Moong Dal Fry (Green Gram Lentil Curry)

 

          Just a simple moong dal fry with hot steamed rice will lift up your spirits. There is nothing like having it with some pickle or papad as accompaniment. It definitely is a humble and an earthy meal, complete with all the nutritional benefits as lentils contain fibre and proteins. 

          This dal can be cooked in many ways. You can enjoy it as a dry preparation with Indian bread, in a gravy like consistency with rice or it can be made into a simple soup. Choice is yours. 

          It is a very common dal made in every household in the Northern parts of Punjab. This delicious Moong Dal Fry is also very popular in restaurants worldwide. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing dal fry.

• 1/2 cup moong dal
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, finely chopped
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. coriander & mint leaves, chopped

            Pressure cook the dal in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 3-4 whistles. Give it a whisk and keep aside. 

            Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds, dry red chili and asafoetida. Allow it to splutter.

            Then add the onion, ginger, garlic, salt and turmeric powder. Sauté till light brown. 

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

            Garnish with lime juice, coriander and mint leaves. Serve with steamed rice, jeera rice, naan, tandoori roti or chapatti.

      Pressure cook the dal in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 3-4 whistles. Give it

      a whisk and keep aside. 

        Heat oil in & temper with cumin seeds, dry red chilies & asafoetida. 

        Add onion, ginger, garlic, salt & turmeric powder. Sauté till light brown. 

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

                     Garnish with lime juice, coriander and mint leaves.

         Serve with steamed rice, jeera rice, naan, tandoori roti or chapatti.

French Beans & Moong Dal Stir Fry (French Beans with Split Green Gram)

  

          This is a simple homemade style french Beans stir fry cooked with split moong dal (green gram lentil). I added some sambar powder to give a South Indian flavor. It is best relished as a side dish with hot steamed rice, paratha or chapatti, curd rice, sambar rice or rasam rice. 

          French Beans and the split green gram lentil have a fair amount of fibre and protein. So it is a perfect side dish for the young and old alike. Made into a roll / Frankie, it can be a great lunch box meal too. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazingly healthy stir fry dish.

• 400 gms. Beans, chopped
• 1/4 cup split moong dal, dry roasted
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 whole dry chili, broken
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 1 tbsp. chana dal (Bengal gram)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, finely chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. sambar powder
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Boil the chopped French beans and the roasted moong dal in enough water till they are soft. Drain and keep aside. 

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

          Add asafoetida, urad dal and Chana dal. Sauté till the dals changes color. Add the onion, ginger, curry leaves and garlic. Sauté till light brown. 

          Add the boiled French beans-moong dal, salt, turmeric powder and sambar powder. Sauté for 2-3 minutes on low flame. 

          When done, add lime juice and coriander leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice, curd rice, rasam rice, paratha, tandoori roti or chapatti. 

                        Heat oil & temper with red chili & mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter.

                   Add asafoetida, urad dal & Chana dal. Sauté till the dals changes color. 

                         Add the onion, ginger, curry leaves & garlic. Sauté till light brown. 

                       Add the boiled French beans-moong dal, salt, turmeric powder and 

                       sambar powder. Sauté for 2-3 minutes on low flame. 

           When done, add lime juice & coriander leaves.

                       Serve hot with steamed rice, curd rice, rasam rice, paratha, tandoori 

                       roti or chapatti. 

Ven Pongal

 

          This is a traditional and a very popular South Indian breakfast, especially in Tamil Nadu. It is another of my comfort food. This dish, in other terms, can also be termed as a North Indian Khichdi. Very simple and easy to prepare, it is an apt recipe when you are hard-pressed for time. It is best enjoyed with coconut chutney and sambar as accompaniment. It also tastes yummy with any pickle and some podi (gun powder) sprinkled over it. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1/3 cup rice
• 1/3 cup moong dal (split green gram), lightly dry roasted 
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 whole dry red chili, broken
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. whole peppercorns
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 10-15 cashew nuts
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp. ghee

          Soak the rice and dal, preferably overnight and then pressure cook along with salt to taste and 1 & 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. It should be soft and mushy.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, whole dry red chili, urad dal, ginger, peppercorns, curry leaves, asafoetida and cashew nuts. Sauté for a minute or till the urad dal and cashew nuts changes colour.

          Pour it over the boiled rice-dal and mix well. While serving, add ghee and give it a stir. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.

                                 Soak the rice and dal, preferably overnight.

                        Pressure cook along with salt & 1 & 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles.

                        It should be soft and mushy.

                     Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds, dry red chili, urad dal, ginger, 

                      peppercorns, curry leaves, asafoetida & cashew nuts. Sauté for a minute

                      or till the urad dal and cashew nuts changes colour.

                        Pour it over the boiled rice-dal & mix well. While serving, add ghee

                        and give it a stir. 

                                 Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.

Oats Pongal / Porridge

           Pongal is a traditional South Indian breakfast prepared out of rice and split moong dal into a porridge consistency and then a tempering added to it. This dish can be termed as a North Indian Khichdi.  You can add any greens or veggies to it if desired. It is very easy and simple to make. 
     

               I gave a slight twist to the original recipe by adding oats instead of rice for a healthier version. It tastes best with coconut chutney, idli podi, pickle or papad as accompaniment. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this wholesome delicacy.

• 1 cup oats, dry roasted
• 1/2 cup moong dal (split green gram), dry roasted
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 1-2 whole dry red chilies
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. urad dal
• 1 tbsp. chana dal
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1-2 green chilies
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. whole peppercorns
• 10-15 cashew nuts

          Soak the dal for 2-3 hours. Pressure cook the dal, oats and salt in 3 cups water for 4-5 whistles. It should be soft and mushy.

          Heat ghee in a pan and temper with the mustard seeds and dry red chilies. After it stops spluttering, add the urad dal, chana dal, asafoetida, green chilies, curry leaves, ginger, peppercorns and cashew nuts.

          Sauté for a few seconds till the dals and the cashew nuts changes colour. Switch off the flame and pour this tempering over the cooked oats-dal mix. Give it a stir.

          Serve it hot with coconut chutney, idli podi, pickle or papad as accompaniment for a nice healthy and a wholesome breakfast.

                             Pressure cook dal, oats & salt in 3 cups water for 4-5 whistles. 

                  Heat ghee & temper with mustard seeds & dry red chilies. Then add urad dal,
                  chana dal, asafoetida, green chilies, curry leaves, ginger, peppercorns &
                  cashew nuts. Sauté for a few seconds.

                        Pour this tempering over the cooked oats-dal mix. Give it a stir.

                                  Serve with coconut chutney, idli podi, pickle or papad.

Mong Khasar (Kashmiri Khichdi / Porridge)

          Kashmiri cuisine is known for its unique and aromatic recipes with a lot of stress given to spices like fennel seeds, saffron, whole garam masala and Kashmiri red chilies. Yoghurt, ghee and mustard oil are also widely used. Many may be aware of a few Kashmiri recipes that are very popular, but this particular khichdi is not known to many. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

            I came across this recipe called "Mong Khasar" in one of the cookery shows and so decided to give it a try. This is a vegetarian version which turned out simply yummy. Rice, red lentils and green gram with skin being the main ingredients. You can relish it with raita, pickles or any side dish.

• 1/2 cup rice
• 1/4 cup red lentil (masoor dal)
• 1/4 cup split green gram lentil with skin (chilkewali moong dal)
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 5-6 cloves
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. fennel powder
• 1-2 green chilies
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. butter / ghee
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. dry mint leaves, crushed
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Soak the rice and lentils for an hour. Drain and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan / kadai. Temper with cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the onions and fry till light brown. Now add the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and fennel powder. 

          Mix everything well and sauté for a minute. Add the soaked lentils, green chilies, sugar and salt. Give it a stir and continue to fry for 2 minutes.

          Add 4 cups water and bring it to a boil. Cover and simmer on a medium flame. Keep stirring from time to time and cook till soft and the water has almost evaporated.

         Add the butter / ghee, garam masala powder, mint powder and coriander leaves. Give it a stir and switch off the flame. 

          Serve along with raita and any side dish for a simple and healthy meal.

                                 Soak rice & lentils for an hour. Drain & keep aside. 

                   Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms 
                   and cloves. Sauté for a few seconds.

                                 Add onions & fry till light brown. 

                   Add ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander 
                   powder, cumin powder & fennel powder. Mix well & sauté for a min. 

                     Add soaked lentils, green chilies, sugar & salt. Give it a stir & fry for
                     2 minutes.

                  Add 3-4 cups water & bring to a boil. Cover & simmer on a medium 
                  flame. Keep stirring from time to time & cook till soft & till water has 
                  almost evaporated.

                  Add butter / ghee, garam masala powder, mint powder & coriander 
                  leaves. Give it a stir & switch off the flame. 

                  Serve along with raita & any side dish for a simple & healthy meal.