2 cups basmati rice
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 onion finely chopped
Salt according to taste
4 cups water
1 tbsp butter/oil (I personally feel butter gives better result)

Method:

• Take a broad pan. Add butter to it. When butter is heated, add cumin seeds. When cumin seeds turn golden brown, add ginger garlic paste, onion & sauté well.
• Let the onion turn golden brown.
• Add water, salt & allow water to boil.
• Meantime, wash the basmati rice & soak for 5 mins
• When water starts boiling, add the rice & close the lid of the pan.
• Allow the rice to be cooked for 10-15 mins. Keep peeping in between, but don’t mix the rice. Just take a peek.
• When the rice is almost done, mix the rice gently & allow the remaining water to evaporate completely.
• Serve it hot with spicy & tangy raitha, any curry of your choice or just normal dal-fry.

Tips:

• Don’t soak the rice for more than 5-10 mins. Rice becomes sticky.
• Donot pressure cook this rice (even 1 whistle in the cooker would make the rice soggy & sticky)
• Don’t keep mixing the rice when it is being cooked. Just do it once at the end. Take a heavy bottomed pan, the rice won’t be burnt with that & turns out just perfect.

These simple tips help to make jeera rice that looks & tastes like how we get in restaurants!!

Heerekayi Chutney (Ridged gourd chutney)

The Luffa is commonly known as Ridged Gourd and is called Turai in Hindi, Jhinga in Bengali, Janhi in Oriya, Gisoda in Gujarati, Beerakaya in Telugu, heerekaayi in Kannada, peechinga in Malayalam, pirkanga in Tamil. (Courtesy : wikipedia)

Kannadigas (People from Karntakaka) use heerekayi in preparing dishes like thovve (dal), chutney with the outer skin, chutney with cooked heerekayi, tambli, sambar etc. This vegetable gets cooked fast & tastes good as is. Usually, when preparing dishes using heerekayi, not many spices are added to retain the taste of the vegetable.

Now that I have told so much about this vegetable, it is your turn now to go ahead and try this chutney. You’ll keep licking your fingers for more. This chutney gives out a nice aroma & tastes great with rice.

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped ridged gourd (no need to peel out the skin, use the vegetable as is)
2 tsp urad dal
1 tsp seesame seeds/til/yellu (I use white seesame)
¼ tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp thick tamarind juice
A pinch of jaggery (this enhances the chutney taste)
Salt according to taste
3 red chillies
½ cup grated coconut
1 tsp oil
A pinch of asafoetida/hing
3-4 chopped curry leaves

Method:

• Add salt, jaggery, tamarind paste, water to the chopped ridged gourd & cook it till the vegetable becomes soft (don’t add too much water as the chutney needs to be kept thick).


• Let the vegetable cool for some time.


• Mean while, add 2-3 drops of oil to a kadai & roast urad dal, seesame seeds & red chilli.


• Mix roasted spices, coconut, salt (if required, as we have added salt while cooking the vegetable), cooked ridge gourd & make a fine paste out of it. (Use the cooked water from the vegetable for grinding).


• Prepare the tempering by adding oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves & hing (in the same order).


• Pour this tempering onto the chutney prepared & serve it with rice.

Amma's Palak Thovve Recipe | Karnataka Style Spinach Dal | Indian Spinach & Lentils Curry

This is my mom's (amma's) signature dish. Whenever we asked for dal to go with roti/chapathi, she used to make this dal, but with different vegetable each time! We all as kids loved eating them & even now love it! Now it is my son's favorite too.

                                                          (Served with ragi-jowar rotti)


Ingredients:

1 cup toor dal/thogari bele
3 cups roughly chopped spinach 

salt according to taste
a small pinch of turmeric powder
2 tsp lemon juice


For the tempering:
a generous pinch of turmeric
1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
4 curry leaves
a pinch of asafoetida
1 dry red chilli, broken

For the spice paste:
4 green chillies
2 tbsp grated coconut (fresh or frozen)
1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
3 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

Method:

• Add a pinch of turmeric powder to the dal. Pressure cook the dal & spinach by adding sufficient water (I added around 2.5 cups of water) for 2-3 whistles. Allow it to cool.
• Meantime, make a fine paste of the items mentioned for the spice paste. 
• Take a broad pan, add oil to the pan. When oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add dry red chilli. Add asafoetida & curry leaves. Add the spice paste & mix well.
• Gently mash the cooked lentils & spinach. Pour in the mashed lentils. Add the turmeric powder & adjust the salt. 
• Let the mixture boil on a medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, add lemon juice. Mix well & serve it with roti or rice.