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.