Seemavankaya Pappu / Andhra Style Lentils with Chayote

 

'Pappu' is a lentil aka dal dish from the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The dish is on a thicker side compared to sambhar, a signature lentil dish from south India and also doesn't need sambhar powder. Green mango, greens, cuke, okra, tomato, and some of the gourds are the commonly used vegetables to prepare this style of dal. Chayote also works well in a pappu recipe though it is not used traditionally. The lentils can be pressure cooked adding the vegetable of your choice, green chili and even the tamarind, making it a quick and easy preparation. The seasoning of mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida makes the dal flavorful. The delicious dal is served with rice, drizzling with ghee.

Ingredients needed for pappu:

1 cup pigeon peas / toor dal

1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
1 small chayote - peeled, seeded and chopped into cubes (I had about a cup.)

1 spicy green chili, slit lengthwise
Salt to taste (I added about 1 & 3/4 tsp. salt.)
1/2 tsp. spicy chili powder or as needed
Thick tamarind puree (I used somewhere about 3 - 4 tbsp. See note below.)

Ingredients for seasoning / popu: 

2 tsp oil 

1 tsp. mustard seeds 

1 tsp. cumin seeds (optional)

A pinch of fenugreek seeds (optional)

2 pinches of asafoetida

Few curry leaves

Directions:
* Wash pigeon peas / toor dal with water twice and throw away the cloudy water. Pressure cook the dal adding chayote cubes, green chili, turmeric powder and 2 cups of water for 3 whistles or until done. (I cooked chayote separately. The dal can be cooked in a thick bottomed pan on stove top in lieu of a pressure cooker. Soak dal for a couple of hours in that case to fasten the cooking process. Cook until the dal softens adding water as needed.)

* When the valve pressure is gone, remove the lid. Slightly mash the cooked dal with the back of a ladle and keep aside.

* Heat oil in a pan and add mustard and cumin seeds. When mustard seeds start to pop, add asafoetida and curry leaves. Then add the mashed dal, salt, chili powder and tamarind. Mix all the ingredients well with the ladle. Add extra water if the dal appears thicker. Check the taste and adjust any seasonings if needed. Bring the dal to a boil and lower the heat setting. Let the dal simmer for 3 to  4 minutes for all the flavors to mingle and turn off the stove.

How to serve:
Serve this with a small mound of rice and a tsp of ghee. Serve along with a pickle, koora (a vegetable preparation), and yogurt for Andhra style lunch.

Notes:

1. Soak about 1/4 cup of tamarind in water for about an hour or microwave for about 3 minutes adding water. Squeeze thick tamarind puree using your fingers or passing through a sieve. Discard the seeds and fibre. Use the puree as needed and refrigerate the rest. The amount of tamarind puree used depends upon how much tartness is preferred in the dal. It must balance the salt and chili powder used in the recipe. If using ready made tamarind paste, the quantity mentioned above varies.

2. Chili powder can be entirely omitted from the recipe and green chillies can be used accordingly. Or only green chilies can be used in the recipe.

This post is an entry for Blogging Marathon under the theme 'Regional Side dishes'. Check the link to find out what other marathoners are cooking.

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Mamidikaaya Pappu / Andhra Style Green Mango Dal / మామిడికాయ పప్పు

(This was originally published on 9/ 9/09.)

Pappu is a signature lentil based dish from the south Indian states of Andhra and Telangana. The preparation is a simple one using the basic ingredients from an Indian kitchen and usually brings out the flavors of the vegetable being used. However, it should be noted that all vegetables are not used to make a pappu. Some are absolute classics if a list of pappus is being made. Mamidikaya pappu (green mango dal), and the ones prepared using leafy greens like gongura and chukka koora are mouth watering and flavorful dals. Today's recipe is for mamidikaya pappu, which is one of our family favorites. Mango dal, the protein rich dish with the tart mangoes and a flavorful seasoning of asafoetida and curry leaves would make a pleasing meal when served with rice, drizzled with ghee.

Pick the tartest kind of green mango you can, for this dal. See that it is very firm to touch and green in color. The signature flavor of the dal is lost with out the sourness. The requirement of tamarind in this recipe depends upon the sourness of the mango being used. If the mangoes are really sour as back in India, tamarind may be omitted. I get sour mangoes but not that mouth puckering variety and so I happen to use tamarind. 

Ingredients needed:
1 cup pigeon peas / toor dal

1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
1 small firm, green mango - peeled, seeded and chopped into cubes (I had about a cup.)
About 2 tsp. salt or as needed
1/2 tsp. spicy chili powder or as needed
Thick tamarind puree (I used about 3 tbsp. See note below.)

Ingredients for seasoning / popu: 

2 tsp oil 

1 tsp. mustard seeds 

1 tsp. cumin seeds (optional)

A pinch of fenugreek seeds (optional)

2 pinches of asafoetida

Few curry leaves

Directions:
* Wash pigeon peas / toor dal with water twice and throw away the cloudy water. Pressure cook the dal adding 2 cups of water and turmeric powder for 3 whistles or until done. (The dal can be cooked in a thick bottomed pan on stove top in lieu of a pressure cooker. Soak dal for a couple of hours in that case to fasten the cooking process. Cook until the dal softens adding water as needed.)

* Cook mango cubes in another container in the cooker (while cooking dal) or cook separately in a sauce pan or in a microwave adding about 1/2 cup of water. (It is done because the tartness of mango interferes with the cooking of toor dal.)

* Mash the cooked dal with the back of a ladle and keep aside.

* Heat oil in a pan and add mustard and cumin seeds. When mustard seeds start to pop, add asafoetida and curry leaves. Then add the mashed dal, cooked mango cubes along with the water used to cook, salt, chili powder and tamarind if using. Mix all the ingredients well with the ladle. Add extra water if the dal appears thicker. Check the taste and adjust any seasonings if needed. Let the dal simmer for about 5 minutes for all the flavors to mingle and turn off the stove.

How to serve:
Serve this with a small mound of rice and a tsp of ghee. Serve along with a pickle, koora (a vegetable preparation), and yogurt for Andhra style lunch.

Notes:

Soak about 1/4 cup of tamarind in water for about an hour or microwave for about 3 minutes adding water. Squeeze thick tamarind puree using your fingers or passing through a sieve. Discard the seeds and fibre. Use the puree as needed and refrigerate the rest. The amount of tamarind puree used depends upon the tartness of mango being used. I used about 3 tbsp. of tamarind puree but the quantity may vary for the same amount of pigeon peas cooked depending upon the mango used. If using the ready made tamarind paste, the quantity mentioned above varies.

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A 'Simple' Tamil Nadu Thaali

As I mentioned in my yesterday's post, it is time for mega marathon this month with the theme of Indian thaalis and platters. I reserved this week for everyday style mini thaalis. I chose to go with the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu for today's mini meal platter aka saapadu. It is a simple, traditional style, vegetarian meal platter. A typical Tamil Nadu or for that matter, any south Indian style lunch menu revolves around rice and is always a balanced meal of carbs, proteins and vegetables. Each side dish is eaten in a specific order, mixed with a small portion of rice and drizzled with ghee. A vegetable preparation is eaten as a side dish while rice is eaten first with a lentil and vegetable based gravy, followed by a thin, spicy broth called rasam and the meal is rounded off with a serving of yogurt and rice or buttermilk. There would be a pickle or an instant chutney or a spicy powder (podi) to perk up the meal. It may be a chutney / thogayal prepared that day with a vegetable or lentil base or a pickle / oorkaai scooped out from a jar, that was made and preserved during summer months for the year long usage. And then there may be some fried popadums / sun dried fritters that every one enjoys but are optional for everyday meals. Ghee, salt and water are of course part of the meal. Sweets and snacks are usually reserved for special occasions at homes. One can even add a banana to the thaali if it is not an every day meal.

Though people still practice this regimen, one cannot forget that the word 'traditional' is the keyword here. People in the modern day hustle bustle may not have enough time to cook all the side dishes and may opt for one or two side dishes or sometimes even just a wholesome, one pot meal. Now let's come back to our traditional style meal. The vegetable preparation typically can be a dry saute called poriyal or a fry that is common across the south Indian states. Or preparations with regional touches or those ones unique to the state. The tamarind based lentil / gravy preparations typically fall under sambhar, kuzhambu, kootu, paruppu varieties. The food never gets boring taking into consideration how a typical housewife injects variety into everyday cooking rotating the recipes from repertoire.

This was one of those meals I wished I could serve on a plantain leaf but had to manage with my steel plate which is what typically used back home to eat everyday meals (at least these past few decades.) No cutlery is used in the traditional style of eating. And also the side dishes are not served in cups either since each item is individually eaten. For example rice and sambhar is mixed in a plate using the tips of the right hand fingers, scooped up and eaten. There may be a small serving of some chutney, curry or a papad on the side. Once the sambhar - rice is finished, rice and rasam are again added to the plate and so on.

We almost always have a chutney / pickle, curry, sambhar, rasam, yogurt to go with our rice. I therefore included those varieties in the meal and had kootu as an extra as it is a personal favorite and usually part of a traditional spread . Hop over here for the recipe of cucumber kootu.  I had a sago kheer prepared for neivedyam that day and so it went into the platter as well. This is a Tamil Brahmin aka tambram style mini thaali without the usage of onion and garlic. My lunch platter had the following items along with rice. (Usually we would place the pickle next to curry, I realized later.)

Avakkai - Mango pickle in powdered mustard base
Appalam - Papad (Microwaved)
Vazhakkai poriyal - Plantain curry with addition of coconut and simple seasoning 
Varutharacha kuzhambu - Mixed vegetable gravy
Vellerikka kootu - Cucumber and moongdal stew
Rasam - Lentil and tomato broth
Thayir - Yogurt
Javvarisi payasam - Sago kheer / Tapioca pearl pudding

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Vellarikka Kootu ~ Tamil Nadu Style Cucumber - Moong Dal Stew

I am posting the recipe for kootu from the Tamil Nadu thaali I posted. Check that link to read about it. Now coming to today's recipe, kootu can be roughly translated as a lentil and vegetable stew, originating in south Indian cuisine. This simple, comforting side dish is common to Tamil Nadu and Kerala cuisines. Karnataka has also a gravy dish called 'kootu' but it is more along the lines of a arachuvitta sambhar though both are not the same. The Tamil word 'kootu' means 'to add', which refers to the blending of lentils and vegetables in the dish. Kootu is usually served with rice and is thicker in consistency than of a typical sambhar. 

A kootu can be prepared using moong dal, split chick peas, pigeon peas or a combo of dals. I have used cucumbers here but some of the commonly used vegetables are chayote, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, cabbage or even greens. A medley of vegetables can be used as well. Any variety of green cucumbers can be used in the recipe. Just check for bitterness before using the cucumber as the bitter flavor is going to ruin the dish. Remove the seeds as well if the cucumber appears to be a mature one.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup moong dal (yellow colored)
A pinch of ground turmeric 
1/2 cup peeled and cubed cucumber
Salt to taste
Ingredients for grinding:
1/4 cup fresh / frozen coconut
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. rice / rice flour
1 tsp. pepper corns / 2 green chilies (or a combo of both can be used.)
Ingredients for tempering:
1 tsp. oil / ghee
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. black gram / uard dal
A pinch of asafoetida
Few curry leaves

Directions:
* Thaw if using frozen coconut and soak rice for about 15 minutes in water, if using.
* Rinse moong dal with water twice and drain completely. Pressure cook dal along with turmeric and a cup of water until soft, about 3 whistles. Let the pressure subside and mash the dal well with the back of the ladle.
* Peel the cucumber and quarter it lengthwise. Remove the seeds if the cucumber is a mature one and chop them into fine cubes. Cook cucumber separately either in a microwave or in a sauce pan on stove top adding enough water just until done. Don't throw away the water.
*  Grind together coconut, soaked rice, cumin seeds and peppercorns / green chilies finely, adding water.
* Add oil / ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds and black gram. When the black gram starts to turn reddish add asafoetida and curry leaves. Immediately add the mashed dal, the cucumber pieces along with the water, the ground coconut paste and salt. If rice isn't being used, make a paste of rice flour and few tbsp. of water and add it to the mixture. Add extra water if needed. Mix well and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer fora minute or so and turn off the stove,
* Serve it warm with rice, drizzling a little ghee over it.

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A - Z Karnataka Recipe Series ~ O for Oodhalina Bisibele Bhath

So far in my 'A - Z' Karnataka recipe series,
A - Akki Halbai
B - Biscuit Roti
C - Congress Kadalekayi
D - Davanagere Benne Dose
E - Ellu Pajji
F - Field Beans / Avarekalu Payasa
G - Girmit
H - Hitakida Avarekalu Huli
I - Iyengar Bakery Style Masala Toast
J - Jolada Vade
K - Kumbalakayi Idli
L - Limbe Hannina Gojju
M - Mysore Pak

N - Nuchinunde

'O' dishes / culinary terms in Kannada:
There are some traditional and popular recipe choices for the alphabet 'O' from Karnataka cuisine like obbattu, obbattu saaru, oralu chitranna, ottu shavige and open dose. 'O' also stands for 'oota' and 'outhana' which means a meal and a feast respectively. Anything dried is called 'ona' and the tempering / tadka is called oggarane in Kannada.

I opted to go with oodhalu which is barnyard millet in Kannada for today's post in spite of the 'O' choices I had. My A - Z Karnataka Recipe series appeared incomplete with out the inclusion of bisisbele bhath in it. I have already posted the standard version on my blog and I therefore decided to prepare it with oodhalu. Bisibele bhath is a rice - lentil dish in Karnataka cuisine that is both traditional and popular. The rice- lentil- vegetable mixture is leisurely cooked in a pot on stove top and then freshly ground spices are added which lend the characteristic, special flavor to the bhath. 

The words 'Bisi-Bele-Bhath' literally translate the essence of the dish in a nutshell. Bisi literally means hot in Kannada, temperature wise. The syllable 'bi' is pronounced as in the word 'Bin' while 'si' as in the word 'Sin'. Bhath is a term generally used for rice dishes. Now coming to the middle part of the name. Though not phonetically correct, somehow the accepted spelling is 'bele'. Now the syllable 'be' is pronounced as 'bay'. 'Le' is pronounced as 'lay'. (Actually English language doesn't have the la sound used here. You kind of roll out your tongue and say it). Here, the la used is the one that comes after the Indian alphabet 'ha'. Now bele refers to the lentils used in the dish. Bisibelebhath so literally means hot rice - lentil mixture.

Bisibele bhath is a nutritious and filling one pot dish that is delicious as it is but substituting millet for rice makes it more healthier. Don't let the long list of ingredients intimidate you. It doesn't take much time to cook this dish if pressure cooker is used and you have the spice powder handy. I always keep homemade spice powder handy and in fact I cook this dish when I am looking for a quick one pot meal. Store bought spice powder can be used in a cinch though home made spice powder tastes superior. Use equal quantity of spicy and byadai chillies in the spice powder ingredients. The latter add the hue to the powder. I have run out of byadagi variety chillies this time and that's why my bhath is lighter in color. Bisibele bhath is served as a special or festive meal at homes / functions and also as a breakfast / lunch option at restaurants. If you are looking for other variations, check these posts.

Bisibelebhath
Brown Rice Bisibelehulianna
Cracked Wheat Bisibele Huli
Oats - Masoor Dal Bisi Bele Huli
Poha Bisibelehuli
Quinoa Bisibelehuli

Ingredients: (Yield - 6 generous servings) 
3/4 cup barnyard millet / oodhalu
1/2 cup pigeon peas / yellow lentils / toordal
About 2 cups chopped vegetables (I used 2 small carrots, 2 small potatoes, 1 big sized tomato,  25 -30 green beans)
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder 
1 tbsp. tamarind puree 
Salt to taste 
Ingredients for bisibele bhath masala powder: 
1.5 tbsp. split chickpeas / chanadal 
1.5 tbsp skinned black gram / uradadal 
1 tbsp. coriander seeds
2 one inch cinnamon pieces 
4 pieces of moggu 
4 spicy red dried chillies
2 - 3 tbsp. grated dried coconut 
Ingredients for tadka: 
2 tbsp. ghee 
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp. cashews
A sprig of curry leaves

Directions:
* Wash millet and lentils thoroughly and drain the water. Add them along with vegetables, turmeric powder and about 2 cups of water to a pressure cooker directly and cook till they are done. Alternatively, they can be cooked in a sturdy pot. It needs intermittent stirring and the water needs to be added accordingly.
* Meanwhile add split chickpeas and skinned black gram to a sauté pan and dry roast them on medium heat. Add the remaining ingredients mentioned under 'the masala powder' list when they start to change their color. Toast until the coriander seeds start to turn a few shades darker and the split chickpeas and black gram had turned reddish. Turn off the heat and let cool the toasted ingredients. Once cool, grind them into a fine powder.
* When the valve pressure is gone, remove the cooker lid. Add the prepared bisibele bhath powder, salt, tamarind to the cooked millet- lentil mixture and mix well. Add water as neededto adjust the consistency (about 1 cup). Let the mixture come to a boil and then simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes.
* Meanwhile, heat ghee in a small sauté pan. Add the tadka ingredients and toast till the cashews turn golden brown. Remove from heat and add the tadka to the cooked bisibele huli and mix well.
* Serve with papads, chips or kara boondi.

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A - Z Karnataka Recipe Series ~ N for Nuchinunde

So far in my 'A - Z' Karnataka recipe series,
A - Akki Halbai
B - Biscuit Roti
C - Congress Kadalekayi
D - Davanagere Benne Dose
E - Ellu Pajji
F - Field Beans / Avarekalu Payasa
G - Girmit
H - Hitakida Avarekalu Huli
I - Iyengar Bakery Style Masala Toast
J - Jolada Vade
K - Kumbalakayi Idli
L - Limbe Hannina Gojju
M - Mysore Pak

Today's dish nuchinunde or nuchina unde is a traditional, protein rich recipe from Karnataka. Basically these are steamed lentil dumplings which are nutritious, healthy and filling. They can be made under 30 minutes if lentils are soaked ahead. Any coarsely ground grain / lentil is called 'nuchu' in Kannada whereas 'unde' refers to the round shape. The word 'nuchu' is pronounced with a stress on the 'ch' sound. 

Nuchinunde can be prepared with either yellow lentils / toor dal  or split chickpeas / chana dal or combining the both. The lentils are soaked and coarsely ground with other ingredients, shaped as dumplings and steamed. They can be either served as a breakfast with chutney or as a lunch item with majjige huli , the Karnataka version of kadhi.
 
Ingredients: (Yield 15)
1/2 cup pigeon peas (togari bele / toor dal)
1/2 cup split chickpeas (kadale bele / chana dal)
1 inch piece of ginger
2 green chilies
Salt to taste
1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded fresh coconut
2 sprigs of curry leaves, finely chopped
A handful of cilantro, finely chopped
A pinch of turmeric powder
A pinch of asafoetida powder
(Chopped dill leaves are added as well which I did not have on hand when I made these.)
Directions:
* Soak pigeon peas and split chickpeas in water for about 3 hours or overnight if planning for breakfast.

* Drain the soaked dals / lentils. Rinse with fresh water and drain completely. 

* Coarsely grind together the drained lentils, green chilies, ginger and salt without adding any water.

* Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add shredded fresh coconut, chopped cilantro, curry leaves, turmeric, asafoetida and dill leaves if using.

* Mix all the ingredients well.

* Shape them into oval shaped dumplings and place them in a greased container or a greased idli stand if making in a large quantity.

* Steam them for about 12 to 15 minutes. Don't overcook them. (I used a pressure pan to steam them.)

* Here are the steamed nuchinunde / nuchina unde. Serve them warm with majjige huli / chutney.

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Toi Dal

Lentils are one of the important and great source of protein for vegetarians across the world. The yellow lentils aka pigeon peas are widely used in Indian cuisine to create mouthwatering side dishes which fall under the category of 'dals'. The word 'dal' in Hindi can either refer to an uncooked legume or a soupy or stew kind of dish. The latter's consistency can vary from watery to thicker ones and are served along with rice or flat breads. The dals can range from plain, basic versions to richer and spicy ones, which are savored with the same enthusiasm in millions of Indian households, everyday.  

Toi dal falls under the simple kind with no frills and is usually served with rice. It is obviously healthy and nutritious and is quite a beginner recipe. I used a pressure cooker to cook the lentils. In lieu of it, lentils can be cooked in a sauce pan covering with enough water on stove top. Keep stirring intermittently and add water as and when needed since more water is required than the cooker method. Soaking the lentils for a couple of hours in advance will speed up the cooking process.  

I had cooked it a while ago as part of a satvik Goan meal. One can come across similar versions in various regional cuisines of India. Varan of Maharashtra, Mudha pappu of Andhra, Thovve of Karnataka, Dali toy of Konkani cuisine to name a few. The basic concept here is that the cooked lentils are seasoned with just salt and tempered with mustard and chilies. The dal tastes yummy in spite of this simple treatment and my teenage daughter literally survives on these kind of dals. 

Ingredients for dal:
3/4 cup pigeon peas / yellow lentils / toor dal 
1/8 tsp. ground turmeric
Salt to taste
Ingredients for tempering:
2 tsp. oil / ghee
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1 sprig of curry leaves
A pinch of asafoetida
1 or 2 green chilies, sliced
Minced Cilantro leaves to garnish

Directions:
* Rinse lentils with water and drain. Repeat the process once more.
* Pressure cook lentils / dal, adding turmeric and about 1.5 cups of water. Remove the cooker lid when the valve pressure is gone. Add salt and mash the cooked lentils well with the backside of the ladle.
* Heat oil / ghee in a pan add mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, asafoetida and green chilies when mustard seeds start to splutter. Saute for about 20 seconds. 
* Next add cooked lentils, and about 1/2 cup (or as needed) water to reach a soft consistency. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil. 
* Garnish with cilantro and turn off the stove.

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Dahiwaali Toovar Dal

After the black gram and the split chick peas based dals, here is a dal prepared using toor dal / yellow lentils. Toor dal or pigeon peas is used in my kitchen almost on a daily basis and is a pantry staple like many households of India. In fact, for the south Indian folks who eat a rice platter served with a vegetable preparation, lentil based side dish and yogurt for their lunch and dinners, these lentils are the most commonly used ones. Today's dal however doesn't come from a south Indian kitchen and I happened to try this version from Tarla Dalal. This dal is a simple one with an unusual addition of yogurt to it. A good addition to everyday kind of dals to rotate.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pigeon peas / toovar dal
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 cup low fat yogurt
1/2 tsp. chickpea flour / besan
1 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 onion, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Chili powder to taste
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. coriander powder
2 tbsp. minced cilantro to garnish

Directions:
* Rinse and pressure cook pigeon peas adding a cup of water and turmeric for three whistles or until the lentils are softly cooked. When the valve pressure is gone, remove the lid and mash the lentils well.
* Whisk together yogurt and chickpea flour together in a bowl and keep aside.
* Heat oil in a non stick pan and add cumin seeds. When they start to brown, add onion. Fry until the onion turns light brown. Lower the heat and add mashed dal, salt, chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and the yogurt mixture. Stir well and add about 1/4 cup of water. Cook the mixture for about 5 minutes. Turn off the stove.
* Garnish with cilantro and serve warm with rice / rotis.

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Mysore Rasam / Mysore Tomato Saaru

A rasam is a regular feature in our home though I haven't posted a recipe yet since I never seem to capture a decent picture of it. All the good things settle at the bottom and all one get to see is some orange - brownish water with some wilted cilantro floating over. Even the mustard seeds and curry leaves refuse to stay on the surface as one can notice. Chaaru / Rasam / Saaru, with various regional names is a south Indian lentil based watery broth served at almost at the end of a meal. It is served after sambhar, another lentil and vegetable based course and  just before one eats rice and curd / yogurt. Tomatoes are an usual addition to it. This flavorful and spicy broth is to aid the digestion and is usually eaten with rice. One can even drink the flavorful broth as it is. In our Andhra homes, we eat rice and rasam along with some cooked lentils seasoned just with salt called muddha pappu, even though the rasam is made with lentils. 

Rasam is an integral part of the menu whenever we are eating rice  in our home, along with a curry and lentil preparation, A chutney / pickle and yogurt tag along obviously. Yesterday, I had made a meal somewhat resembling Karnataka cuisine with badanekayi - avarekaalu huli aka eggplant - field beans sambhar, bottle gourd curry and decided to include Mysore rasam instead of my regular version. I make my own rasam powder which happens to be my grandmother's recipe and prepare a first class rasam. I have noticed that MTR's rasam powder is also fabulous though my son says he loves my version more. I guess I should feel flattered. There are several rasam recipes one can try though I mostly keep rotating the common tomato and lemon versions. 

One of my close friend's mother was from Mysore and I have eaten her food several times. And I couldn't remember now whether her rasam tasted any different though I could vividly recall the huli aka sambhar. It is mostly because my mother never made / makes a sambhar to this day in our home and I had a strong dislike towards sambhar powder then. I could have called my friend but I checked a few cooking blogs from Kannadigas to see how differently the rasam powder is made from my usual version. I realized there were two extra ingredients than mine, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Also I had seen online, some Mysore saaru versions with the addition of coconut. I can relate to the coconut part though since Kannadigas have a habit of throwing shredded fresh coconut in anything and everything. However the addition of coconut here is optional. 2 or 3 tbsp. fresh, shredded coconut can be toasted and ground along with the ingredients while making rasam powder and added to the rasam.

Preparing saaru podi / rasam powder:
Ingredients:
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/4 tsp. black pepper
A pinch of mustard seeds
A pinch of fenugreek seeds
1 or 2 red chillies
4 to 5 curry leaves
(A little asafoetida can be added as well though I skipped it.)

Directions:
* Add all the ingredients to a pan and toast on low flame until the coriander seeds turn a shade darker. (I don't add oil to toast the ingredients usually and skipped it. A tsp. of oil can be heated and red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida can be toasted in it.)
* Let the ingredients come to room temperature and grind them together finely. 

Ingredients for saaru:
1 gooseberry sized tamarind 
1/4 cup toor dal / lentils
1 big tomato
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. rasam powder or to taste (recipe above)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp. jaggery
2 tbsp. minced cilantro leaves  
Ingredients for tempering:
1 tsp. ghee / oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
Few curry leaves
A pinch of asafoetida

Directions:
* Soak tamarind in hot water. 
* Rinse toor dal twice with water and drain. Pressure cook the toor dal adding a little over than 1/2 cup water, turmeric and tomato until dal is cooked. When the valve pressure is gone, mash the dal with the back of the ladle. Mash the tomato finely and discard the skin.
* Squeeze the tamarind and collect the pulp, discarding the residue.
* Heat ghee or oil in a pot. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds to the pot. When mustard seeds start to splutter, add curry leaves and asafoetida. Then add the mashed dal, mashed tomato, rasam powder, salt, jaggery, tamarind to taste and cilantro. Add a cup of water or a little more and stir well. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. 
* Bring the rasam to a rolling boil and turn off the stove immediately.
* Serve with rice.

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Dal Mughlai

I had come across this dal a while ago and had bookmarked it to try later. This week seemed like a right occasion to try it when I am posting 'pigeon peas' based dishes. I am not sure about the origins of this dal or whether the dal has any connection with the royal kitchens. And if indeed it is the case, this dal seems like a precursor to modern day 'dal fry' recipe. Surprisingly this dal is not a 'rich' kind where any dairy product is used as in the case of Sultani or Nawabi dals. This is more like a simple and flavorful, every day kind of dal cooked in North Indian homes without all the spice powders. The dal goes well with rotis / rice or plain pulaos.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup pigeon peas / toor dal
1/4 cup split chickpeas / chana dal
1 cup peeled and cubed bottle gourd / lauki
1 cup chopped tomato
1/8 tsp. ground turmeric
2 tbsp. ghee / oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. garlic paste (I didn't use it.)
1 tsp. finely chopped green chillies
1 tsp. grated ginger
3/4 cup, sliced onions
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. minced cilantro to garnish

Directions:
* Clean, wash and soak dals in enough water for a couple of hours and drain.
* Add the drained dals, tomato, bottle gourd pieces, turmeric and about 2 cups of water to a pressure cooker and cook for three whistles. When the valve pressure is gone, remove the lid and mash the dal well with the back of a ladle and keep aside.
* Meanwhile, heat ghee / oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they start to brown, add garlic, chillies, ginger and onion. Saute on low flame until the onion turns light brown.
* Add the mashed dals and salt to the pan and cook on medium flame for 3 or 4 minutes and turn off the stove.
* Garnish with cilantro and serve warm. 


This post is an entry for Blogging Marathon #101 under 'Cook 3 Side Dishes with One Ingredient' theme.

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Mixed Dal Fry

Dal fry is one of the popular north Indian style dals and is quite commonly served in Indian restaurants and dhabas though the recipe of the latter versions vary. This simple yet delicious dal is usually made with pigeon peas aka toor dal / arhar dal though I made a mixed dal version, inspired by a TV show. Keep the dal to a medium to thick consistency. Replace the coriander and cumin powders in the recipe with garam masala, if you prefer it that way. The dal goes well with rotis / rice / jeera rice or mildly flavored pulao / biryanis. I had made a mixed dal version to serve with my Zafrani pulao, which made an awesome combo.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup pigeon peas / toor dal
1/4 cup split yellow peas / chana dal
1/4 cup moong dal
1 tbsp. oil / ghee
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 red chili
1 sprig of curry leaves
1 tsp. minced ginger
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 sliced green chili
A pinch of asafoetida
1 onion, finely minced
1 tomato, chopped
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. coriander powder
1/2 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. kasuri methi / dried fenugreek leaves
Salt to taste
Lemon juice (optional)
Minced cilantro to garnish

Directions:
* Soak toor and chana dals for an hour. Rinse all the dals and drain. 
* Pressure cook them adding 1.5 cups of water for 3 whistles. Chana dal should still hold the shape after cooking. 
* Heat ghee / oil in a pot / pan and add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and red chili. When mustard seeds start to splutter, add asafoetida, curry leaves and stir. Add green chili, ginger and garlic and saute until raw smell leaves.
* Next add onion and fry until translucent. Add tomato and fry until mushy.
* Add turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt and saute for seconds. 
* Next add the cooked dals and little water to adjust to desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Lightly crush the kasuri methi between palms and add it to the dal. Bring the mixture to a boil and turn off the stove. Add some lemon juice if desired.
* Garnish with minced cilantro before serving.

This post is an entry for Blogging Marathon #100 under 'Regional Side Dishes' theme.

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Brinjal Dalcha

I had made a score of biryani / pulaos and side dishes to go with them, last month for the mega marathon. This dalcha was one of those side dishes that I had made to accompany my Ambur biryani. 'Dalcha' was created in the Hyderabadi Nizams' kitchens and is said to be a modified version of a Persian dried lamb with beans dish. The original dish is of course a non vegetarian version that uses mutton and chana dal / split chickpeas along with the spices to flavor it up. This is a flavorful and simple vegetarian version dalcha made with eggplants / brinjals and pairs well with a biryani / pulao. Eggplants can be replaced with soy chunks or with mixed vegetables.
 
Recipe source: Here
Ingredients:
1/2 cup toor dal / pigeon peas
2 tbsp. chana dal / split chickpeas
1/8 tsp. ground turmeric
1 cup water
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. ginger - garlic paste
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 small egg plants, sliced thinly
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/4 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder
Salt to taste
Tamarind water to taste
1/2 cup water
Ingredients for tempering:
1 tsp. oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1/8 tsp. fenugreek seeds
2 dried red chilies, each broken into 2 or 3 pieces
1 stalk of curry leaves
2 pinches of asafoetida

Directions:
* Pressure cook toor dal, chana dal and turmeric adding a cup of water for 3 whistles or until the dal is softly cooked. When the valve pressure is gone, mash the dal well and keep it side.
* Heat oil in a pot / pan and add onion. Fry until translucent and add the ginger - garlic paste. Saute until the raw smell of the paste leaves.
* Next add brinjal slices, tamarind water, chili powder, and cumin powder. Mix well, cover and cook for about 5 minutes.
* Add cooked dal and salt to the pan. Stir and add about 1/2 cup or more of water. Cover and cook until the brinjal pieces are done.
* For tempering, heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds, red chilies, and fenugreek seeds. When mustard seeds start to sizzle and pop, add curry leaves and asafoetida. Turn off the stove and add the tempering to the dalcha. 
* Serve warm with biryani / pulao.



This post is an entry for Blogging Marathon #100 under 'Regional Side Dishes' theme.

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A - Z Indian Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi Series ~ E for Ek Toap Na Dal Bhaat

Here is a one pot khichdi from the Gujarati kitchens. It is wholesome, nutritious and a filling meal as a khichdi should be but is somewhat a special one. It is easy and quick to prepare this as well. This is one of the dishes I cooked early on but I started to have second thoughts because I have another recipe in the line which involves stuffing and I was not impressed with the images I captured. It was a cloudy day in the middle of Midwest winter and there was not even a single image that looked crisp. I cooked another khichdi last week, in case I didn't want to go with it. However I changed my mind again today and decided to go with this Gujarati meal, I found on Tarla Dalal's website. 

Calling it a one pot rice - lentil khichdi would be misleading since it is not your everyday khichdi where you dump spices, rice, lentil and vegetables in one pot and cook. Vegetables used here are not chopped but stuffed and eggplants are an interesting addition too, considering that it is not commonly used in a khichdi preparation. The addition of vegetables, stuffed with a coconut - cilantro base is the highlight of this khichdi and it definitely elevates the simple khichdi to an entertaining meal. The onions I used were tiny and kind of disintegrated into the khichdi and so, it is hard to notice them in the images. 

This dal bhaat can be cooked under 30 minutes, if soaking toor dal is not involved. I have noticed that the same toor dal without any prior soaking can be cooked in 3 whistles in some cookers and some take longer even if they are newly bought cookers. If you own a cooker which can cook dal in 3 whistles, go ahead with the recipe without soaking dal. If not, soak dal for 1 to 2 hours before so that rice and dal gets cooked at the same time. Otherwise, the rice would be a mush and the dal may not be cooked enough. The stuffing can be changed to a personal favorite one as well instead of using the one mentioned in the recipe. I changed the stuffing slightly while cooking though I am posting the same one mentioned in the original recipe.

Ingredients: (Yield - 4 servings)
1 cup rice
1/3 cup pigeon peas / toor dal
2 1/2 cups water (I used 1.5 + 2/3 cup, It is perfect if you prefer a dry version khichdi like shown in the image.)
2 tbsp. ghee
1 tsp. cumin seeds
a pinch of asafoetida
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/4 cup frozen peas
4 baby potatoes
4 small variety brinjals / eggplants 
4 to 6 baby onions 

Ingredients for stuffing:
1 tbsp. coriander powder
1 tbsp. cumin powder
1 tbsp. sugar (I didn't use.)
1.5 tbsp. red chili powder
A pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
3/4 cup fresh coconut, grated
1/3 cup finely minced cilantro / coriander leaves

Directions:
* If the variety of toor dal being used is not going to pressure cook in 3 whistles or cook at the same time as rice, wash and soak the dal in water for 1 or 2 hours and drain the water. There is no need to soak the rice but wash and drain.
* Combine all ingredients mentioned under stuffing in a small bowl and mix well. 
* Peel the potatoes and onions. Make criss-cross slits on onions, potatoes and brinjals, taking care not to separate the 4 segments. (Keep the stalk of the brinjals intact and cut along the opposite end. Cut a + mark, not cutting all the way through.)
* Stuff the onions, potatoes and brinjals evenly with the stuffing prepared in the above step. Keep them aside.
* Heat ghee in a small (3 liter) pressure cooker and add cumin seeds. When they start to brown add asafoetida, turmeric powder, drained rice and toor dal. Saute them for about a minute, on medium flame. 
* Add green peas, salt and water and stir well. Next add the stuffed vegetables and gently stir the mixture once. Pressure cook on high flame for 3 whistles.
* When the valve pressure is gone, remove the lid.
* If preferred, add another tbsp. of ghee at this point and gently mix.
* Serve it with some plain yogurt / butter milk. 

So far in my Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi series,
A for Ambur Biryani
B for Basanti Pulao / Misthi Pulao
C for Corn - Fenugreek Greens Pulao
D for Donne Biryani

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#99.

An InLinkz Link-up

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