Tomato Masoor Dal (Red Lentils & Tomato Curry - Bong style)

 

           Here is a simple and a nutritious Tomato Masoor Dal cooked in a Bengali style. It includes in the everyday menu of any Bengali household. I love to have it along with some aloo bhaja (fried potato strips) or some fried papad for a comfort meal. 

          Very few basic ingredients are needed to dish out this yummy lentil curry. The addition of ghee as a garnish gives this lentil curry a very good flavor. If had with a dash of lime, gives a very refreshing touch to this dish. You can also make this dal with or without tomatoes. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional dish.

• 1/3 cup masoor dal (Red Lentils), soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 green chilies 
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the dal in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. Add salt and turmeric and give it a whisk.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds and dry red chilies. Allow it to splutter.

          Add the onion and sauté till light brown.

          Now add the chopped tomatoes and sauté till it is mashed up. 

          Add the boiled dal and green chilies. Simmer on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. 

          When done, add coriander leaves and ghee. Mix well. 

          Serve with hot steamed rice and papad / fried potato strips as an accompaniment for a great comfort meal. 

  Pressure cook the dal in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. 

               Add salt and turmeric and give it a whisk.

Heat oil in a pan & temper with mustard seeds & dry red chilies. Allow it to splutter.

                  Add the onion and sauté till light brown.

      Now add the chopped tomatoes & sauté till it is mashed up. 

   

Add the boiled dal & green chilies. Simmer on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. 

                 When done, add coriander leaves 

                     and ghee. Mix well. 

 

               Serve with hot steamed rice & papad / fried potato strips as an                                           accompaniment for a great comfort meal. 

Dal Makhni (Punjabi style Lentil Curry)

 

          This is an absolutely guilt free healthy version of the most popular Punjabi cuisine - Dal Makhni. The one you get in restaurants are loaded with ghee, butter and cream. But my version has none of these. Instead I have used olive oil, beaten yoghurt and very little butter. Believe me it turned out very yummy and there was no change in the taste and flavor.

          So folks, indulge in this yummy and nutritious dal with naan, tandoori roti or plain phulka. You may also enjoy with steamed rice, jeera rice or plain biryani. This method is well worth the try for all those who are missing out on this delectable cuisine. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing mixed lentil recipe.

• 1/2 cup whole urad dal (Black lentils)
• 1/4 cup kidney beans (Rajma)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/3 cup beaten yoghurt
• 1/2 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed
• 2 tsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Wash both the lentils nicely under running water. Soak overnight. Then pressure cook in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 10-15 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. Mash it well with a potato masher and set aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the ginger-garlic paste and red chili powder mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates. 

          Now add the tomato puree and tomato paste. Sauté till the gravy leaves the sides of the pan. 

          Then add the mashed dal and salt. Mix well and simmer on a low flame, stirring at intervals, till it becomes slightly thick.

          Add 3/4 cup water and continue to simmer till you get the desired consistency.

          Now 1 tsp. butter, yoghurt (reserve some for garnishing) and kasuri methi. Give it a stir and simmer for 1-2 minutes.

          Garnish with remaining butter, beaten yoghurt and coriander leaves. 

          Serve with naan, tandoori roti or plain phulka. You may also enjoy with plain biryani, steamed rice or jeera rice for a comforting meal. 

Wash both the lentils nicely under running water. Soak overnight. Then pressure cook in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 10-15 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. Mash it well with a potato masher & set aside.

  Heat oil in a pan & temper with cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

Add the ginger-garlic paste & red chili powder mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates. 

Add the tomato puree & tomato paste. Sauté till the gravy leaves the sides of the pan. 

Then add the mashed dal & salt. Mix well & simmer on a low flame, stirring at intervals, till it becomes slightly thick.

 Add 3/4 cup water & continue to simmer till you get the desired consistency.

Add 1 tsp. butter, yoghurt & kasuri methi. Give it a stir & simmer for 1-2 minutes.

            Garnish with remaining butter, beaten yoghurt & coriander leaves. 

Serve with naan, tandoori roti or plain phulka. You may also enjoy with plain biryani, steamed rice or jeera rice for a comforting meal. 

Horse Gram Sambar

 

           Horse Gram Sambar (Kulthi / Kollu / Ulavalu) is a yummy South Indian dal that contains an amazing number of nutritional benefits. It is a very common dish prepared in the South Indian states of Telangana, Andhra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. This lentil is a very rich source of protein, calcium, iron and is low in fat and diabetic friendly too.

          So here is an amazing and a healthy sambar / Dal recipe, prepared from boiled and blended Horse Gram lentil. It is light on the stomach and is best enjoyed with hot steamed rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this spicy and tangy delicacy.

                Traditionally, sambar is prepared with tuvar dal (Pigeon pea lentil). However, in this recipe it is replaced with Horse Gram. I have followed a very easy method of making this sambar which takes very little time to dish out. You can adjust the consistency according to your taste.

                 I have just added tomato to this sambar recipe. But to make it extra nutritious, you can always add in few veggies of your choice. Horse Gram can also be sprouted and made into salads, pulao, cutlets with the boiled and mashed dal or into delicious soups. 

Ingredients - 

• 1/2 cup Horse Gram lentil
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 2 tbsp. sambar powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1-2 tsp. tamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup water or as required

Tempering - 

• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the soaked lentil / dal in 1 cup water for 10-12 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. Set aside to cool. 

          Then blend into a smooth paste. 
       
          Transfer it to a pan along with sambar powder, red chili powder, salt to taste, turmeric powder, curry leaves, sliced tomato, tamarind water and 2 cups water. 

          Bring it to a boil and simmer on a low flame for 10-15 minutes or till you get the desired consistency. Keep aside. 

          Heat ghee in a tadka pan and temper with mustard seeds and cumin seeds. 

          After it stops spluttering, add asafoetida and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds. Pour this tempering over the prepared sambar. 

          Garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy with hot steamed rice or any South Indian breakfast for a wholesome and a comforting meal.

                   Soak the Horse Gram dal overnight.

Pressure cook the soaked lentil / dal in 1 cup water for 10-12 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. Set aside to cool. Then blend into a smooth paste. 

          

Transfer the blended lentil to a pan along with sambar powder, red chili powder, salt to taste, turmeric powder, curry leaves, sliced tomato, 

                        tamarind water 

and 1 cup water. Bring it to a boil & simmer on a low flame for 10-15 minutes or till you get the desired consistency. Keep aside. 

Heat ghee in a tadka pan & temper with mustard seeds & cumin seeds. After it stops spluttering, add asafoetida & curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

Pour this tempering over the prepared sambar. 

                       Garnish with coriander leaves.

Enjoy with hot steamed rice or any South Indian breakfast for a wholesome & a comforting meal.

Pui Shak Diye Bhaja Muger Dal (Roasted Moong Dal cooked with Malabar Spinach - Bong style)

 

           This is a traditional Bengali delicacy of roasted Moong Dal which is commonly prepared in almost every Bengali household. It is sometimes combined with any veggie or greens for a wholesome and nutritious meal. 

         In this recipe I combined it with Pui Shak (Malabar Spinach) to prepare this yummy lentil curry. I tempered with dry red chilies, bay leaves, cumin seeds and radhuni (wild celery seeds). This gives this dal a very good flavor. Red chili powder is optional. Traditionally. green chilies are used. It is typically relished with hot steamed rice. You can adjust the quantity of water as preferred. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this healthy dish.

• 1/3 cup moong dal (split green gram), dry roasted and soaked for an hour
• 2 bunches Pui shak (Malabar spinach), chopped 
• 1 cup tender twigs, cut into 2" pieces
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 dry red chilies
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. radhuni (wild celery seeds)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 2 green chilies
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder to garnish

          Boil the dal and the tender twigs of the Pui shak in 1 cup water for 4-5 whistles. Keep aside. 

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

         Add the onion and sauté till light brown. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Now add the chopped Pui shak and 1/4 cup water. Mix well and cook, covered till it turns soft.

         Add the boiled dal, 1/2 cup water and green chilies. Simmer for 4-5 minutes. 

         when done, add ghee and the dry roasted cumin powder. Give it a stir and serve hot with steamed rice or chapattis.

Boil the dal & the tender twigs of the Pui shak in 1 cup water for 4-5 whistles. 

Heat oil in a pan & temper with dry red chilies, bay leaves, cumin seeds & radhuni. Sauté for a few seconds.

                     Add the onion & sauté till light brown. 

Then add the ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates.

                       Now add the chopped Pui shak 

               and 1/4 cup water. Mix well & cook, covered till it turns soft.

                         Add the boiled dal,

                 1/2 cup water & green chilies. Simmer for 4-5 minutes.

                   When done, add ghee & the dry roasted cumin powder. 

                Give it a stir & serve hot with steamed rice or chapattis.