Bhaja Muger Dal diye Jhinge Torkari (Turai / Ridge Gourd - Moong Dal Curry - Bengali Style)

 

          Check out my version of a simple homemade style recipe of Turai / Ridge gourd cooked with dry roasted moong dal and some dried lentil dumplings. So it is has the crunch of the coarsely ground vadi along with the flavors of coriander leaves and ghee. 

          This is a 'no onion-no garlic' recipe, where I just gave a tempering of panch phoron, bay leaves, grated ginger and slit green chilies. You can enjoy with steamed rice or with chapatti / paratha. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2-3 Jhinge / Turai / Ridge gourd, chopped
• 1/4 cup moong dal (split green gram), dry roasted & soaked in water for 15-20 minutes
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 10-12 vadi / dried lentil dumplings
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, fenugreek, mustard, cumin & nigella seeds)
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. ghee

         

          Heat oil in a pan and fry the vadi till golden in colour. Drain and let it cool down. Grind to a coarse powder and keep aside. 

          Temper the same oil with bay leaves and panch phoron. After it splutters, add in the ginger and green chilies. Sauté till it turns light brown. 

          Then add the chopped turai, soaked dal, salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder and 1/2 cup water. 

          Mix everything well and cook, covered on a medium flame till the veggies and the lentils turns soft.

          When done, add the coriander leaves, ground vadi and ghee. Mix well and serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

                        Heat oil & fry the vadi till golden in colour. Drain & let it cool down. 

                        Grind to a coarse powder and keep aside. 

                                 Temper the same oil with bay leaves & panch phoron. 

                        Then add in the ginger & green chilies. Sauté till it turns light brown. 

                   Add chopped turai, soaked dal, salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder & 

                   1/2 cup water.

                                 Mix well & cook, covered till the veggies & lentils are soft.

                                 When done, add the coriander leaves, ground vadi & ghee. 

                                  Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

Mangodi Ki Sabzi (Dried Lentil Dumplings Curry - Rajasthani style)

          This yummy Rajasthani style Mangodi Curry along with rice or chapati will make for a great weekend meal with your loved ones. It is so simple and an easy recipe - so satisfying and a real comfort food. Mangodi (dried lentil dumplings) comes in handy when we run out of any veggies. So check the quick step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this traditional veg. delicacy.

          Rajasthani cuisine comprises of both veg. and non-veg. that are spicy and rich. At the same time you will find the vegetarian recipes that are so simple and without any use of onion or garlic. They are flavored with the most basic seasonings. Yet they come out real yummy and lip smacking. 

          Due to the harsh climate the locals depend on mangodi, papad, besan and few veggies that are sun-dried for later use. So do try this amazing mangodi curry and you will not be disappointed that such a simple dish can be so full of flavors. 

• 1/2 cup mangodi / vadi (dried lentil dumplings)
• 1/4 cup green peas (I used frozen ones)
• 2-3 tbsp. ghee / oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tps. cumin powder
• salt to taste
• 2-3 tomatoes, pureed
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. kasuri methi crushed
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat ghee / oil in a pan and fry the mangodi till light golden in colour. Drain and pressure cook them in 1 cup water for 2-3 whistles.

          Temper the same oil with cumin seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. Add the ginger and green chilies. Sauté for a minute.

          Add all the dry spices and mix well. Then add the tomato puree and simmer, covered till the oil floats on the top.

          Add the boiled mangodi and peas. Adjust water accordingly. Cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes on a low flame. 

          When done, add the garam masala powder and kasuri methi. Give it a stir and switch off the flame. 

          Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with plain steamed rice, jeera rice, chapati, paratha, etc. 

                      Heat ghee / oil & fry mangodi till light golden. Drain & pressure cook 
                      in 1 cup water for 2-3 whistles.

                     Temper same oil with cumin seeds & asafoetida. Sauté few seconds. Add
                     ginger & green chilies. Sauté for a minute.

                       Add all the dry spices and mix well. 

                      Add tomato puree & simmer, covered till the oil floats on top.

                      Add boiled mangodi & peas. Adjust water accordingly. Cover & simmer 
                       for 4-5 minutes on a low flame. 

                 
                     When done, add garam masala powder & kasuri methi. Give it a stir
                     and switch off the flame. 

                       Garnish with coriander leaves.

                              Serve with plain steamed rice, jeera rice, chapati, paratha, etc. 

Palak Sepu Vadi (Lentil Dumplings) in Spinach Gravy - Himachali Style

         These are fried lentil dumplings cooked in a spinach based gravy. It is one of the signature dishes from the regions of Himachal Pradesh. It is a delicious curry to be enjoyed with any form of rice or Indian bread. I personally like to relish it with either jeera rice or roomali roti. 

         Sepu vadi is basically urad dal (split black gram lentil) which is soaked, ground and then steamed along with some aromatic dry spices. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this (no onion-no garlic-no ginger) Himachali delicacy.

Gravy - 

• 2-3 bunches of spinach, blanched & pureed
• 1 cup sepu vadi (recipe given below)
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 5-6 cloves
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tbsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 - 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2-3 tbsp. yoghurt
• 1 tsp. ghee / butter

        Mix together all the dry spices (except salt) in 1 cup water and keep aside. Heat oil and temper with cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms, cloves, cumin seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.

         Add the spice mix and continue to simmer on a medium flame till the oil separates and the gravy reduces.

         Now add the spinach puree followed by the yoghurt, 1/2 cup water and salt. Mix well and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes or till you get a desired consistency.

         Add the sepu vadi, cover and cook for a minute more. Switch off the flame and let it remain covered for 5 minutes. 

          Add the ghee and mix well. Serve as a side dish with any form of rice or Indian bread.







Sepu Vadi - 

• 1/2 cup urad dal (split black gram lentil), soaked overnight
• 1" ginger
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. peppercorns
• 2 whole red chilies, broken
• oil to deep fry

          Dry roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns and dry red chilies for a few seconds. Cool and grind into a fine powder.

         Grind the soaked and drained dal along with ginger into a paste. (Do not add any water). To it add 1 tsp. of the powdered spice and salt. Mix well.

         Spread it on a greased steel plate and steam for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Then cut into desired shapes.

         Heat oil in a pan and deep fry them in batches to a light golden colour. Drain on a kitchen towel and keep aside to cool. 

          Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen for a later use.

                                  Blanch & puree spinach.

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

                    Add spice mix & simmer on med. flame till oil separates & gravy reduces.

                                 Now add spinach puree.....

                   followed by yoghurt, 1/2 cup water & salt. Mix well & simmer till you get
                   a desired consistency.

                   Add sepu vadi. Cover & cook for a minute more. Switch off flame & let it 
                   remain covered for 5 minutes. Add ghee & mix well. 

                              Serve as a side dish with any form of rice or Indian bread.

Himachali Sepu Vadi (Urad Dal / Split Geen Gram Lentil Dumplings)

          These are fried lentil dumplings made of soaked and ground urad dal (split black gram lentil). Few aromatic ground spices are added to it to impart more flavour. They are first steamed, cut into desired shapes and then deep fried. They are then stored in air-tight containers in the refrigerator for later use. 

          These Sepu Vadi (lentil dumplings) are cooked in gravy to be relished with any Indian bread or rice. I like having them just as it is or make into delicious chaat for an evening tea-time snack. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this simple local delicacy.

• 1/2 cup urad dal (split black gram lentil), soaked overnight
• 1" ginger
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. peppercorns
• 2 whole red chilies, broken
• oil to deep fry

          Dry roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns and dry red chilies for a few seconds. Cool and grind into a fine powder.

         Grind the soaked and drained dal along with ginger into a paste. (Do not add any water). To it add 1 tsp. of the powdered spice and salt. Mix well.

         Spread it on a greased steel plate and steam for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Then cut into desired shapes.

         Heat oil in a pan and deep fry them in batches to a light golden colour. Drain on a kitchen towel and keep aside to cool. 

          Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen for a later use.

                                Dry roast whole spices & grind.

                                  Grind soaked dal along with ginger into a smooth paste.

                                  Mix dal paste, dry spice powder & salt.

                                   Spread on a greased steel plate. 

                                  Steam for 10 minutes.

                                  When cool, cut into desired shapes.

                          Deep fry them to a light golden colour. Drain on a kitchen towel.

                                 Store in an airtight container for future use.

Bori diye Palong Shaag Torkari (Spinach Stir Fry with Dried Lentil Dumplings - Bengali Style)

          This is an easy traditional Bengali spinach preparation that is most commonly found in all Bengali homes. Any sort of green leafy veggies are generally taken in the beginning of any meal. As spinach contains a lot of nutrients and iron essential for our body, it is best to incorporate in our daily diet. 

          So how about this quick and simply stir fry? I gave a tempering of panch phoron and asafoetida in mustard oil. Some fried bori / dried lentil dumplings are also added to give a slight crunch to the dish and I finished it off with some kasundi for a mustardy flavour. It is best relished with plain steamed rice.

• 2-3 bunches of Spinach, chopped along with the stems
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 8-10 bori / vadi (dried lentil dumplings)
• 1-2 dry red chilies, broken into half
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, fenugreek, mustard, cumin & nigella seeds)
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. kasundi (Bengali mustard paste)

          Wash the spinach very well 2-3 times under running water. Drain and keep aside. Heat oil and saute the vadi till golden brown. Drain and keep aside. 

          Temper the same oil with panch phoron, dry red chilies and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. Add the garlic and fry till it changes colour. 

          Then add the onion and sauté till light brown. Add the chopped spinach, salt, turmeric powder and the fried vadi.

          Mix everything well and cook, covered on a medium flame. Stir at intervals and cook till dry. Add the kasundi and give it a stir. Serve either with plain steamed rice or with chapattis.