Kaddu Ka Dalcha with Chana Dal (Bottle Gourd cooked with Bengal Gram Lentil - Hyderabadi style)

 

              Kaddu Ka Dlacha is a traditional Hyderabadi Vegetarian cuisine where Bottle gourd (Lauki) is cooked with chana dal (Bengal Gram), called "Kaddu Ka Dalcha". Kaddu means bottlegourd in the local lingo. Though there are many versions to it, it is generally cooked in the same way as Mutton Dalcha minus mutton, eggplants and potatoes.

         

                Kaddu Ka Dalcha is also cooked sometimes with tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentil). Garnish with onion rings and coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice, Bagara rice, plain biryani, naan or tandoori roti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this traditional lentil recipe. 

• 1/2 cup chana dal (Bengal Gram), soaked for an hour
• 1 med. size bottle gourd, cubed
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 red chilies
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• salt to taste
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp. ghee 
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 dry red chili 
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• onion rings & coriander leaves to garnish

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with bay leaves, dry red chilies, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add onion and stir fry till light brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates from the sides of the pan.

          Add the tomatoes and sauté till well mashed. Now add the chopped bottle gourd, green chilies and the soaked chana dal. Sauté for 2 minutes.

          Add 1 & 1/2 cups water and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles. Add the tamarind water and simmer for 2-3 minutes on low flame. Transfer to a serving dish.

          Heat the ghee in a pan and temper with dry red chilies and mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the curry leaves and switch off the flame. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Pour this tempering over the prepared Kaddu Ka Dalcha. Garnish with onion rings and coriander leaves. Serve hot with plain Biryani, bagara rice, naan, tandoori roti or steamed rice.

                        Heat oil & temper with bay leaves, dry red chilies, cinnamon, cloves 

                        cardamoms and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

                                  Add onion and stir fry till light brown. 

                        Add ginger-garlic paste &all the dry spices mixed with some water.

                        Sauté till the oil separates from the sides of the pan.

                                  Add the tomatoes.

                                  Sauté till well mashed.

                           Add chopped bottle gourd, green chilies & the soaked chana dal. 

                           Sauté for 2 minutes.

                                 Add 1 & 1/2 cups water and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.

                          Add the tamarind water and simmer for 2-3 minutes on low flame. 

                          Transfer to a serving dish.

  

                       Heat the ghee & temper with dry red chilies & mustard seeds. After it 

                        stops spluttering, add the curry leaves & switch off the flame.  

                                  Pour this tempering over the prepared Kaddu Ka Dalcha. 

                        Garnish with onion rings & coriander leaves. Serve hot with plain 

                        Biryani, naan, tandoori roti or steamed rice.

                           

                           

Chana & Moong Dal (Bong style)

 

          The combination of Chana & Moong dal is very common in Punjabi cuisine. But here I tried to prepare it in a traditional Bengali style with a tempering of panch phoron, bay leaves and whole garam masala. Asafoetida too can be added as a tempering for a good aroma. 

           I added some ghee and roasted cumin powder to the end product for a good flavour. This dal can be served either with hot steamed rice, poori or chapatti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this great comfort dish. 

• 1/4 cup chana dal (Bengal gram)
• 1/4 cup moong dal (split green gram)
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 dry red chilies, broken
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantity of fennel, cumin, mustard, fenugreek & onion (kalonji) seeds)
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, slit
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. ghee 
• 12 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• coriander leaves to garnish

          Boil the dals in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. Give it a whisk and keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with dry red chilies, bay leaves, panch phoron, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

         Then add the onion and ginger and sauté till light brown. 

         Now add the boiled dal, salt, turmeric powder and the green chilies. Simmer on a low flame for 2-3 minutes and then switch off the flame. 

         Add the ghee, roasted cumin powder and coriander leaves. Give it a stir. Serve with hot steamed rice and accompanied with papad or aloo bhaja / fry for a simple comfort meal. You can also relish this dal with poori or chapatti. 

                       Boil the dals in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. Whisk & keep aside. 

                              Heat oil & temper with dry red chilies, bay leaves, panch phoron, 

                              cinnamon, cardamoms & cloves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                                  Then add the onion and ginger and sauté till light brown. 

                         Add the boiled dal, salt, turmeric powder & the green chilies. Simmer 

                          on a low flame for 2-3 minutes and then switch off the flame.

                           Add ghee, roasted cumin powder & coriander leaves. Give it a stir.

 

                             Serve with hot steamed rice & accompanied with papad or aloo 

                             bhaja / fry for a simple comfort meal.

                        You can also relish this dal with poori 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 or bagara rice. 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, like Eid or wedding. 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. chicken 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
• 1 tsp. salt or 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 & 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 & 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 & curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds & 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.

Parippu Vada (Lentil Fritters / Pakora - Kerala style)

 

          Parippu Vada is a very popular Kerala style deep fried fritters made of chana dal and tuvar dal. They are absolutely easy to make and are an ideal tea-time snack / party snack. Few basic ingredients like onion, ginger, green chilies and curry leaves are needed to dish out these yummy vadas. You can also enjoy these fritters as an appetizer with any chutney. They tastes real yum. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup chana dal (Bengal Gram lentil)
• 1/3 cup tuvar dal (Pigeon Pea lentil)
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 sprigs curry leaves, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• salt to taste
• oil to deep fry

          Soak the lentils overnight or for a minimum of 4-5 hours. Then blend it coarsely without adding any water. 

          Now mix together with all the remaining ingredients (except oil) and keep aside. 

          Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan. Take a small portion of the mix and give it a round flat shape. 

          Gently drop it in the hot oil and fry on both sides till golden in colour. Drain on a kitchen towel and serve as a tea-time snack. 

                                  Blend the soaked lentils coarsely without adding any water. 

                                 Mix together with all the remaining ingredients (except oil).

                     Make round shaped flat balls out of the mix & drop them in the hot oil. 

    

                                 Fry on both sides till golden in colour.

                                  Drain on a kitchen towel.

                                   Enjoy as a tea-time snack.