Cholar Dal Recipe - Bengali Style

Cholar dal recipe is one that I have wanted to try for long. Had it many years ago at a friend's place and it was on my list ever since. A dal that is made to a thick consistency(I didn't make it that thick as I planned to serve it with rice, you can make it thicker to your desired cocnsistency) and is mildly spiced, this is one with a very sophisticated taste. Mild yet making a huge statement is what the cholar dal is all about. This is also the first dal where I have used whole spices for the tadka and also no onion and tomatoes. This is one very quick to do dish too and so decided to add it to my Sunday lunch menu. Rice, a stir fry cabbage and a kerala style fish curry completed the meal.

Ingredients:
Cholar dal - 1 cup (soak for 1 hour or else it will take a long time to cook)
Water - 3 cups
Salt - to taste
Sugar - 1/2 tsp (you may add more if you like it sweeter)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

For Tadka:
Whole spices - cardamoms (2), cloves(3 to 4), cinnamon (1" stick), Bay leaf(1)
Whole dry red chillies -2
Hing or asafoetida - 2 pinches
Cummin seeds- 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Ginger - 1 tbsp (grated)
Garlic - 1 tsp(minced)
You may also add cashew nuts, raisins and pieces of fresh coconut.

Method for making cholar dal:
1- Wash the chana dal and add to the pressure cooker. To the dal, add the 3 cups of water, salt, sugar, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Mix. Pressure cook the dal for 10 minutes till well done but also not in the mashed state as we need pieces of the dal to be visible.Wait for 10-15 minutes before opening the pressure cooker.
2- Take a pan, add the ghee. Now add the cummin seeds and hing. Add the ginger and garlic. Add the dry red chillies and the other whole spices one by one and saute for approximately half a minute. If you wish to add cashew, raisins and coconut pieces do so now.
3- Add in the cooked dal and let boil for 4-5 minutes. Adjust salt. Boil till it is of thick consistency.
Serve with luchis or steamed rice/pulao.

Other Bengali Recipes
Luchi
Nimki
Rosogolla

Snow Peas Mezhukupuratti or Subzi Recipe

Snow peas mezhukupuratti or subzi( a dry dish made with a single or a combination of vegetables) is what we had with a yellow dal and rice for lunch today. A simple but tasty dish that is quick to make and makes for a delicious side dish with rice or chapatis. With a low cooking time and everyday ingredients in us this is yet another of my quick and easy recipes you would love to make.

Ingredients for Snow Peas Subzi 
Snow peas - 200 gms (cut into small pieces , you may decide to use it whole too)
Garlic (minced) - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 (medium sized chopped finely)
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Water - 1/2 cup


Method for making the snow peas subzi 

1- Take a flat bottomed non-stick pan , add the oil. Now add the finely chopped onions and the minced garlic. Saute till the raw smell of the garlic disappears and the onions turn soft and a golden brown.
2- Add the turmeric powder and kashmiri red chilli powder. Saute till the oil starts to separate indicating that the masala is cooked. Add in the chopped snow peas and mix well.

3- Add 1/2 cup water and cover and cook on low to medium flame till the water completely evaporates and the snow peas are well-cooked. Make sure to open and stir in between to ensure that the snow peas do not get burnt.
4- Open, dry the water completely and stir fry for 3-4 minutes to get a golden brown coating on the snow peas. Take out into a serving bowl. Serve hot with rice/chapatis.

Pulissery - a Kerala Recipe

Most of us have fond memories of food from our childhood. Whether it was our Mom's homemade lasagna or a memorable chocolate birthday cake, food has a way of transforming us back to the past . 
Homaro Cantu 

Pulissery is a Kerala curry which is a yogurt based dish made with an addition of coconut and some simple ingredients available easily in your kitchen. A quick fix dish when you are not in the mood for some heavy cooking but would love to have a tasty meal.

Was wondering the other day as to what to make for dinner and then a newly wed cousin of mine posted pullissery on the whatsapp cousins group. I couldn't resist the temptation of having puliserry and rice , an anytime comfort food.

Dinner menu was decided. I simply loved the pulissery which came very close to what Amma makes at home. So it was rice, pulissery, a simple potato fry with just salt and turmeric powder and a chicken fry.

Ingredients for Pulissery Recipe
Yogurt - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 4 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Green chilli -1
Jeera (cummin seeds) - 1/2 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup


For tempering :
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Ulluva (Methi seeds) - 4 to 5
Curry leaves - 7 to 8


Method for making Pulissery:
1- Beat the yogurt well and keep aside.
2- Take grated coconut in the blender jar, add 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup beaten curd, green chilli, turmeric powder and cummin seeds. Blend to a coarse paste.
3- Add this coconut paste to the  beaten yogurt with the remaining 1/4 cup water and mix well.
4- Take a pan and add 1 tsp oil. Add the mustard seeds and let splutter. Now add the methi seeds and curry leaves. Switch off flame. Now add the beaten curd mixture to the tempering and mix. Transfer to a serving bowl immediately. Serve with steamed white rice or the kerala red rice which goes perfectly with this pullissery.

Palak Paneer - Paint your menu green

The palak paneer  is a traditional Indian dish where paneer(cottage cheese) is cooked in a spinach (palak) puree and mildly seasoned with Indian spices. A healthy and nutritious combination, the palak paneer goes very well with the Indian breads like Naan and rotis. It can also be served as an accompaniment along with pulao or other rice recipes.

The palak paneer is a good choice when it comes to combining taste and health. It was a clear winner at home and so here I am sharing my tried and tested version of the palak paneer or cottage cheese in a spinach based sauce.

Ingredients for Palak paneer
Palak - 2 cups (or 1 bunch - blanched and pureed)
Paneer - 250 gms
Green chillies - 2 (or as per your taste)
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Yogurt - 3 to 4 tbsp (well beaten)
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 /2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Whole cummin seeds(jeera) - 1/2 tsp
Hing or asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt- to taste
Water - 1 cup

Method for making Palak Paneer
1- Rinse and clean the palak leaves.
2 - Boil water in a vessel. Switch off gas and add the palak(spinach) leaves(roughly chopped). Blanch for 2 to 3 minutes.
3- Take out fromt the hot water and show under running water to stop the cooking process. Run in the blender alongwith the green chillies and 1/2 a cup of water to get a smooth puree.
4- Take a pan. Add the oil. Now add the cummin seeds and hing. When it begins to splutter add the finely chopped onions and saute till the onions turn soft and translucent. Now add the ginger garlic paste and saute till te raw smell disappears.
5-Add the spinach puree and cook for 3-4 minutes(in an open pan on slow fire). Add the red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and garam masala powder and stir. Add the paneer and water. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes till the paneer is well-cooked.
4- Add the beaten yogurt, stir and switch off gas(you need to be careful and keep stirring while adding the yogurt so that you get a smooth texture and the yogurt blends in perfectly with the spinach sauce or gravy). Let it sit for 5 minutes.
5- Transfer into a serving dish and serve with rotis, naan or chapati.

Check out the other paneer recipes from my paneer event
Paneer Makhani Recipe

Dal Makhani - a traditional Indian delicacy from the State of Punjab

Dal Makhani is a favourite at home, in fact we really enjoy the dishes of the Punjabi cuisine. The Dal Makhani, Naan and Chicken Tikka/Butter Chicken is on the menu when we decide to have an Indian meal at a restaurant. Have been making the dal makhani at home for many years now trying to tweak the ingredients and also get the right texture like it is made in the restaurants and yes, get it approved by my food taster:). So finally here is my version of the dal makhani that is a hit at home and will make again. :)

Ingredients for Dal Makhani
Urad dal (sabut) (with the black covering) - 1 cup
Rajma/Kidney Beans - 1 /4 cup
Onion - 1 big (finely chopped)
Tomatoes - 3 medium sized (pureed)
Garlic - 1 tsp minced
Ginger - 1" (juliennes)
Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Coriander powder - 1 /2 tsp
Jeera/Cummin powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Butter - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Cream / Well beaten curd - 4 to 5 tbsp ( you may also add about 1/2 cup milk)



Method for making Dal Makhani:
1- Pressure cook the urad dal and rajma in the pressure cooker for approximately 20 minutes with 3 cups of water and salt.
2- Take a pan and add the butter and oil. Now add in the minced garlic, ginger juliennes and chopped onions. Saute for 3-4 minutes till the raw smell of garlic disappears and the onions turn soft. Now add the pureed tomatoes and cook. Add the Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder and jeera powder and saute (at this stage you may add 3 to 4 tbsp of water so that the masala does not get burnt).
3-Saute till the tomatoes are cooked and the oil starts oozing from the sides of the masala indicating that it is cooked.
4- Add in the cooked dal and rajma and stir. Add the garam masala powder(I used Badshah brand garam masala powder) and chopped coriander leaves and stir. Add 1/2 to 1 cup water. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes on low flame. Open adjust the seasoning.
4- Now add the cream and stir( I prefer to keep it low calorie and skip the cream, instead I add 1/2 cup milk or 4 to 5 tbsp of well beaten yoghurt).
5- Switch off and serve hot with rotis, naan or any other Indian bread.

Cream of Broccoli Soup - Add a bowl of health to your meal

Broccoli, the green vegetable from the cabbage family is high on dietary fiber and extremely nutritious with its high Vitamin C content and cancer fighting properties. I add this nutritious vegetable to my dish of sauteed vegetables and as an addition to the pasta. This Broccoli soup is also one dish that my family enjoys.

I remember having the cream of Broccoli at a restaurant while we were in Russia, they served it hot with a crispy naan for accompaniment. I tried creating the same at home, which was well received and it has since been a regular on our dinner menu. I managed to get a quick picture while cooking and after pouring it out into the soup bowl on my mobile camera( as both hubby and daughter were waiting)

Ingredients for the Cream of Broccoli Soup
Broccoli - 1 (chopped into florets) (approx 2 cups)
All purpose flour/Maida - 2 tbsp
Milk - 1 cup
Chicken stock - 2 cups
Salt to taste
Pepper - 1 to 1.5 tsp (you may use white pepper)
Butter - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 1/2 tsp minced

Method for making Cream of Broccoli Soup 
1- Cook the chopped broccoli with half a cup of water in the microwave for 5 minutes and keep aside to cool (you can even steam it in the pressure cooker or steamer).
2- After cooling, blend the cooked broccoli in the blender and keep aside.
3- Take a pan and add the minced garlic. Saute for half a minute till the raw smell of garlic disappears. Add 2 tbsps of maida and roast for 1-2 minutes. Slowly add in the chicken stock, taking care not to form lumps. Let boil. Keep stirring.
4- When it starts boiling, add the broccoli puree. Let boil for 4-5 minutes.
5- Now add the milk. Season with salt and pepper. Boil. You will see that the soup begins to thicken. Switch off gas when the desired consistency is reached. Pour into soup bowls and serve hot.

Accompaniments: Soup sticks, crispy Naan or even a khakhra.

Day 4 :Beetroot Pachadi – a Kerala delicacy

The Kerala cuisine is known for a variety of pachadis and kichadis(very different from the Khichdi of North India) that are a true vegetarian delight. Cooked vegetables combined with coconut in a curd/yogurt based gravy and tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves is a simple way to describe the flavouful pachadis/kichadis. They form an integral part of the Kerala sadya or feast. The beetroot pachadi is one that I would like to introduce here. It is a tasty and healthy dish and you are sure to love with the subtle pink colour of this mildly spiced treat from God’s Own Country.

Ingredients:
Beetroot – 1 cup (grated)
Curd – 1 cup (you may add approx 1/4 cup of water to it for the right consistency)
Coconut – ½ cup grated
Green chilli – 1 (you may add more depending on your individual taste)
Cumin seeds(jeera) – ½ tsp
For tempering:
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – 8 to 10
Method:
1-Boil the grated beetroot with ½ cup of water on a medium flame. Cover and cook. It should be completely dry.
2-Grind the grated coconut, cumin seeds(jeera) and green chillies in the mixer.
3-Add the coconut mixture, cooked beetroot and salt to the curd and mix well.
4-In a pan, add ½ tsp of oil. When the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add this to the curd mixture. Serve.

Dahi Wale Aloo Recipe and Marathon Cooking

This dahi wale aloo recipe is a tangy tasty dish you will fall in love with. It has a list of simple ingredients and does not take much time cooking. Serve with rice or parathas and you have dinner ready in no time.

I have been away for quite a few days this time. The winter has been creating a little trouble of and on with my health. After dealing with the slight throat irritations and a few feverish days I am back and this time with plans for some marathon cooking to spice up the space. So for all those who have been nice enough to visit my blog in spite of my absence here's some news. From today for the next 7 days I will have a new post every single day, so please do keep coming back for more.

Thank you to all who shared the awards with me. Will be posting them soon and passing it on in the coming days.

I am starting the cooking marathon with one of my current favorites, the Dahi aloo or the Dahi wale Alu. I first had this dish at my neighbour's place and just loved the subtle flavours and the tangy twist to it. It is a dish with simple ingredients that is readily available in every Indian kitchen. Although I do make several Kerala curd based dishes this one did give me a tough time and had to try it a second time to get it right. A little care while handling the curd is essential for the right consistency and to ensure that the curd/yogurt does not split.

A simple and quick recipe from my kitchen to yours. You are sure going to love the tangy taste that yogurt/curd lends to this delicious potato dish. This goes well with puris/ parathas or even rice.

Ingredients:
Potatoes – 4 (medium sized, cubed and boiled)
Curd/ Plain Yogurt – 1 cup
Water – ½ cup
Onions – 1 (small, finely chopped)
Garlic – 3 to 4 cloves (finely chopped)
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Kashmiri red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Jeera (Cummin) powder – ½ tsp
Whole Jeera (Cummin) -1/2 tsp
Ajwain – 1 pinch
Methi seeds (fenugreek) – 5 to 6
Green chilli – 1 (finely chopped)
Curry leaves – 5 to 6 (optional for garnishing)
Kasoori methi – 1 tsp
Besan/ Chickpea flour – 2 tsp
Oil – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method for making Dahiwale Aloo:
1- Wash, peel and cube the potatoes. Microwave for 7 minutes or boil om stove top and keep aside.
2- Take a pan and add the oil. When hot add the whole jeera, ajwain, methi seeds, green chillies and chopped garlic. Saute for 10 seconds and add in the chopped onions. Saute for 2-3 minutes and add the red chilli powder, coriander powder and jeera powder. Saute for another 2-3 minutes. Take off the fire and add the curd/yogurt little by little (keep stirring).
3- Put the pan back on fire (do not forget to keep stirring to avoid the yogurt from splitting). Add the water and potatoes. Cook on low heat. When it comes to a boil, add the turmeric powder, salt and kasoori methi. Cover and cook for 7 to 10 minutes.
4- Add the besan diluted in 2 tbsp of water and mix into the gravy (this would thicken the gravy). Cook for a minute or so till the gravy/sauce is of the right consistency.
Serve with hot puris or rice.

I am sending this over to the AWED-Indian event started by DK and currently hosted by the Tasteof Pearlcity.