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Showing posts with label lentil recipe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lentil recipe. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Panchmel Dal ( Rajasthani Lentils Recipe)

It is that time of the year when everyone is either partying or taking a vacation. But since I am doing neither, I have enough time to feel nostalgic about home and indulge about fifty grades of nostalgia. Looking though old photos, revisiting my early blog posts, calling up long forgotten friends/cousins/relatives, taking out and cleaning old stuff, cooking up my mom's dishes and so on, the list is almost endless. Hence, the craving for home cooked traditional food at a time when most of my blogger friends are dishing out cakes and party food by the dozen.

I was introduced to this recipe by my Mom. Unlike the mom in that Freecharge advert who refuses to go beyond Urad dal, she enjoys watching cooking shows and then replicating the same in her kitchen. Thanks to her I have developed a taste for all types of cuisine and my definition of comfort food is not limited to just Odia cuisine. For me, comfort food, irrespective of the place off its origin, has a very magical quality that immediately infuses my entire being with a warm glow. And I guess it is the same for most foodies who have been able to transcend the cultural barriers that seek to create ghettos around certain types of cuisine.

But enough of that introspection and analyzing. Moving on to this recipe, it is a simple, aromatic and delicious preparation that does without the usage of onion and garlic. While the traditional version uses lentils with skin on them, I have cooked it with the split and skinless version that was readily available in my pantry.

Here is the recipe -


















Preparation Time - 45 mins ( Plus soaking for 4 hours)

Ingredients -


  • a fistful of Toor dal
  • a fistful of Urad dal
  • a fistful of Moong dal
  • a fistful of Masoor dal
  • a fistful of Channa dal
  • 2 medium sized tomatoes
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 green cardamom
  • 3 dry red chilis
  • 1 green chili
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 pinch hing
  • 2 pinch garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 2 tsp ghee
  • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro


Preparation - Wash and soak the lentils for 4-5 hours.

Chop the tomato into fine bits. Lightly crush the ginger and green chili.

Cooking - Take the lentils in a pressure cooker along with 3-4 cups water, turmeric and salt to taste.
Cook for 3-4 whistles on medium flame.

Keep aside till steam escapes. Open the lid and slightly mash dal with a heavy spoon. Add some hot water to adjust consistency and put it back on a low flame.

Heat the oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom, asafoetida and broken red chilis. Once it starts spluttering, add the crushed ginger and green chili. Fry for a minute.

Then add chopped tomatoes, salt and garam  masala. Cook till tomatoes turn pulpy.

Pour this mixture into the pressure cooker and mix with the dal. Let it simmer for 15 mins.

Finally garnish with cilantro and remove from the flame.

Serve it hot with phulkas or rice. ( I have served it with a simple vegetable pilaf and some radish salad. )




Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Dal and Palak Soup

Heart warming and healthy, soups are the way to go whether you are following a weight loss regimen or suffering from any malady. Sometimes, it can be just the balmy weather conditions that attract one to a glorious bowlful. And this is one of the easiest soups that I have ever come across.

Read on for the recipe -


















Preparation Time - 15 mins


Ingredients -


  • a fistful of yellow lentils / toor dal
  • 1/2 cup shredded baby spinach
  • 2-3 tsp carrot juliennes (optional)
  • 1 tsp ginger juliennes
  • a dash of pepper
  • salt to taste

Preparation - Wash the baby spinach, drain and keep aside.

Cooking - Wash the lentil and transfer to a pressure cooker with 1 1/2 cup water and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Slightly mash the lentils. Transfer the contents into a saucepan. Add some more warm water to bring it to the desired consistency. Bring to a boil and adjust the salt.

Add the shredded spinach and carrot. Boil for 2-3 mins.

Sprinkle ground pepper and ginger juliennes just before turning off the flame.

Serve hot.




Thursday, April 9, 2015

Dal Makhani

Everytime I visit a restaurant, there is a fifty percent chance that I would order Dal makhani. Without exception, it always comes down to a tie between Dal Tadka and Dal Makhani, except for those rare days when we opt for a Dal Bukhara.

A mix of black lentils and kidney beans cooked to a melt-in-the-mouth consistency and loaded with cream and butter, it is a dish that will send one running to the gym for the next few days. I personally feel quite motivated to work out after a having had a particularly sinful dinner. Coming back to the cooking process, it takes quite a bit of time to cook the lentils to that degree of desired softness. As an open pan method would necessitate hours, I without fail stick to my pressure cooker which makes it possible to wrap up the process in just under an hour.

Read on for the recipe -




















Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients -


  • 2/3 cup black lentils (urad dal)
  • 1/4 cup kidney beans (rajma)
  • 1 medium sized onion
  • 1 1/2 tsp GG paste
  • 1 medium sized tomatoes
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/3 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp Garam masala
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp Kasuri Methi
  • 1/3 cup thick yogurt 
  • 2 tbsp cream ( use more for a creamier texture )
  • 1 inch cube of butter
  • 3 tsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • cilantro for garnishing



Preparation - Wash and soak the black lentils and kidney beans overnight.

Chop the onion into small pieces. Grind the tomato into a puree.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Add the cumin seeds an allow to splutter.

Add the chopped onions and fry till translucent.

Follow with the GG paste and fry for 2-3 mins.

Add the powdered spices and fry for 30 seconds before adding the fresh tomato puree. Cook till the oil starts to separate from the tomatoes.

Wash and drain the soaked lentils. Add them to the pressure cooker along with salt, 21/2 cups water and the Kasuri methi. Cook for 7-8 whistles. Remove from flame and allow steam to escape naturally.

Return it to the burner, this time with the lid open. Allow it to simmer for 10-12 mins( take a dal masher and lightly mash the lentils while it is still on the burner). Add the beaten curd. and simmer for 5 mins before stirring in the fresh cream. Let it simmer for a minute or two before.

Finally add the butter and the cilantro just before removing from the flame.

Serve hot with roti/Naan or white rice.



































Note - One can also cook the dals separately and then add to the onion tomato gravy. This method is advisable when the lentils are old or the tomatoes are too acidic/sour, both of which will increase the cooking time.


Tuesday, April 7, 2015

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 !!




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