Mustard Greens Dhal

“How’s life???” asked a friend of mine. I had tons to write back all on the bright side though, but never knew where to start and how to end so I just wrote back “Life took a swift change from Gaga’s Alejandro to Itsy Bitsy Spider”. I wonder when the last time I ever heard Alejandro – Gaga and Boom Boom Pow – BEP was in the past 5 months. But singing Hush lil baby, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Five lil Monkey’s to the lil one gives loads of joy than anything else. My lil buddy gapes at me open mouthed when I sing to him and that’s what is keeping me off blogging and moreover there isn’t pretty much anything fancy cooking happening too.

Now that I am just getting used to his timing and the household chores all by myself gradually, yet I felt marooned when Mom left me a few days back. Hoping to come in terms with my demanding lil brat who never lets me sit with the laptop even for a few moments… Now without much ado, to the recipe.



Ingredients:

Toor Dhal – 1 cup
Mustard Greens – few stalks
Onion – 1 medium
Tomato – 1 small
Green Chilly – 2
Red Chili Powder – 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder – ½ tbsp
Salt to taste
Water

Tempering:

Poppu Ball – a pinch
Sesame Oil – 2 tsp
Asafetida – a pinch
Curry Leaves – a few

Garnishing:

Coriander Leaves

Method:

1. Heat Oil in a pressure cooker and add the Poppu (Talimpu, which I shall post later) and let the color change. Throw in the Curry Leaves, Asafetida fry till aromatic.
2. Add the chopped Onion, G.Chilly and cook till Onions become transparent. Dice the Tomatoes and mix in along with Turmeric Powder and Red Chili Powder, meanwhile wash the Toor Dhal until water runs clear and set aside.
3. Chop the Mustard Greens (including the Stalks) and cook with the Onions then pour 3-4 cups of Water and bring it to a boil add the Toor Dhal cover and put on the weight.
4. Wait until 5 whistles, when the pressure is released open and adjust Salt. Garnish with Coriander Leaves.

Serve with: Rice, a dollop of Ghee and Pickle or Pappad

Menthi Kura Aaku Pappu/Fenugreek Leaves in Dhal

My lil brother goes ga ga about dhal cooked with spinach, be it any kind, Mom makes Menthi Kura Aaku Pappu often atleast for him, he never complains even if served with this dhal 3 times a day. Ever since he started cooking by himself he has inherited all of Mom's receipes. When he was with me last year, during his fall vacation, I took all advantage of letting him cook and I just had to sit back and relish all those wonderful delicacies he had made; he's absolutely a wonderful cook I totally admit... I know it was so mean of me but that was not the end I let him clean and organize my kitchen, phew what a sister am I??? Wait wait, and thats how I learnt my Mom's Menthi Kura Aaku pappu recipes from him, see all for good and good for all (his dialogue he he he). I made this dhal today and we licked our plates clean and had just nothing left after lunch time, credit goes to him and only him.



Ingredients:

Thuvar Dhal - 1 cup
Fenugreek Leaves/Menthi Kura Aaku - 1/2 bunch (2 cups)
Red Onion - 1 small
Garlic Cloves - 3 nos.
Green Chillies - 5 nos.
Tomato - 1 medium
Tamarind - small lime size (if the tomato is not sour then increase the size)
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tbsp
Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Asafoetida - a dash
Sesame Oil - 1 tbsp
Water as needed
Sea Salt to taste

For Tempering:

Sesame Oil - 1 tbsp
Garlic Cloves - 2 nos. (crushed)
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - few
Asafoetida - a dash
Red Chillies - 2 nos. (broken)

Garnishing:

Coriander Leaves



Method:

1. Wash Thuvar Dhal, pick Fenugreek Leaves and wash them a couple of times. Peel and slice Onions, chop the Tomatoes, slit Green Chillies lengthwise and extract Tamarind Juice.
2. In a presuure cooker heat Oil add the Onion, Garlic and Green Chillies cook for 2 mins, then drop the Tomatoes and mix them well.
3. Add the washed Thuvar Dhal, Asafoetida and Red Chilly Powder (optional) cook for a min or two. Pour 3 cups of Water and the Tamarind Extract then goes the Fenugreek Leaves close the presure cooker and cook until the Dhal is done or upto 4-5 whistles.
4. After the presure is released open the cooker adjust Salt use a wooden masher and mix the dhal well, then do the tempering.
5. Garnish with Coriander Leaves.

Serve with: Steaming Rice and Ghee or Roti

Am sending this to Yasmeen's - Bitter Better Health

Mamidikaya Pappu - Mango in Dhal

Mango season, yeah its still winter out in the north eastern parts of the US and we still getta reap the benefits of summer (never did I say the climate)... Back at home summer means Mangoes, Sugarcane Juice, Palmyra Fruit aka Nungu, Tender Coconut and lots more, every season has its significance and specialities to cater, here irrespective of the season we get certain fruits (dont mind the taste, specially the Tender Coconut; phew).. Are we here to praise the technological development or to blame the global warming that we might be causing indirectly??? Its definitely upto individuals and individualist perspectives (I know ppl, who are managers or directors or who even hold high positions, who dont belive in global warming)...

I am not here to start another debate as I know certainly perspectives hurt when you dont trust or believe in it... Well, when I came home from grocery shopping, I realized I had somehow convinced myself and Kris and bagged those nice large Raw Mangoes from the stores. Two days went by and still they sat on the straw basket untouched but today my mind went back to them over and over again, so finally I said whatever I making "Mamidikaya", Kris likes it but then he really had some other things in mind, whatever I am the chef and I getta do what I want, being said that I went into my kingdom ;)...

Do I grate or cut them??? What dish to make was the next question, then something flashed in my mind - "Mango Season", mmm yeah I meant the book written by Amulya Malladi; nice book a casual family knit story... She has some simple Mango recipes, yet those are nothing for an expert cook but you can relish the wonderful story and the way she takes us thru the streets of Hyderabad, I enjoyed the read... I still remember something from that book -- Grandpa says -- "Mangoes dont go well with Tomatoes, they are never cooked together"; I just wanna experiment that part sometime... I thought, havent ever posted a simple dhal recipe so far why not "Mamidikaya Pappu", a common dish made during early summer at home; love the smell of Mangoes when cooked in Tamarind Extract...



Ingredients:

Thuvar Dhal - 1 cup
Raw Mango - 1 small size
Red Onion - 1 medium
Green Chillies - 5-6 nos.
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind - small lime size
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Sesame Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Water as needed

For Tempering:

Sesame Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Red Chillies - 2 nos.
Urad Dhal - 1 tbsp
Moong Dhal - 1 tbsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry Leaves - a few

For Garnishing:

Coriander Leaves - a few twigs



Method:

1. Cook Thuvar Dhal with enough Water, Turmeric Powder, Cumin Seeds and Asafoetida.
2. Scrape the skin of the Mango and cut them into small uniform cubes. Or could go ahead not scrape the skin and cut the Mango into small pieces.
3. Heat Oil, add chopped Onions, chopped Green Chillies and cook until Onions become transparent.
4. Add the Tamarind Extract and sliced Mango and cook until the Mango pieces become soft.
5. Now add the cooked Dhal and add Chilli Powder (if needed), adjust Salt.
6. Temper with tempering ingredients and garnish with Coriander Leaves.

Serve with: Hot Rice

P.S.: If the Mango tastes sweet, adjust with a little extra Tamarind Extract, Salt and G.Chillies.

Channa Dhal - Cabbage Kuttu

Ingredients:

Channa Dhal - 1 cup

Cabbage - 11/2 cups

Onion - 1 medium size

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Cumin -1 tsp

Green Chillies - 3 nos.

Salt to taste

Water - 2 cups

Method:

1. In a pan heat Channa Dhal, Water and Turmeric.

2. Add Cabbage when Channa Dhal is half done.

3. In a wok heat oil, add Cumin seeds when they turn brown add Onions and Green Chillies.

4. When Onions are transparent add Channa Dhal and Cabbage and add salt.

5. Stir well and remove from heat.

Serve With: Rice

This is very simple and easy to cook.

Red Lenthils/Masoor Dhal & Spinach Curry

Ingredients:

Masoor Dhal - 1 cup
Onion - 1 medium size
Tomato - 1 medium size
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Pwdr - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Green Chillies - 5 nos.
Garlic cloves - 3 nos.
Ginger Root - about an inch
Spinach - 2 handfuls (optional)
Tamarind - about a small lime size
Asafoetida - a pinch
Oil for frying
Salt to taste
Cilantro
Sugar (optional)

Method:

1. Wash Masoor Dhal and soak in water for 10 mins.
2. Boil dhal & Cumin seeds. While it turns tender add turmeric pwdr.
3. Crush in garlic cloves & ginger root then add garam masala.
4. Slit the green Chillies (just a couple) at its tip and add it with the dhal.
5. Make a paste out of tamarind with water and add it to the dhal.
6. Wash the spinach and mix them with the dhal and add salt.
7. Dhal's cooked in 10-15mins, spinach will also be cooked. Remove from heat.

8. Slice onions and dice tomatoes. Cut the remaining green chillies
9. In a pan heat oil add asafoetida, mustard seeds & let it splutter.
10. Add onions & green chillies, saute till onions become transparent.
11. Mix in the diced tomatoes and let it cook for 5 mins.
12. Add the cooked dhal and mix well, sprinkle cilantro.
13. If the dish is sour (due to the tamarind juice) add a little sugar.

Serve with: Rice, Roti, Chappathi

I had Masoor Dhal stored for a longtime but had no idea what to do with it... Called up mom to find out what dish to make, She gave me a simple receipe which can be cooked in 20-25 mins... She also adds corriander powder and cumin powder...