Moong Dal Tadka (Split Green Gram Lentil Curry)

 

                  It is a well known fact that Lentils are full of proteins and fibre and is a must-have in many homes. Here I bring to you a very flavourful dal that is very popular in most restaurants. So check out my version of this simple Moong Dal Tadka, made restaurant style.

         Tastes awesome with rice and I am sure it is a comfort food for many. I like having it with steamed rice and some pickles and papad to go with it. It tastes heavenly. It can be had with any Indian bread too along with some onion and a drizzle of some lime juice. So check out the pictorial recipe to prepare this great comfort food. 

• 1/2 cup split moong dal, soaked for 30 minutes, rinse & drain
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1" ginger, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp. garlic, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

         Boil the dal in 1 & 1/2 cups water along with onion, tomato, ginger, salt and turmeric powder for 5-6 whistles.

          Add kasuri methi, green chilies, garam masala powder and milk. Simmer for 1-2 minutes on a low to medium flame. Keep aside.

         Heat ghee in a pan and temper with cumin seeds, garlic and asafoetida. Sauté till light brown and switch off the flame.

          Then add the Kashmiri red chili powder and give it a stir. Immediately pour this tempering over the cooked dal.
        
          Add lime juice and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with hot steamed rice or any Indian bread like naan, tandoori roti, paratha or chapatti. 

                      Boil the dal in 1 & 1/2 cups water along with onion, tomato, ginger, salt

                      and turmeric powder for 5-6 whistles.

                                  The boiled dal.

                      Add kasuri methi, green chilies, garam masala powder & milk. Simmer 

                       for 1-2 minutes on a low to medium flame. Keep aside.

                        Heat ghee in a pan & temper with cumin seeds, garlic & asafoetida. 

                        Sauté till light brown & switch off the flame. Add the Kashmiri red

                        chili powder & give it a stir. Pour this tempering over the cooked dal.

        

                                 Add lime juice & garnish with coriander leaves. 

                    Serve with hot steamed rice or any Indian bread like naan, tandoori roti, 

                    paratha or chapatti. 

Chicken Dalcha - Hyderabadi style

 

         This is a very popular and a delicious Chicken Curry - Hyderabadi style, which is often had as a side dish with plain biryani. It also tastes awesome with naan, tandoori roti or steamed rice. In this recipe, Chicken is cooked with chana dal and bottle gourd. Sometimes potato and eggplants are also added. Various other lentils are also made use of in this recipe, but the most common is the Chana dal.

          This amazing dish is best suited for special occasions. It tastes both - tangy and spicy. A tempering of chopped garlic, curry leaves, slit green chilies and chopped coriander leaves in ghee is poured over the final product. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this great party recipe.

Marination - 

• 500 gms. mutton on bones, washed and drained
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1-2 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup yoghurt

Other Ingredients - 

• 1/2 cup chana dal, soaked for 30 minutes
• 1/2 of a medium size bottle gourd, diced
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 3-4 green cardamoms
• 5-6 cloves
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 1 onion, chopped

Tempering - 

2 tbsp. ghee

2 green chilies, slit

3-4 garlic cloves, chopped

2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

1 sprig curry leaves

           Marination - Marinate the chicken with all the mentioned ingredients for 2-3 hours. 

           Boil the soaked chana dal in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 2-3 whistles. Once the pressure is released, add the diced bottle gourd to it and pressure cook for only one whistle. Keep aside. 

           Gravy - Heat oil in a pan and temper with dry red chilies, cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamoms and cloves. Sauté for a few seconds. Add onion and fry on a low flame till light brown.

          Add the marinated chicken and sauté till the oil separates. Now add 1/2 cup water and cook, covered till the chicken is almost done. 

          Add the cooked lentil and give it a mix. Adjust the consistency by adding some hot water as required. Cover and cook again for 8-10 minutes on a low to medium flame. When done, transfer to a serving dish.

         Tempering - Heat ghee in a pan and temper with chopped garlic, slit green chilies, chopped coriander and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds and then switch off the flame. Pour this tempering over the cooked Chicken Dalcha. 

          Garnish with coriander leaves and sliced lemon. Serve with plain Biryani, steamed rice, naan or tandoori roti for an exotic meal.

                        Marinate the chicken with all the mentioned ingredients for 2-3 hours.

                            Boil the soaked chana dal in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 2-3 whistles.

                            Once the pressure is released, add the diced bottle gourd to it &

                            pressure cook for only one whistle. Keep aside. 

                     Heat oil in a pan & temper with dry red chilies, cinnamon, bay leaves, 

                     cardamoms and cloves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                                  Add onion and fry on a low flame till light brown.

                                  Add the marinated chicken & sauté till the oil separates.

                          Add 1/2 cup water & cook, covered till the chicken is almost done. 

                  Add the cooked lentil and give it a mix. Adjust the consistency by adding 

                 some hot water as required. Cover & cook again for 8-10 minutes on a low 

                  to medium flame. When done, transfer to a serving dish.

                      Heat ghee & temper with chopped garlic, slit green chilies, chopped 

                      coriander and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds and then switch 

                      off the flame.

                                  Pour this tempering over the cooked Chicken Dalcha. 

                   Garnish with coriander leaves & sliced lemon. Serve with plain Biryani, 

                   steamed rice, naan or tandoori roti for an exotic meal.

Green Moong Dal Tadka (Whole Green Gram Curry - North Indian Style)

 

          Green Moong dal Tadka is very healthy, nutritious and easy to digest. This dal recipe is slightly on the thicker side and is best relished with any type of Indian bread like tandoori roti, naan, paratha or chapatti. Be sure to include some sliced onion and a drizzle of lime juice. It can also be served with steamed rice or jeera rice and accompanied with some pickle and papad. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of this delectable lentil curry.

        Green Moong Dal can be prepared as a curry, khichdi (porridge) or as a soup. It can also be soaked and sprouted to be used in salads or chaats. It simply tastes yummy in any which way it is had. It is a powerhouse of proteins and nutrients and should be had as frequently as possible. So obviously good for the elderly and during pregnancy.

• 1/2 cup Green Moong Dal 
• 1/4 cup split moong dal
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 green chilies
• 1" ginger, grated
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 1 whole dry red chili
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 tbsp. yoghurt
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• sliced onion to garnish

         Soak both the lentils overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours. Pressure cook them along with 1 chopped onion, grated ginger, salt, turmeric powder and green chilies in 2 cups water for 5-6 whistles. Mash with the back of the ladle and keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with dry red chili, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, bay leaves and 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the remaining onion and fry till light brown. Now add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup water. Sauté till the oil separates. 

          Now add the chopped tomato and sauté till it nicely mashed. Add the boiled dal and simmer on a medium flame for 2 minutes. 

          Then add the yoghurt and kasuri methi. Continue to simmer for a further 2 minutes. Take off the flame and keep aside.

          Heat ghee and temper with the remaining cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the chopped garlic and asafoetida. Sauté till it changes colour. 

          Switch off the flame and add the red chili powder. Give it a stir and immediately pour this tempering over the cooked dal and serve, garnished with coriander leaves and sliced onion.

                                Soak both the lentils overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours. 

                       Pressure cook them along with 1 chopped onion, grated ginger, salt, 

                        turmeric powder and green chilies in 2 cups water for 5-6 whistles. 

                                  Mash with the back of the ladle and keep aside.

                      Heat oil in a pan & temper with dry red chili, cinnamon, cardamoms,

                      cloves, bay leaves and 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

                                  Add the remaining onion and fry till light brown. 

                       Add the ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup water. 

                       Sauté till the oil separates. 

                                  Add the chopped tomato and sauté till it nicely mashed. 

                              Add the boiled dal & simmer on a medium flame for 2 minutes. 

                           Add yoghurt & kasuri methi. Simmer for 2 minutes. Keep aside.

                        Heat ghee & temper with the remaining cumin seeds. Sauté for a few

                        seconds & add chopped garlic & asafoetida. Sauté till it changes colour. 

                        Switch off the flame and add the red chili powder. Give it a stir.

                                 Immediately pour this tempering over the cooked dal.

                        Serve, garnished with coriander leaves and sliced onion.