Masoor Daal

Ingredients

1 cup masoor daal

1 medium onion finely chopped

1 small tomato chopped into 8 pieces

1 garlic clove

Small piece of ginger

1 tbsp of oil

½ tsp each cumin and mustard seeds

½ tsp each turmeric powder, cumin powder and coriander powder

4-5 curry leaves, washed and torn into pieces

2 tbsp of finely chopped fresh coriander

1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)

Salt to taste

 

Method:

1.      Wash and soak masoor daal for 1 hour.

2.      Heat a non-stick vessel and add oil. Once oil is hot, add cumin and mustard seeds.

3.      Once the seeds sputter, add curry leaves.

4.      Now add the chopped onion and fry for 2-3 minutes.

5.      In the meantime, blend tomato, ginger and garlic to a coarse paste.

6.      Add this paste to the onions and mix well. Let this cook for 2 minutes.

7.      Now add turmeric, cumin and coriander powder and mix well.

8.      Drain the masoor daal and add it to the mixture. Mix and cook for 2-3 minutes.

9.      Add 3 cups of water and let the mixture come to a boil.

10.  Now reduce the heat and let the daal cook for 10-15 minutes.

11.  Keep stirring every few minutes.

12.  Once the daal is cooked, add salt and fresh coriander.

13.  Serve hot with rice.

चिंचगुळाची आमटी

Ingredients
½ cup turdaal
1 tsbp tamarind pulp
1 tsp chopped jaggery
1 tsp goda masala
½ tsp red chili powder
½ + ½ tsp turmeric powder
Pinch of Hing
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
6-8 curry leaves
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander
1 tbsp fresh grated coconut
1 green chili cut into 2-3 pieces
Salt to taste

Method:

1.  Wash and pressure cook daal with 1 cup water, turmeric powder and hing.
2.  Once the daal is out of pressure cooker, heat oil in a heavy bottom vessel.
3.  Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add turmeric powder, hing, chili and curry leaves.
4.  Now add cooked daal and mix well. Add chili powder, goda masala, jaggery and tamarind pulp.
5.  Add a cup of water to adjust the consistency. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
6.  Now add coriander, coconut and salt and mix well. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
7.  Serve hot with rice
My favorite: Make small pieces of chapati and pour hot daal over it. Add ghee and enjoy.

Gujrathi Khichadi

Ingredients

1 cup rice

½ cup chilkewali moong daal

1 tsp oil

1 tbsp ghee

1 tsp jeera

4 cloves

4 black pepper corns

Small stick of cinnamon

Sprig of curry leaves

1 green chili cut into 2 pieces

1 tsp garlic finely chopped

½ tsp grated ginger

1 tsp red chili powder

½ tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

 

Method:

1.  Wash and rinse the rice and daal well and soak in water for at least 30 minutes.

2.  Heat oil + ghee in a pressure pan. Add jeera and sauté for few seconds.

3.  Add cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, curry leaves, green chili, garlic, ginger. Sauté for 30 seconds

4.  Drain rice and daal and add to pressure pan. Add chili powder and turmeric powder and mix and fry for a couple of minutes.

5.  Add 8 cups of water and mix well. Let the mixture come to a boil.

6.  Now add salt and mix. Put the lid on and cook for 3 whistles.

7.  Switch off the heat and let the pressure release. Serve hot with ghee.

Ambat Varan (CKP Special)

Ingredients

Ingredients:

1/2 cup toor dal washed

1 tsp turmeric powder

pinch of Hing

1 medium onion chopped

2 green chilies

1/2 cup of fresh grated coconut

2 tbsp. of fresh coriander

4-5 Kadhipatta

1 tsp jiggery

1 tbsp thick tamarind paste

Salt

For Tadka – 1 tbsp oil, 1 tsp Mustard seeds, pinch of hing

Method:

1.      Pressure cook toordal with turmeric powder, pinch of Hing, onion and green chilies.

2.      Once cooked transfer to heat and add 1 cup of water. Add jaggery and tamarind paste.

3.      Add salt as per taste.

4.      Blend together coconut, coriander and Kadhipatta to a fine paste

5.      Once daal comes to a boil, add coconut mixture and let it cook for a few mins.

6.      Take it off the heat and give tadka

7.      Serve hot with rice or chapatti.

My favorite is to break stale chapatti into pieces, add hot amti and ghee. Let it soak for a couple of mins and then enjoy.

Moogache Varan (Moong Dal)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup moong dal
1/2 tsp turmeric
pinch of Hing
1 tsp ghee
1 tsp jeera
5-6 kadipatta washed and torn by hand
1 tbsp finely chopped corriandar
salt to taste.

Method:
1. Wash moong dal and add 2 cups of water
2. Add tumeric powder and hing and pressure cook for 4 whistles
3. Turn to low flame and keep for 10 mins, then switch off heat.
4. Once the pressure is off, mash daal
5. Heat ghee and add jeera and kadipatta
6. Add mashed dal, salt and corriandar
7. Add water to adjust consistency.
8. Let it come to boil. Serve hot with rice.