These are some yummy lentil fritters to lighten up your evenings. Relish them as a tea-time snack or as appetizers along with some green chutney or ketchup. Made from soaked kaali dal / urad dal (split black gram lentils with skin), they just turn out soft and delicious. Any leftover pakoras can be dipped into spiced yoghurt gravy and made into kadhi pakoras, which can be had either with any Indian bread or rice.
- 1/2 cup split kaali / urad dal with skin (black gram lentils), soaked for 2 hours
- salt to taste
- 2 dry red chilies
- 1 tsp. ginger, grated
- 1/2 tsp. kalonji (nigella seeds)
- oil to deep fry
Grind together the soaked dal (lentil) along with dry red chilies and ginger with very little water. Add salt and kalonji and mix well.
Heat oil and drop spoonful of the batter and deep dry till golden. Drain on a paper napkin and serve them hot with any chutney or sauce.
This is a very delicious and a wholesome Punjabi lentil preparation known as Kaali Dal. It also goes by the name of Maa Ki Dal. Split urad dal or black gram lentil with skin is used to make this nutritious dish which is usually relished with tandoori roti or naan.
It can be made more rich with the addition of a generous amount of ghee and cream. I kept it slightly on the lighter side by omitting the cream and went in for some low fat yoghurt. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.
- 3/4 cup split urad dal with skin (black gram lentil), soaked for 1-2 hours.
- 2-3 tbsp. oil
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- 1 dry red chili (broken into half)
- 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 green chilies, slit
- 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp. tomato paste (opt)
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp. coriander-cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
- 1 tsp. red chili powder
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1 tbsp, yoghurt
- 1 tsp. ghee (clarified butter)
- fresh chilies & coriander leaves to garnish
Pressure cook the dal along with 1 chopped onion and green chilies in 2 & 1/2 cups water for 5 minutes on low flame after the first whistle. Keep aside.
Heat oil and temper with the cumin seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. Add the remaining onion and fry till brown.
Add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste and all the dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup water. Sauté till the oil separates.
Now add the tomato and continue to sauté on medium flame till they are completely mashed up. Add the boiled dal and salt. Mix well and simmer on low to medium flame for 2-3 minutes.
Adjust water according to the consistency required. Add the yoghurt and continue to further simmer for 2 minutes.
When done, add the ghee and stir well. Serve, garnished with coriander leaves and fresh chilies.
Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds & asafoetida. Sauté few seconds.
Add remaining onion & fry till brown.
Add ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste & all dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup
water. Sauté till oil separates.
Add tomato & sauté on medium flame till mashed up.
Add boiled dal & salt. Mix well & simmer on low to med. flame for 2-3 min.
Add yoghurt & continue to simmer for 2 minutes.
When done, add ghee & stir well.
Serve, garnished with coriander leaves & fresh chilies.
