Chilkewali Moong Dal

While enough is said about the benefits of consuming whole lentils ( that includes the skin ), few of us can resist the irresistible lure of  yellow dals . As a result, whole lentils usually make a rare appearance on the plate in the form of sprouts salad or maybe a sundal . But this is one recipe that will change the way be treat whole lentils. I first discovered it thanks to a neighbour who cooks it regularly for her two year old. Since then, it has become a part of our menu.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup green moong dal ( split ones will also do if they have the skin on )
• 1 large ripe tomato
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 tsp GG paste
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp coriander leaves
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• pinch of garam masala
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash and soak the green/whole moong overnight .

Finely chop the onion and tomato.

Cooking - Take the soaked moong dal in a pressure cooker along with salt, turmeric, coriander powder and half of the coriander leaves. Add 2 1/2 cups water. Cook for 2-3 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the cumin seeds. When they stop spluttering, add the onions and fry to translucent. Then add the GG paste and fry for 2 mins more.

Add chopped tomato along with red chili powder and garam masala . Cook till tomato turns mushy. Pour the cooked lentils into the wok. Bring everything to a gentle boil. Simmer for 2 mins

Add the chopped coriander and  remove from the flame.

Serve with roti/chappati. Goes well with rice too !!

Kolotha Dal ( the Western Odisha Version )

A heart warming recipe that is usually made during the winter months, Kolotho or Horsegram dal is one of those dishes that never given their due credit. Perhaps best known for keeping the body warm and driving away the common cold, its equally beneficial properties of regulating blood sugar and reducing/preventing the incidence of kidney/gall bladder stones are hardly known to many folks.

This is the time of the year when the freshly harvested batch of the lentil hits the markets. While most of it is sold whole, sometimes tribal women (especially in Odisha) also sell the roasted & broken version of this dal in the weekly markets (also known as 'haat'). Here is the version that my mom makes and I can never resist myself from having a bowl of the hot dal when it has been freshly tempered -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 1/2 cups roasted & broken horsegram
• 1 medium sized tomato
• 1 ambula (or dried mango)
• 2 dry red chili
• 4-5 fat garlic cloves
• 1/3 tsp panch phutana (else one can also use a mix of mustard & nigella seeds)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash and cook the dal with 3 cups water, salt and turmeric in a pressure cooker. It takes 6-7 whistles or about 15 mins on a medium low flame. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Soak the ambula in 1 cup hot water.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the panch phutana and the broken red chilis.

Add the crushed garlic once it gets spluttering. When the garlic starts turning brown, add the finely chopped tomato and cook till mushy.

Pour the dal into the wok. Bring it to a boil. Allow to boil for 2 mins before adding the ambula along with the water in which it had been soaked. Simmer for 5-6 mins.

Remove from flame and serve hot with rice.

Note - This dal will not get completely mushy such that when you allow it to stand for a few minutes, there is a layer of clear liquid which separates out. Once can also add more water while cooking this dal and use only the liquid portion as a soup.

Andhra Style Mango Dal (Mamidikaya Pappu)

Another recipe which has been lying in the draft for very long time. This tangy and easy to do mango dal is an Andhra recipe that I got from a teammate a few years back. Perfect comfort food with hot white rice and some fries/papad. Read on -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

1 cup toor dal
1 small green mango (peeled and chopped)
1 small onion ( cut into medium sized pieces)
2-3 cloves garlic (crushed lightly)
1/2 inch ginger (cut into juliennes)
1-2 green chilli
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste

For tempering -

1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2-3 red chillis
1 sprig curry leaves
2 pinch asafoetida
1 1/2 tsp oil
coriander leaves for garnishing (optional).

Cooking - Wash and transfer the dal into a pressure cooker. Add about 2 1/4 cups water along with the remaining ingredients (except those for tempering).

Close lid and cook for 2-3 whistles. Allow steam to escape before opening lid. Mash lightly with a heavy spoon.

Heat the oil in a wok/tadka pan. Add the mustard seeds and red chillis. When it starts spluttering, add the asafoetida and curry leaves. Once the leaves wilt /turn brown, pour the mixture over the contents of the pressure cooker. Stir in.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Note - Excuse the badly clicked pics. Will provide a replacement at the earliest.

Dal Fry (Odisha Style)

Dal Fry is one of the most common dishes ordered at any Indian restaurant. While it tastes best with white rice, this rich aromatic lentil dish can go down well with any flavored rice or flat Indian bread. Usually it is prepared from toor (tuvar) dal but in Orissa channa dal is most commonly used in this recipe. I consider this as comfort food ( if m not making it for guests ) and i pair it with a simple white rice & fried papad. Blissfully easy and deliriously yummy.

Read on the recipe for my version:

Preparation Time - 15-20 mins (10 mins of idle/standby time)

Ingredients -
To be pressure cooked - 3 cups channa dal, 2 green chillis, 1/2 inch long ginger, salt to taste, 1/2 tsp turmeric.
For tempering - 2 medium sized onions, 1 large tomato, 3 green chillis, 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp asafoetida, 1/4 tsp chilli powder, 1/5 tsp garam masala, 3 tbs kasuri methi, 4 tsp oil, salt to taste.

Preparation - Chop the onion and tomato into small pieces. Make small slits in the green chillis.

Cooking - Wash and soak the channa dal for 2-3 hours.

Take the soaked channa dal in a pressure cooker. Add salt, turmeric, crushed ginger and green chilli. Add 4 cups of water and close the lid. Cook for 2-3 whistles.

Allow steam to release. Open the lid and slightly mash the dal with a heavy spoon.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add mustard and cumin seeds.

Once the seeds start spluttering add one chopped onions. Fry till they start turning translucent.

Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 1-2 minutes.

Add chilli powder, asafoetida and a pinch of turmeric. Stir fry masalas for 30-40 seconds.

Add the chopped tomatoes and sprinkle salt over it. Allow to cook till tomatoes soften and oil starts leaving the sides of the wok.

Add kasuri methi and garam masala at this stage. Cook for a minute.

Pour the contents of the pressure cooker into the wok. Mix well.

Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves (or grated coconut if you want that exclusive Odisha touch). Serve hot with rice/rotis.

Dal Rozana (Harada Dali Recipe)

When I am neither fasting nor feasting, I prefer simple meals. A piping hot pot meal with some raita or rice/roti with dal, stir fried vegetables and roasted papad/pickle is enough to make my day. As i usually chop and store the vegetables on the weekends and use pressure cooker for cooking both the rice and dal, the meals take minimum time and effort. ( Tip for bachelors - In order to save time, use a separator to make the rice and dal at the same time. I used to do the same during my bachelor days.)

Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 12-15 mins

Ingredients - 1 cup toor/arhar/harada dal, 1 small onion, 1/3 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1 medium sized tomato, 1 tbs chopped coriander roots, 1/4 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 2 whole red chillis, 1/5 tsp asafoetida, 2 tsp oil, 1/4 tsp turmeric, salt to taste. (Optional-1 tbs coriander leaves for garnishing)

Preparation - Wash and clean the toor dal under running water. Keep is soaked for 2 hours.

Chop onion into thin long pieces. Finely chop the tomato.

Cooking - Transfer the toor dal to a pressure cooker. Add 3 cups water, salt and turmeric.

Close the lid and cook for 2 whistles on medium flame. Remove from flame and allow steam to escape before opening lid. Take a heavy spoon and swish it around to smoothen the dal.

Heat the oil in a tempering/tadka pan. Add broken red chilli, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once seeds start spluttering add the onions followed by the ginger garlic paste. Fry for 1-2 minutes.

Add chopped tomatoes and coriander shoots. Fry till the tomatoes soften a bit.

Add the asafoetida and fry for 5 seconds. Pour it over the contents of the pressure cooker.

Put the pressure cooker over a low flame and allow the contents to come to a boil.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice/rotis.