Amti (Maharashtrian Dal / Lentil Curry)

          A great comfort food for all Maharashtrians, this is a mildly spiced, sweet and sour lentil curry. There are many versions to it, depending on the region. It is very much a daily affair in most of the Maharashtrian household. Goda masala is an essential local spice used in this recipe and I make sure I buy one or two packs of it during my visit to Mumbai . 

           But you can substitute it with garam masala. This is a no onion-no garlic recipe. Nevertheless, it is a very delicious lentil curry which can be relished both with steamed rice or chapatti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1/2 cup tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentil) soaked for 30 minutes
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. goda masala
• 1-2 sprigs curry leaves
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 2-3 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1 tsp. sugar / jaggery
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the soaked dal in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. Add salt and whisk well. Adjust water accordingly depending on the consistency desired.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds and cumin seeds. After it stops spluttering add the asafoetida, turmeric powder, curry leaves and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the coconut along with the sugar and goda masala. Fry for a minute on a medium flame. Then add the tomatoes and the tamarind water. Simmer till the tomatoes are mashed.

          Now add the boiled dal and mix well. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. When done, add the coriander leaves and mix well. Serve hot with rice or chapatis.

                                Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds & cumin seeds. 

                     Add asafoetida, turmeric powder, curry leaves & green chilies. Sauté
                     for a few seconds. 

                   Add coconut, sugar & goda masala. Fry for a minute on a medium flame. 

                                Add tomatoes...

                                and tamarind water. Simmer till tomatoes are mashed.

                                Add boiled dal & mix well. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. 

                                When done, add coriander leaves & mix well. 

                                  Serve hot with rice or chapattis.

Black Turtle Beans Curry

          Here is an amazing dish made out of Black Turtle Beans or simply Black Beans. I came across this lentil in a supermarket and thought of giving it a try. I should confess that the end result was a super delicious preparation that tastes almost like Rajma (Kidney Beans) to me. 

          This variety has many health benefits as it contains fiber, proteins, calcium, lowers cholesterol and is good for the control of diabetes. You can enjoy it with either jeera rice, hot steamed rice, naan, tandoori roti or just chapatti. Rajma too can be made in the similar way. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1/2 cup black turtle beans, soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup split moong dal (green gram lentil), soaked for an hour
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• 1/2 cup yoghurt, beaten
• coriander leaves, beaten yoghurt & sliced onion to garnish

          Pressure cook the soaked beans and lentil in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 5 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. Then add salt and turmeric powder and mash with a potato masher. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds and asafoetida. Saute for a few seconds and add the onions. Fry till light brown in colour.

          Then add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste and the remaining dry spices mixed with a little water. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Add the boiled dal and bring it to a boil. Then add the beaten yoghurt and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes. 

          Serve, garnished with coriander leaves, sliced onion and a drizzle of some beaten yoghurt.

                                 Soak 1/2 cup black turtle beans overnight.

                                Soak 1/4 cup split moong dal (green gram lentil) for an hour.

                                 The soaked lentils.

                                 Add water & pressure cook.

                                 Add salt & turmeric powder.

                                 Mash with a potato masher & keep aside.

                                  Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds & asafoetida.

                                  Add onions & sauté till light brown.

                    Add ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste & all dry spices mixed with some
                    water. Sauté till oil separates.

                                 Add boiled dal & bring to a boil.

                                  Add beaten yoghurt & simmer for 2-3 minutes.

                    Serve, garnished with coriander leaves, sliced onion & a drizzle of some
                    beaten yoghurt.

Shahi Dal (Rich & Creamy lentil Curry - Mughlai Style)

         This is a Mughlai style dal combining two types of lentils - Split Moong Dal & Tuvar Dal (Green Gram & Pigeon Pea Lentils). The end product was a rich, smooth and a creamy texture due to the addition of yoghurt, cashew paste and ground fried onion paste. 

         This delicacy can be served with any rice preparation like pulao, Plain Biryani or jeera rice and with any type of Indian bread. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1/4 cup moong dal (split green gram)
• 1/4 cup tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentil) 
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder or to taste
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 - 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 7-8 cashew nuts
• 1/4 cup fried onions
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1 tsp. red chili flakes
• 1 tsp. lime juice or to taste
• chopped coriander leaves to garnish

          Pressure cook both the dals in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. Whisk and keep aside. 

          In a small bowl, mix together ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices with some water to form a paste. Keep aside. 

          Blend together the cashew, fried onion and the yoghurt. Keep aside.

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the spice paste till the oil separates. Now add the boiled dal and simmer on a low flame for 2-3 minutes.

          Now add the ground cashew paste. Mix well and simmer for a minute or two more. Switch off the flame and transfer the contents to a serving dish.

          Heat the ghee in a pan and temper with the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Sauté for a few seconds and switch off the flame. 

          Add the chili flakes and stir well. Pour this tempering over the dal and add a dash of lime. 

          Serve, garnished with coriander leaves. This goes well with rice or any Indian bread.

                      Make a paste of ginger-garlic & all dry spices along with some water.

                                 Heat oil & sauté the spice paste till oil separates.

                                 Add boiled dal and green chilies. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.

                                  Blend together cashews, fried onion & yoghurt.

                                 Add cashew paste to the dal. Mix & simmer for 1-2 minutes.

                 Heat ghee & temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, bay leaf, whole garam
                 masala & chili flakes.

                   Pour tempering over the dal & add a dash of lime. Garnish with coriander 
                   leaves & serve either with rice or chapattis.

Jhinge diye Muger Dal (Split Green Gram with Ridge Gourd - Bengali Style)

          This is no restaurant style dish. It is just a simple Bengali homemade style moong dal recipe with turai / ridge gourd thrown in. This is a 'no-onion-no garlic' recipe. I just did a tempering of ginger, bay leaves, whole garam masala and panch phoron and finished off with coriander leaves and ghee for some flavour. You can enjoy it with steamed rice and papad as accompaniment. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this simple delicacy.

• 1/2 cup split green gram (moong dal), dry roasted & soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 cups Ridge gourd (turai) cut into roundels
• 1 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1/2 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, fenugreek, mustard, cumin & nigella seeds)
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1-2 green chilies
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. ghee (clarified butter)
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the dal and the chopped turai in 1 cup water and turmeric powder for 4-5 whistles. Keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with the bay leaf, dry red chilies, panch phoron, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Allow it to splutter.

          Add the grated ginger and sauté for a few seconds. Then add the boiled dal, cumin powder, salt and green chilies. Simmer on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. 

          When done, switch off the flame. Add ghee and coriander leaves. Give it a stir and serve with hot steamed rice for a great comfort meal. 

                        Discard the peel partially & cut into roundels. 

                     Pressure cook the dal & chopped turai in 1 cup water & turmeric powder
                     for 4-5 whistles.

                        Heat oil & temper with bay leaf, dry red chilies, panch phoron,                                                            cinnamon, cardamoms & cloves. Allow it to splutter.

                        Add grated ginger & sauté for a few seconds. 

                     Add boiled dal, cumin powder, salt & green chilies. Simmer on low flame 
                     for 2-3 minutes. 

                      When done, add ghee & coriander leaves. 

                                 Serve with plain steamed rice for a great comfort meal. 

Chana Moong Dal (Bengal Gram-Green Gram Lentil Curry)

          The combination of both chana dal and split moong dal makes for an interesting recipe to be relished with chapatti or paratha. It is prepared dry and goes very well with the latter. The consistency can be adjusted to be had with rice. Full of proteins, they need to be included in our daily diet.

          This is my version of this delicious and nutritious dal recipe where I gave a tempering of cumin seeds and asafoetida. I added ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste and a whole lot of aromatic spices and finished off with a tsp. of ghee for some added flavour and richness to the dish.

• 1/2 cup chana dal, soaked for 30 minutes
• 1/2 cup moong dal, soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1-2 green chilies, slit (opt)
• 1 tsp. ghee (clarified butter)
• coriander leaves to garnish

          Boil the dals in 2 cups water for 3-4 whistles. Mash it lightly and keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds. After it stops sizzling add the asafoetida, followed by the onions. Sauté till light brown in colour. 

          Now add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste and all the dry spices mixed with a little water. Sauté till the oil separates from the sides of the pan.

          Add the boiled dal and the slit green chilies. Simmer on low flame for 3-4 minutes. Adjust water according to the consistency required. When done, add the ghee and mix well. 

          Serve hot, garnished with coriander leaves.