Fresh Lobia ( Karamani, Black Eyed Beans ) Curry

          Today's dish, a curry with fresh lobia/karamani/ black eyed beans is another dish that I had made sometime back. Though dried lobia is available easily, fresh karamani is not found every time, so whenever I find fresh beans like this, I always buy and stock some. We can make all the dishes that we make with dried beans with these fresh ones, no need of soaking and of course they taste awesome. I have added some capsicum for some flavor and also a paste of coconut, small onions and fennel seeds to make a thick curry. We had it with rotis, but the curry would go very well with any kind of pilaf too..

Need To Have

• Fresh Lobia/Black Eyed Beans/Karamani - 1 cup
• Bay Leaf - 1 small
• Black Cardamom - 1
• Cloves - 3
• Green Capsicum - 1 medium, chopped
• Toamto - 1 medium, chopped
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Red Chilly Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder - 11/2 teaspoon
• Garam Masala - 1/2 teaspoon
• Chopped Coriander - 2 tablespoons
• Salt to taste

To Grind

• Grated Coconut - 2 tablespoons
• Small Onions, Shallots - 5
• Fennel Seeds - 1 teaspoon

Method

          Wash and keep the fresh lobia beans, grind together all the ingredients given under ' to grind '.

          Heat some oil in a pressure pan, add the bay leaf, cloves and cardamom, when it starts sizzling, add the capsicum and tomatoes and saute for a minute. Add the turmeric, chilly and coriander powders and mix.

          Then add the salt and the fresh beans along with 1 1/2 cups of water, cover and cook for 2 whistles, then reduce the heat to low and cook for another 7 minutes and switch off.

          Once the pressure is released, open the pressure pan, add the ground paste and garam masala, mix and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Finally, garnish with the chopped coriander and serve.

Note
The same curry can be made with dried beans.

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Paruppu Thogayal, Lentil Chutney

          As I had mentioned in my last post, today's dish is the simple and tasty Paruppu Thogayal or Lentil Chutney. When I say Paruppu/Lentils, I mean tuvar dal or arhar dal or split pigeon pea and the thogayal needs just 3 more ingredients along with the dal. An easy and flavorful chutney that makes a perfect combination with the Sundakkai Vathal kuzhambu, serve it with some hot white rice, drizzled with ghee or sesame oil and some sutta appalam ( pappads ) for a simple and delicious lunch..

Need To Have

• Tuvar Dal/Split Pigeon Pea - 1/4 cup
• Dried Red Chillies - 2
• Grated Coconut - 1 tablespoon
• Asafoetida - 1/8 teaspoon
• Salt to taste

Method

          Heat a little oil ( about 1/2 teaspoon ), add the tuvar dal and red chillies and roast them till the dal turns golden. Remove, cool and grind it with the coconut, asafoetida and salt, adding as little water as possible. Remove and serve.

Note
Thogayal should be thick and slightly coarse, not a smooth paste.

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Cholar Dal, Bengali Style Chana Dal ( Lentils )

          Though Bengali cuisine is more famous for non-vegetarian dishes, especially fish, there are still many vegetarian dishes that we can try, and I really liked the few dishes that I had a chance to taste at a restaurant here. Today's dish is one of them, Cholar Dal, it's chana dal cooked in Bengali style, this dal has a slight sweet taste from the raisins and sugar added, it's not very spicy and has a nice flavor from the ghee and coconut pieces and goes really well with luchis..

Need To Have

• Chana Dal/Bengal Gram - 1/2 cup
• Red Chilly Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Coriander Cumin Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Ginger - 1", grated
• Sliced Coconut Pieces - 11/2 tablespoon
• Golden Raisins - 1 tablespoon
• Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon
• Bay Leaf - 1 small
• Clove - 1
• Cardamom - 1
• Dried Red Chilly - 1
• Garam Masala - 1/2 teaspoon

Method

          Pressure cook the chana dal with some turmeric powder till done. Add the chilly powder, coriander-cumin powder, grated ginger, salt, sugar, mix and cook for 5 minutes.

          Meanwhile, heat some ghee, toast the raisins and coconut pieces separatley, remove and keep. Once the dal has cooked for 5 minutes, add the raisins and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

         Heat some more ghee, add the bay leaf, clove, cardamom, once it starts sizzling, add the garam masala , mix and add it to the dal and serve.

Note
The dal can be cooked in a regular pot too, soak it for 30 minutes or more to speedup the cooking.

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Dal Tadka ( Lentils )

          Whenever we ordered naans at restaurants, we usually order some kind of dal and vegetable curry to go with it. When it comes to dal/lentils, my personal favorite is always dal tadka, I simply love the flavor of the tadka/seasoning, cumin and garlic seasoned in ghee gives an amzing flavor to this dish. I have used a combination of masoor dal/ red lentils and moong dal/husked green gram, again, masoor dal has a unique flavor, it's a very simple dish but extremely tasty with both rotis and rice..

Need To Have

• Masoor Dal/Red Lentil - 1/4 cup
• Moong Dal/Green Gram - 1/4 cup
• Onion - 1 small, chopped
• Tomato - 1 small, chopped
• Green Chilly - 1 slit
• Ginger - 1" piece, grated
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Kasuri Methi - 1 tablespoon
• Dried Red Chillies - 2
• Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Garlic - 4 cloves, chopped
• Garam Masala - 1/2 teaspoon
• Chopped Coriander to garnish
• Salt to taste

Original recipe here, I have used moong dal instead of tuvar dal.

Method

           Wash the dals and pressure cook them along with the onion, tomato,green chilly, grated ginger, turmeric powder and enough water. I have used a pressure pan to cook, so after 1 whistle, reduce the heat and cook for 6 to 7 minutes and switch off.

          When all the pressure is released, remove the green chilly, then put it back on the stove, add some salt and mix. Add the kasuri methi, garam masala, about 1 cup of water and simmer for a couple of minutes and remove. Just before serving, heat some ghee and oil, add the cumin seeds, red chillies, chopped garlic, saute till the garlic turns golden, then add it to the dal/cooked lentils, finally garnish with the chopped coriander and serve.

Note
You can cook the dals in a regular pot instead of the pressure cooker, if using regular pot, soak the dals for 30 minutes and then cook, the dal will cook faster.
I would love to do the flavoring with burnt charcoal, didn't have the charcoal, next time I am surely going to try and will surely update it here.

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Payatham Paruppu Sundal, Moong Dal ( Green Gram ) Sundal

          Another Sundal for Navratri, Payatham Paruppu/Paasi Paruppu/Moong Dal/Husked Split Green Gram Sundal. This is very easy to make and tastes very good with the grated coconut added to it. Cooking the moong dal perfectly without making it mushy is the tricky part, other than that, it is so simple to make, very healthy and delicious snack..

Need To Have

• Payatham Paruppu/Moong Dal - 1/4 cup
• Green Chilly - 1, slit
• Dried Red Chilly - 1, broken into 2
• Hing - 1/8 teaspoon
• Mustard Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/8 teaspoon
• Grated Coconut - 1 tablespoon
• Curry Leaves - 5
• Salt to taste

Method

          Wash and soak the moong for about 1 hour, then boil it along with some water and salt, when it's cooked al dente ( should hold its shape but soft when pressed between your fingers and it takes just about 5 minutes ), remove and drain excess water and keep.

          Heat some oil, add the mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the green and red chillies, asafoetida, turmeric powder and curry leaves.

          Mix for a few seconds, then add the cooked moong dal and mix for a minute. Finally add the grated coconut, mix and remove.

Note
Since I did a very small quantity, while cooking the dal/paruppu, I just increased the heat and let the water to evaporate, instead of draining the water. But when doing a large quantity, this might not work, the dal might become mushy, so once the dal is cooked, it's better to drain the water.
While cooking the dal, when it starts to boil reduce the heat, otherwise it might boil over the pot.

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Kadala Curry, Brown Chickpeas Curry

          Kadala Curry is a very popular dish in Kerala ( a state in India ), it's mostly served with puttu ( a steamed dish made with rice flour ). We use brown chickpeas ( it's more nutritious than the white variety ) for this curry, and it's cooked in a coconut based gravy. The flavor is very distinct and it tastes equally good even with idlis and dosas..

Need To Have

• Brown Channa/ Kondakadalai/ Chickpeas - 1 cup
• Onions - 2, chopped
• Tomatoes - 2, chopped
• Ginger - 1" piece
• Garlic - 4 cloves
• Curry Leaves - 10
• Chopped Coriander - 2 tablespoons
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Dried Red Chilly - 1
• Grated Coconut - 1 tablespoon

To Grind

• Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Coriander Seeds - 11/2 tablespoons
• Red Chilly Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Garam Masala - 1/2 teaspoon

Method

          Roast the coriander seeds given under ' to grind ', till it changes color, then add the grated coconut and toast for another minute, till it becomes dry, then add the chilly powder and garam masala, mix and remove. Cool and grind this into a smooth paste. Also make a paste with the ginger and garlic and keep.

         Soak the chickpeas overnight and pressure cook it, it should be soft when you press it between the fingers. Heat some oil, add the mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the red chilly and grated coconut and saute for a minute.

         Now add the ginger-garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes away. Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes, add the chopped tomatoes and saute till it turns mushy.

         Add the cooked chickpeas, ground paste and about a cup of water, mix everything and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the curry leaves and chopped coriander and remove.

Note
Brown chana/ chickpeas, when cooked will always hold it's shape, and it takes longer time to cook than the white one, soaking it overnight or for 10 to 12 hours is essential.
We can use coconut oil for cooking, it gives a nice flavor.
Garam Masala is a blend of Indian spices, available in Indian groceries.

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Radish Dal, Radish And Lentils

          Radish, though I buy this vegetable, almost every week, I have posted only a few dishes with it, the reason being, I use it only in a couple of dishes, most of the time, in a sambar, stir fry or parathas. For a change, I wanted to try out a dal with this vegetable. I have used split moong dal ( green gram ) with skin, it's a very simple dish, using basic ingredients in the Indian kitchen, goes very well with rotis and rice and a nice way to sneak in the vegetable, the kids would never be able to pick it out..

Need To Have

• Split Moong Dal With Skin - 1/3 cup
• Grated Radish - 1 cup, packed
• Green Chilly - 1 chopped
• Grated Ginger - 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Amchur Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Garam Masala - 1/2 teaspoon
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt to taste

Method

          Pressure cook the split moong dal ( green gram ) and keep. Heat some oil, add the cumin seeds, when it starts sizzling, add the green chilly, grated ginger, turmeric powder and asafoetida and mix for half a minute, then add the grated radish.

          Saute it well on medium heat, till the moisture from the radish is all absorbed, then add the coriander powder and garam masala and mix it for a few seconds. Then add the cooked dal/ lentils, about 11/2 to 2 cups of water and the amchur powder. Let the dal simmer for 5 to 7 minutes and remove.

Note
I haven't used tomatoes in the dal, you can use it and leave out the amchur powder ( dry mango powder, available in Indian groceries ).
Can make the dal slightly thin and have it as a soup too.
Can use ghee instead of oil for a nice flavor and if you want the dal more spicy, can add some chilly powder along with the turmeric powder.

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Vendiya Keerai Kootu, Methi ( Fenugreek Leaves ) With Tuvar Dal

          Vendiya Keerai, Methi or Fenugreek Leaves, whenever I see a nice fresh bunch, I always buy it. Even if I don't use it the same day, I clean, chop and freeze it and add it later to sambar or curries. Only recently I have started making this kootu and now this has become my favorite dish with these leaves. It's a very simple and healthy dish, tastes great when mixed with rice or even with some rotis..

Need To Have

• Cleaned And Chopped Fenugreek Leaves - 2 cups
• Tuvar Dal, Split Pigeon Peas - 1/3 cup
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Jaggery - 1 teaspoon
• Urad Dal/ Husked Black Gram - 1 teaspoon
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt to taste

To Grind

• Dried Red Chillies - 4
• Cumin Seeds, Jeera - 1 teaspoon
• Grated Coconut - 11/2 tablespoon

Method

          Grind together all the ingredients given under ' to grind ' without adding any water. Pressure cook the tuvar dal with the turmeric, mash and keep. Cook the chopped greens with a little water and salt.

          Once the keerai is cooked, add the cooked dal and the ground mixture. Mix it and cook for a minute.

          Then add the jaggery and some water and cook for another minute or two and switch off. Heat some oil, add the urad dal and mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the asafoetida and  mix till till the urad dal turns golden and add it to the cooked dal and greens.

Note
If you like, you can add a small marble size tamarind along with ingredients given under ' to grind ' and make a paste and add to the cooked greens, or otherwise, 1 chopped tomato, cooked along with the dal.
Also for more flavor, you can use ghee instead of oil for seasoning.

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Appalam Kootu, Dal With Pappads

          Appala Kootu, a dal/ lentil dish where at the end, you add fried pappads to the curry, I tasted this so many years back, I liked the taste but those were the days when I had no idea about cooking. Later I had noted it down from some magazine, I don't remember it, and then once again, totally forgot about it. Recently while sorting out things, I saw this piece of paper with the recipe, and this time I made it the very next day. It's a very simple dish, no chopping vegetables or grinding masalas involved, but the taste is awesome. It tastes very good when mixed with plain rice, also goes equally well with rotis and dosas too..

Need To Have

• Chana Dal/ Bengal Gram - 1/2 cup
• Fried Appalams/ Pappads - 5, broken into peices
• Onion - 1 medium, chopped
• Tomatoes - 2 medium, chopped
• Garlic - 4 cloves, chopped
• Grated Ginger - 1 teaspoon
• Red Chilly Powder - 3/4 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder - 2 teaspoons
• Grated Coconut - 1 tablespoons
• Urad Dal/ Husked Black Gram - 1 teaspoon
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Fennel Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Curry Leaves - 10
• Chopped Coriander - 2 tablespoons

Method

          Pressure cook the chana dal with 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder and keep. Break the fried appalams/ pappads into big pieces and keep.

          Heat some oil, add the urad dal and mustard seeds and fennel seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the chopped onions, garlic and ginger and saute for 2 minutes. Then add the tomatoes and curry leaves and mix for another 2 minutes.

          Now add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, chilly powder and coriander powder and salt and mix it for a minute. Then add the cooked dal and about 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil and then simmer it for about 7 to 8 minutes.

          Finally add the grated coconut, broken pappad pieces and mix, then garnish with chopped coriander and remove.

Note
The appalams that I have used are the store bought ones and are made of urad dal flour and rice flour.
If you want to add some vegetables to this kootu, you can add some chopped cabbage but don't overdo it.

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Dali Varan, Lentil Gravy

          Couple of months back I bought this cook book Rasachandrika, a very old book on Saraswat cooking, originally written in Marathi and later translated in Hindi and then in English. The first edition of the book came out in 1943 and I love the picture on the front cover, showing an Indian kitchen in the 1940's. There are many interesting recipes, and I tried this Dali Varan, a simple gravy with tuvar dal/ split pigeon peas. It's like our sambar, but tastes a little different and goes very well with plain white rice or even with idlis and dosas..

Need To Have

• Tuvar Dal/ Split Pigeon Peas - 1/3 cup
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Curry Leaves - 10

To Grind

• Grated Coconut - 1 tablespoon
• Dried Red Chillies - 4
• Black Peppercorns - 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Tamarind - small marble size

Method

          Pressure cook the tuvar dal with the turmeric powder. Grind together all the ingredients given under ' to grind ' using some water.

          Mix the ground paste with the cooked dal and some water (sambar or thin gravy consistency) and bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes and switch off. Heat some oil in a small pan, add the mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the curry leaves, remove and add it to the cooked dal.
Serve it warm with some rice and any vegetable curry for a complete meal.

Note
The original recipe uses more coconut, but I have reduced it.

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Kurumilagu (Fresh Green Peppercorns) Dal

          Kurumilagu or Fresh Green Peppercorns, this is not available everywhere, but when I get them I do this dal with it. When we went to Coorg, I came to know that pepper, cardamom and vanilla beans are grown along with the coffee plants. When we were shown around the coffee estate, I saw these pepper plants and the green peppercorns in them. The guide plucked me some and I brought them with me to Bangalore. This is a very simple dal, I have used tuvar dal/ split pigeon peas and flavored the dal with some garlic and the green peppercorns and it goes well with both rice as well as rotis..

Need To Have

• Tuvar Dal/ Split Pigeon Peas - 1/4 cup
• Fresh Green Peppercorns - 2 tablespoons
• Tomato - 1 big, chopped
• Garlic - 5 cloves
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Mustard Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
• Curry Leaves - 5 to 10
• Salt to taste

Method

          Remove the peppercorns and wash them well.

          Pressure cook the tuvar dal along with the tomatoes, garlic and turmeric powder. In the same container, place the peppercorns in a small bowl and pressure cook it too. Mash the cooked peppercorns and the cooked dal mixture.

          Heat some oil, add the mustard and cumin seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the curry leaves, mix and remove. Add it along with some salt and the mashed pepper to the dal and mix well.

Note
I have cooked the pepper separately and not with the dal/ lentils, otherwise it's difficult to mash the pepper.
We can replace the tomatoes with tamarind, but I like this better.

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