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.

Pan Fried Salmon with Goan Recheado Masala

 

          Check out this delectable Salmon Fish Fry marinated in a classic Goan Recheado spice paste, that is both fiery and tangy. This red chili paste is full of flavors and is a must have in your refrigerator as it is quite handy. It turned out super yummy and ideal for a weekend light dinner along with some salad. You can also enjoy as an appetizer with any chutney / dip/ hummus or as a side dish with plain biryani / pulao / jeera rice. 

          Earlier I had tried with King Fish and it came out absolutely yummy. So tried with salmon this time. It was my first experience of pan frying salmon using Indian spices and was a bit skeptical as to how it would turn out. However, the end result turned out just the way I wanted. Superb!!!

         I skipped the mandatory salt, pepper, garlic and butter seasoning and wanted to try out in an Indian style. So the Goan Recheado spice paste came to my rescue as it is both spicy and tangy and suits my palate. 

• 2 Salmon fish fillet, washed & drained
• Recheado masala (recipe given below)
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 tbsp. butter

          Marinate the fish fillet with the spice paste for 2-3 hours.

          Heat oil and butter in a pan and shallow fry the marinated fish on both sides till done. 

          Serve as it is or with salad for a nice comfort meal.

Recheado Masala - 

• 5-6 Kashmiri red chilies, broken into small pieces
• 1 small onion, roasted on an open flame
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 1/2" ginger
• 1/4 tsp. whole peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 4-5 cloves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. tamarind paste
• 1/3 cup vinegar or as required

          Soak all the mentioned ingredients in vinegar for an hour. Then grind in a mixer grinder into a smooth paste. (Do not add any water). 

Goan Recheado Fish Fry

 

          Recheado Fish fry is a classic Goan dish where Pomfret, Mackerel, King fish or any seafood is marinated or stuffed with a masala paste and then shallow fried. This particular spice is called Recheado that is both fiery and tangy. It is basically a red chili paste that is full of flavors. 

          You can also coat the fish with semolina and fry to get a crisp exterior. Enjoy as it is, with any chutney of your choice, with salad or with plain biryani / pulao / jeera rice. So check out a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

          The word Recheado is a Portuguese word meaning stuffed, as it is typically used as a stuffing or to marinate fish. 

          However, this paste is very versatile as it can also be used to marinate chicken, mutton, prawns or mushrooms / paneer for a veg. version. It turns out very yummy. 

          Hence, this spice paste is a must have in your refrigerator as it is quite handy when you need to dish out something quick. 

            The two main ingredients that make up the Recheado paste are kashmiri red chilies and vinegar. Water is not used in this recipe and the grinding is done by adding vinegar accordingly. If you wish to tone down the spiciness, them deseed the chilies before grinding. 

            Typically, Goan vinegar and Feni are used to make the paste, but I had to skip them as they were unavailable. The onion is generally roasted on an open flame. However, fried or sautéed onion, too, can be substituted.

• 1-2 King fish fillet, washed & drained
• Recheado masala (recipe given below)
• 2-3 tbsp. oil

          Marinate the fish fillet with the spice paste for 5-6 hours or preferably overnight. 

          Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the marinated fish on both sides till well browned. 

          Serve as it is, with any chutney of your choice, with salad or with plain biryani / pulao / jeera rice.

             Marinate the fish fillet with the spice paste for 5-6 hours or preferably overnight. 

         Heat oil in a pan & shallow fry the marinated fish on both sides till well browned. 

             Serve as it is, with any chutney, with salad or with plain biryani / pulao / jeera rice.

Recheado Masala - 

• 5-6 Kashmiri red chilies, broken into small pieces
• 1 small onion, roasted on an open flame
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 1/2" ginger
• 1/4 tsp. whole peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 4-5 cloves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. tamarind paste
• 1/3 cup vinegar or as required

          Soak all the mentioned ingredients in vinegar for an hour. Then grind in a mixer grinder into a smooth paste. (Do not add any water). 

Goan Recheado Masala

 

          Recheado Masala is a fiery and a tangy Goan red chili spice paste that is full of flavors. It is a Portuguese word meaning stuffed, as it is typically used as a stuffing or to marinate fish. However, this paste is very versatile as it can also be used to marinate chicken, mutton, prawns or mushrooms / paneer for a veg. version. It turns out very yummy. Hence, this spice paste is a must have in your refrigerator as it is quite handy when you need to dish out something quick. 

          The two main ingredients that make up the Recheado paste are kashmiri red chilies and vinegar. Water is not used in this recipe and the grinding is done by adding vinegar accordingly. If you wish to tone down the spiciness, them deseed the chilies before grinding. 

          Typically, Goan vinegar and Feni are the other two ingredients that are used, but I had to skip them as they were unavailable. The onion is generally roasted on an open flame. However, fried or sautéed onion, too, can be substituted.

• 10 Kashmiri red chilies, broken into small pieces
• 1 onion, roasted on an open flame
• 10 garlic cloves
• 1/2" ginger
• 1/2 tsp. whole peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 6-7 cloves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. tamarind paste
• 1/2 cup vinegar

          Soak all the mentioned ingredients in vinegar for an hour. Then grind in a mixer grinder into a smooth paste. (Do not add any water. Add vinegar accordingly). 

          If you need to store in an air tight container for a longer time, then sauté the paste in 2 tbsp. of oil for 4-5 minutes. Allow it to cool down before storing. Use as required.

          This paste can be used for marinating the fish or as a stuffing. It can also be used to marinate or cook chicken, mutton, prawns or mushrooms / paneer for a veg. version. 

Baingan Ka Dalcha

       
          This is a traditional Hyderabadi cuisine where eggplants are cooked along with tuvar dal (split pigeon pea lentil) called "Baingan Ka Dalcha." Baingan means Eggplant / Brinjal in the local lingo. It can also be cooked with Chana Dal (Bengal Gram Lentil).

           There are many versions to this tangy eggplant - lentil gravy. However, I have cooked with Tuvar Dal. which is a perfect side dish to pulao, biryani, plain steamed rice or Jeera Rice. It is cooked in the same way as Mutton Dalcha and kaddu (Bottle Gourd) dalcha. the two other popular Hyderabadi dishes. 

          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 long eggplant, chopped 
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. 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
• 2-3 green chilies2
• 2 tbsp. mint leaves, chopped 
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 dry red chilli
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

           Pressure cook the dal in 2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. Whisk and keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cardamoms, cinnamon and cloves. After it stops crackling, add the onion and salute till light brown in colour.

          Now add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute. Then add all the dry spices (except salt). Sauté for a minute.

          Add the chopped tomato and fry for a minute more. Add the chopped eggplants and fry till half done. 

          Add the boiled dal. salt to taste, tamarind water, mint leaves and green chilies. Bring it to a boil and simmer till the eggplants are well cooked. 

          Check the consistency. Add extra water if more gravy is desired. When done, switch off the flame and keep aside. 
      
          Heat ghee and temper with mustard seeds and red chilies. After it stops spluttering, add the curry leaves and switch off the flame. 

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

                    Heat oil & temper with cardamoms, cinnamon & cloves. After it stops 
                    crackling, add the onion & sauté till light brown in colour.

                                 Add ginger-garlic paste & fry for a minute. 

                                Add all dry spices (except salt). Sauté for a minute.

                                 Add chopped tomato & fry for a minute more. 

                                  Add chopped eggplants & fry till half done. 

                                 Add boiled dal. salt to taste,

                                  tamarind water,

                           mint leaves & green chilies. Simmer till eggplants are well cooked. 

                Heat ghee & temper with mustard seeds & red chilies. Then add curry leaves 
                and switch off the flame. 

                      Pour this tempering on the prepared Dalcha. 

                 Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with jeera rice, plain biryani or hot 
                 steamed rice.