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.

                           

                           

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.

Kaddu Ka Dalcha with Tuvar Dal (Bottlegourd Cooked with Pigeon Pea Lentil - Hyderabadi Cuisine)

 

         This is a traditional Hyderabadi cuisine where I have cooked Bottle Gourd with tuvar dal (split pigeon pea lentil) called "Kaddu Ka Dalcha." Kaddu means Lauki / Bottle Gourd in the local lingo. There are many versions to it. It is also cooked with Chana Dal (Bengal Gram Lentil).

          So today I have cooked with Tuvar Dal in a gravy form to be relished with steamed rice, plain biryani or Jeera Rice. It is cooked in the same way as Mutton Dalcha, minus the mutton, eggplants and potatoes.

           A tempering of mustard seeds, dry red chilly and curry leaves in ghee is poured over the cooked Dalcha and served, garnished with coriander leaves. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1/2 cup Tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentil), soaked for 30 minutes
• 1/2 of a medium bottle gourd, chopped into big pieces
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds / Shahjeera
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 dry red chilies
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tomato, chopped
• salt to taste 
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves to garnish

          Pressure cook the dal in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. Whisk and keep aside. Pressure cook the chopped bottle gourd in required quantity of water for 2 whistles. Keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with bay leaves, 2 dry red chilies, cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and cumin seeds. After it stops crackling, add the onion and sauté till light brown.

          Now add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup water. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Add the chopped tomato and continue to sauté till they are mashed. Add the boiled dal, boiled bottle gourd and tamarind water.

          Simmer on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. Check the consistency. Add more water if the gravy is to be had with rice.
      
          Heat ghee and temper with mustard seeds and remaining red chili. After it stops spluttering, add the curry leaves and switch off the flame. 

          Pour this tempering over the prepared Dalcha. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with jeera rice, plain biryani or hot steamed rice.

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

                                 Whisk and keep aside. 

                             Pressure cook the chopped bottle gourd in required quantity of 

                             water for 2 whistles. Keep aside.

                          Heat oil & temper with bay leaves, 2 dry red chilies, cardamoms, 

                          cinnamon, cloves and cumin seeds.

                              After it stops crackling, add the onion and sauté till light brown.

                              Add ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup 

                              water. Sauté till the oil separates.

                           Add the chopped tomato & continue to sauté till they are mashed. 

                                Add the boiled dal, boiled bottle gourd and tamarind water.

                         Simmer on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. Check the consistency. Add 

                         more water if the gravy is to be had with rice.
      

                         Heat ghee & temper with mustard seeds and remaining red chili. After 

                         it stops spluttering, add the curry leaves and switch off the flame. 

                        Pour this tempering over the Dalcha & garnish with coriander leaves. 

                      Serve with jeera rice, plain biryani or hot steamed rice.

Kumro Pata Chingri Bata (Pumpkin Leaves - Prawns Chutney - Bong Style)

 

           An extremely simple chutney, yet full of flavours, it is made of tender pumpkin leaves and prawns. You must have noticed these pumpkin plants growing around everywhere. So if you happen to come across this plant, pluck out some tender leaves and prepare this traditional & a healthy Bong recipe which is typically served with hot steamed rice. 

          It is an age old recipe and almost a forgotten one. It is purely a homemade recipe, not found in any restaurants. For a veg. version, just omit the prawns. So do give it a try by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing chutney.

• 10-12 tender Pumpkin Leaves, washed, drained & chopped
• 10-15 prawns, cleaned & deveined
• 4-5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2-3 fresh green / red chilies, chopped
• 2 tbsp. + 1 tsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the prawns along with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder. Keep aside. 

          Heat remaining oil and temper with nigella seeds. Then add the garlic and fresh green / red chilies. Sauté till light brown. 

          Add the chopped greens, salt, turmeric powder and 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook on a low flame till dry. Keep aside to cool.

          Blend the greens along with the fried prawns to a fine paste without adding any water in a food processor. Serve with hot steamed rice and a drizzle of raw mustard oil.

         

                      Heat 1 tbsp. oil & fry the prawns along with a pinch of salt & turmeric 

                      powder. Keep aside. 

                       Heat remaining oil & temper with nigella seeds. Add garlic & green / red                                           chilies. Sauté till light brown. 

                             Add the chopped greens, salt, turmeric powder & 1/4 cup water. 

                                  Cover & cook on a low flame till dry. Keep aside to cool.

                                  Blend the sautéed greens along with the fried prawns......

         

                                 ..... to a fine paste without adding any water in a food processor. 

                                Serve with hot steamed rice and a drizzle of raw mustard oil.