Today, let's chat about Proteins. People who eat non-vegetarian food get their proteins from the animal sources like fish, meat & egg. The sources of protein for vegetarians are pulses or legumes & a few vegetables. That is the reason, I suppose, dal plays such an important role in Indian cooking. Any dish, which contains both legume and grain, is a complete source of protein. Our ancestors have done an excellent job by carefully selecting ingredients that go into making any dish in such a way that the nutritional value of the dish rises up always. Kudos to them !!!
I cook leafy vegetables at least 2-3 times a week. I try to explore simple, tasty & healthier curry recipes. I don’t like adding cardamoms, cinnamon & whole lot of spices in everyday food. I like it to be simple. Given a chance, I even avoid garlic & onions. As ayurveda suggests, garlic, onions & few other vegetables increase the “khrodha, kama & other harmful feelings inside the body”. Hence, it is advised to limit the usage of such vegetables to toddlers, young children & adolescent youth. I strongly believe in them & try to avoid them as much as possible. I suggest everybody cooking for young children to avoid such vegetables once a while to keep them calm & focused.
Now, don’t think I have gone nuts. I’m asking you to avoid them & myself preparing dal with loads of garlic. Isn’t it like “do what I say & don’t do what I do”? Note that garlic has umpteen health benefits too. One should not forget that. I feel, we need to know the chemistry of a vegetable to reap the benefits from them. For older people or middle aged people, it works like magic in reducing the bad cholesterol & safe guards the heart. Now that, we know both the advantages & disadvantages of garlic, we can decide when to use them & when not??Am I right?
Was I clear or did I confuse you guys more? Before I confuse you completely let me come back to..err…., Lasooni Dal Palak.
Lasooni Dal Palak is an amazing dish that can be served with either rice or rotis. I got two lasooni dal palak recipes while browsing. One was from One Hot Stove of Nupur ((I mostly followed her)& other from SaffronTrail. I used some ingredients & some nice points from both the recipes & created my own!!. Believe me, it tasted fantabulous. Ever since I prepared this, I have been crazy about it & these days whenever I buy palak, it is only lasooni dal palak at our home until my family complain about it ;)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup toor dal
- 1 cup masoor dal
- 3 pods garlic, sliced
- 1 pod garlic minced
- 1 medium sized onion sliced
- 1 tomato chopped finely or ½ cup tomato puree
- 2 cups finely chopped spinach/palak (I used frozen palak).
- 1 tsp red chilli powder/paprika
- 1 tbsp ghee/oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera/jeerige
- A pinch of turmeric
- 1 green chilli chopped
- 1tbsp lemon juice
- Salt according to taste
- Mix both the dals & wash them in running water two or three times.
- Add 1 cup water, chopped green chilli & turmeric to the washed dal. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.
- Allow the dal to cool. Meantime, fry the sliced garlic pods in ghee until golden brown. Remove them & drain them on absorbent paper.
- Prepare the tempering/tadka by using the same ghee (used for frying the garlic). When ghee is hot, add cumin seeds. When cumin seeds splutter add minced garlic & onions. Sauté till onion turns golden brown.
- Add the finely chopped spinach/palak, red chilli powder & cook the spinach for 3-4minutes. Follow spinach by finely chopped tomatoes & cook the tomatoes for 2-3minutes.
- Mash the cooked dal gently & pour it to the pan. Add ½ cup of water, salt & mix well. Boil the dal for 3-5minutes on a slow flame.
- Turn off the flame, add lemon juice. Mix well. Garnish it with the fried garlic & serve it hot with rice or rotis.
Great dish Sushma, I love it. Full of protein as you said and taste fab too. Here is my version! :))
ReplyDeletehttp://aromahope.blogspot.com/2009/02/panchratani-palak-dal-raw-jackfruit-and.html
I make this very often, but I don't add lemon juice.
ReplyDeleteheu sushma nice info about protein .Thanks and this dal is quite different..will try it soon Thanks for the recipe :)
ReplyDeleteLovely! Psstt.. i always use garlic when tempering my plain yellow dal. its just so much more flavourful :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post Sushma..I love this combo of dal n greens n usually make it..actually am so fond of garlic too..But my hubby pukes if he sees it..only if he see..so I make it invisible hehe..Keeper recipe..:)
ReplyDeleteHi Sushma, very nice recipe.. quick and easy to make too and tastes havenly. my MIL and FIL do not like garlic.. so this is my version - http://shreezexperiments.blogspot.com/2009/03/dal-palak.html
ReplyDeletehey naavu soppu sambar maadidru belluli haakthivi alwa. Bellulli ilde soppina huli tasty ansodilla :(
ReplyDeletethe dal looks so rich and mouth-watering Sushma! Good one :)
ReplyDeletewow Idu nanna fav huli..Garlic and lemon juice gives this huli a different taste..Yumm
ReplyDeleteI love garlic in anything. I put double the quantity in this recipe :D
ReplyDelete@Ashakka,
ReplyDeleteThanks Ashakka. I saw your version today, will surely try next time & let you know.
@Smitha,
I love this dish more because of the lemon juice. I love anything tangy & sour. Thanks for the comments
@Mangala Bhat,
tumba thanks rii
i am heavy handed when it comes garlic and lassuni dal palak or lassuni dal methi is something i cook very often :)
ReplyDeletewishing u and ur loved ones a very happy Ugadi :)
Comfort food is this...simple and yummy
ReplyDelete@Nags,
ReplyDeleteEven I add garlic to normal dal tadka sometimes.
@Varsha Vipins,
Ha Ha Ha.., nice trick. I am happy that my hubby never complains about garlic.
@Shree,
Ditto is the case with my parents. They dont eat garlic. Liked your version of dal palak.
@LG,
howda? namma maneli normal soppina hulige garlic hakalla, but I agree to the fact that garlic adds a nice flavor to leafy vegetables.
@Uma, Ashwini & A_and_N,
Thanks a lot.
@Sia,
Wishing you a very happy & a prosperous new year Sia. Thanks for visiting Savi-Ruchi. Keep coming :)
@Priti,
Completely agreed Priti.
Thanks for your wonderful comments.
I'm making this for dinner tonight. I think I'll try to shoot it, but I don't think it will be as pretty as your picture!
ReplyDelete