Lahori Chana Dal

One of my friend's who has her origins from Lahore (Pakistan) gave me this recipe. There is something very nice about the tangy taste you get in this kind of preparation. The chana dal doesn't get gooey, retains its texture and taste. When you are looking for a dal dish, that is not rich (dal makhni, ma-ki-dal etc.) and yet tastes different, go for this variation. I won't promise a whole new taste that you would have never imagined, but give it a try, its refreshing . Awesome with Paratha (flaky Indian bread) on one of those days when you want to eat simple but delicious comfort food. 

You need:

(Serves 2)

Chana Dal/ Bengal Gram – ½ Cup (soaked in water for 30 min)

Coriander powder – ¾ tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/3 tsp

Red chili powder – ½ tsp

Yellow onion – ½ medium size (I have never made with red ones since I was told to make with yellow)

Garlic – 2-3 cloves

Ginger – ½ inch

Tomato – 1 (medium to large)

Cumin seeds – ½ tsp 

Green chilies – 2-3

Salt 

Fresh coriander leaves/ Cilantro – Handful

Lemon juice – ½ Tbsp (adjust to your taste)

1. In a pressure cooker add chana dal, 1 cup of water and ½ tsp salt. On high flame, cook till 3 whistles. Let the pressure ease on its own. You want dal that is cooked but not too soft and gooey. (this works for my pressure cooker, you may want to check for yours) 
2. In a blender make fine paste of onion, ginger, garlic, tomato and 1 green chili. Add ¼ cup of water if required.
3. In a heavy bottom pan, without adding any oil cook this paste. 
4. Once the water content reduces to half add turmeric, coriander powder, red chili powder and salt to taste. Cook till all the water evaporates and the masala starts sticking to the base slightly. 
5. Now add oil and cook well. The oil should start separating from the masala. Usually takes 3-4 min on medium high heat.
6. Tip in chana dal and cumin seeds. Let it cook for 2-3 min. 
7. Now add the remaining 2 green chilies and lemon juice. Cook for a min or two.
8. In a separate pan, in minimum oil fry ginger juliennes. Add to the dal. Remove from heat.
9. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with hot parathas.

Palak Dal/ Lentil with Spinach

Tastes awesome with hot steamed rice or chapati with a dollop of butter on it.

You need:

Moong dal – ½ cup

Spinach – 4 cups ( may look a lot but shrinks quite a bit when cooked)

Green chilies – 2-3 nos

Ginger – 1.5 inch (1 inch fine chopped, ½ inch – juliennes)

Garlic – 2 tsps

Mustard – ½ tsp

Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric – 1 tsp

1. Cook moong dal in sufficient water and turmeric.
2. In a pan, heat oil. Add mustard and cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add green chilies and fry. 
3. Remove only the chilies and keep aside. Add ginger, garlic and fry for a minute on low flame. 
4. Add coriander powder and sautee. Add spinach and cook for a minute.
5. Add cooked moong dal and salt to taste. Cover and cook for another 5 min. 
6. Temper with mustard seeds and ginger juliennes. Add the fried green chili on top. 

Dal Pancharatna/ Five lentil stew

This is a delightful recipe with 5 types of  lentils cooked together. Though there is no cream used in this preparation, dal turns out thick, rich and creamy in texture. Perfect thing to serve when you are inviting guests over.

You need:

1 Tbps each of Chana, Toor , Moong dal
1/2 Tbsp each of Masoor and Urad dal

Turmeric powder  – ½ tsp

Chili powder – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Tomatoes – 1 no. (fine chopped)

Onions – 1 no. (fine chopped)

Fresh grated coconut - 2 Tbsp 

Ginger - 1" piece 

Garlic - 2-3 cloves ()

Green chilies – 2-3 no. 

Ghee – 1 Tbsp 

Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp

Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp

Curry leaves - 5-6 nos. 

Salt

1. Grind together coconut, ginger, garlic, green chillies into a smooth paste. Keep aside. 
2. Soak all dals in water for an hour. Cook them together in a pressure cooker with enough water and turmeric powder.
3. In a pan heat ghee, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and curry leaves.  
4. Once they begin to splutter, add fine chopped onions.
5. Once onions become translucent, add red chili, coriander powder and toast them a little. 
6. Add tomatoes and cook for 1 min.
7. Add the dal, ground mixture, salt and cook till raw smell of ginger, garlic is gone. Switch off the heat now. 
8. In very little oil/ghee, toast jeera and garam masala and add on top of the dal. Add green coriander and serve.

*Glossary

• Chana dal = Split bengal gram 
• Toor dal = Arhar , Pigeon Pea 
• Moong dal = Split green gram
• Masoor dal = Split red lentil 
• Urad dal = Split black lentil

Dalma memory lane

I have loved and craved for Dalma since , let me remember... yes.. probably since I was old enough to metabolize semi-solid food. Oriyas probably have this before they start having milk powder!

Lets see the starting line-up: The usual suspect "panch phutan" (This is what makes Oriya cuisine 5-star!) this time comes flavored with roasted jeera (cumin) and the oh-so-wonderful smell of ghee (clarified butter). It's the way I like my food - full of flavor, aroma to die for, yet balanced with nutrition and light on the stomach. (There are, of course, those times of sheer abandon when nothing can beat a deep fried pakoda - but hey, kids may be watching this blog!)

The trio of ghee, roasted cumin and panch phutan gets an added dimension with fresh ginger used in the tempering (tadka in hindi) process. All this flavors a prdemoniantly tuberous/fibrous mixture of vegetables (potato, sweet potato, raw banana, raw papaya, pumpkin, eggplant and tomato) and daal (toor / arhar). Not all types of vegetables go well here - the mantra is to stay close to the tuberous and fibrous formula. I have seen variations that include radish, exclude tomato, include slices onions! - So go on - try your own improvisation.

Just a warning - Common veggies that just dont go with dalma are okra, beans, cabbage and cauliflower. I have never tried carrots either.

You need:
1 cup toor/arhar daal

Bite-size chunks of:
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup raw papaya
1 mid-sized potato
1 cup eggplat
1 large tomato
..and
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 bay leaf
Few peppercorns

For tempering
1 tsp ghee
1 tbsp ginger
pinch of asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Couple of dried red chilis
1 tsp panch phutan

For garnish
1 tsp roasted and ground cumin

and Salt to taste!

Start by soaking the daal for 40-45 mins. I usually soak it well, since I like my dalma gooey! In the meantime, chop all your veggies, ginger and roast the cumin and grind it (if you have a spice grinder, this can be real quick! I usually roast my cumin once in a while and store them away in the spice box).

Put the lentils, veggies, ginger with bay leaf in the pressure cooker, add 2 cups of water and cook on medium heat for around 15-20 mins (or 2-3 whistles)

For tempering, heat the ghee in a pan and add the asafoetida, panch phutan, red chilis, ginger. Once they start crackling, add them into your pressure cooker to the veggie mix

Garnish with roasted ground cumin.

Eat with steamed rice, or plain rotis! I like to squeeze lime and add ghee into my rice when I have dalma. If you do the same, that makes two of us!! Remember - the only thing better than getting to eat dalma, is to be able to make it yourself, so you can have the flavors of your childhood - in your home, anywhere you are!

Go on, get nostalgic!

Mango Dal

As a child i was never a big dal fan and my mom says that feeding me dal was a big challenge. However over a period of time, I have starting loving this protein rich healthy dish :) The tangy taste of this preparation goes really well with the sweetness of steamed rice.

You need:

Toor dal - 1 Cup

Raw mango - 1 No. or as per your taste(peeled & cut length wise-1 inch thick)

Green Chili - 1-2

Fresh coconut- 4-5 Tbsp

Red chili powder - As per your taste

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

A sprig of curry leaves

Whole dry red chilies - 2-3

Ginger - 1 inch piece cut into juliennes

Salt as per taste

Sugar - 1 tsp

Oil

1) Cook toor dal with a pinch of turmeric & pressure cook until soft, yet retaining their shape.

2) In a blender, coarsely grind coconut and green chili.

3) Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan, crackle 1/2 tsp mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, red chillies, coconut + green chili mix and fry for a min. Now add the mango slices & cook until soft (but make sure the mango slices retain their shape).

3) To this, add cooked dal, add enough water to get the right consistency. Adjust salt & sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil.

4) Heat 1 tsp of oil, crackle the remaining 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, add a few curry leaves, ginger juliennes. Switch off the heat, add red chili powder and immediately add it to the dal. Garnish with cilantro/ hara dhaniya.