These days whenever I pick up a magazine or newspaper, I notice that they reserve a sizable amount of pages/space for healthy eating. Wherever you look, you see articles about healthy eating, ads marketing healthy food stuff, people advocating healthy life style. Me being an extremist tends to take one of the following courses as an after effect. Either I decide to be healthy and make sure that I eat well, I exercise well and all those stuff OR I decide to let it pass by saying what’s the whole point if you cant enjoy a piece of cake or some beef fry or give into a sudden craving of having Chinese in the middle of the night ;)

This post is the result of me opting for the first part… deciding to be healthy. This recipe sure comes handy when you want to get a taste of healthy living. Another thing I love about this recipe is that, you dont have to buy any fancy ingredients, its pretty much basic stuff.

But let me warn you, dont be surprised if you see a  fully calorie loaded recipe as the next post. I definitely love preaching than practicing ;)

Here it goes:

1. Red lentils (Masoor dal) – 1 cup
   Water – 2 1/2 cups
2. Green chilly – 2-3
   Garlic & ginger paste – 1 tsp, each
   Onion – 1 big, finely chopped
3. Cumin(jeera) powder – 2 tsp
   Coriander powder – 2 tsp
   Garam masala – 1/2 tsp (optional)
4. Gram (besan) flour – 4 tbsp
5. Egg – 1, beaten
6. Salt
   Oil
   Coriander leaves

Add water to the washed lentils and cook till its done. Drain well.

Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions. Saute till it becomes soft and changed color slightly. Add the green chilly & ginger garlic paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the spice powders & mix well. Cook for a minute. Add cooked dals & stir. Add gram flour and combine well. Remove from fire. Let it cool. Add the beaten egg & stir the mixture thoroughly to bind. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

With wet hands shape the lentil mixture into sausages or patties. Heat oil in pan & cook the koftas. You need only a little oil. Flip the koftas and make sure that all sides are browned evenly. Serve hot with hummus/tabbouleh or tomato ketchup.

Notes: You can make it in patties and it can be made into a veggie burger. The koftas tend to become dry very soon, so its ideal to make it just before serving. However you can make the mix and refrigerate for  2 days.  You can make it non veg by adding some cooked & shredded or minced chicken along with the dal & continue the same procedure.

Please check out the photo of Veg Kofta made by Anju Rameshan, based on the above recipe. Thanks a lot Anju :)

Recipe adapted from BBC Goodfood Magazine

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I’ve got requests from some of you for a sambar recipe. All that time, I never thought I would be able to post its recipe here.

During my initial days of cooking whenever I made sambar, it was close to disaster. Finally, I resorted to some ready made mix of sambar for sometime and then got bored of it lately. Running out of options, I decided to try it again and this time I did make it successfully. Again I’m not sure this is the “method” for making sambar. However this is my method and it works well for me :) We both, Jose & myself like thick sambar, so I’ve adjusted the recipe accordingly.

Btw, I’ve taken this picture in my mobile camera. My camera’s battery was over and I discovered it only after dressing up the sambar for photo session. Since I didn’t want to disappoint the sambar after all the make up and attention she got, I decided to try it with my mobile cam :). Hence the clarity is not that great.

Hope you will like my version of sambar :)

Here is the recipe:

1. Toor dal – 3/4 – 1 cup
   Water – 2.5-3 cups
   Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
2. Carrot – 1, cubed
   Potato – 1 small-medium, cubed & half cooked
   Drumstick – 2, cut lengthwise
   Tomato – 2, sliced
   Ladies finger(vendakka) – a handful
3. Tamarind – size of a lime (adjust the qty as per your taste)
4. Sambar powder – 1.5 – 2 tbsp
5. Asafoetida (kayam) – 1/2 tsp
6. Small onion – 5, sliced finely
   Red chilly – 2
   Mustard – 1/4 tsp
   Curry leaves
7. Salt
8. Oil

Pressure cook the dal with water & turmeric powder on high flame for 4 whistles. Keep it closed for 30 minutes or till the steam goes.  Mash the cooked dal well using a wooden spoon. Add 3.5-4 cups of water to the mashed dal and blend it well. Add salt and all the veggies except the potato to this. When the veggies are half cooked add potato and the tamarind pulp. Cook till all the veggies are cooked.

Meanwhile heat oil in another pan and add the sambar powder and kayam. Fry it for a minute, make sure that it doesn’t get burnt. Add some water to the powder and make a thick paste. Add this to the veggies and let it boil. Heat some more oil in the same pan and crackle the mustard seeds. Add sliced, small onions, red chillies and curry leaves. Fry it till the onion becomes golden brown. Add this to the sambar and mix well. Remove from fire.

Note: You can adjust the qty of water to suit your requirements. I’ve used Brahmins brand sambar powder. Also you can use the veggies of your choice.

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Eid Mubarak!! Hope you had a great time with your family and friends.

Its been sometime right? I was a bit busy with some stuff and now am off to India for a month’s holiday. Thought I will keep you posted about it.

I am very happy to share with you that Nivedita of Nivedita’s Kitchen passed  me the Honest scrap award.  Also Priya of House of Spices passed me a bunch of awards. Thanks a ton to both of you for sharing the awards with me :)

Here is the dal makhani recipe which I promised long time back, hope you’ll enjoy this. I’ve some recipes in drafts, will try to post it if I get time :).  I will not be checking my mails frequently, but will try my best to reply at the earliest.

Please see thepicture of dal makhani, made by Josphine, based on the above recipe. Thanks a lot dear :)

1. Whole black beans (urad saboot) – 1 cup
   Split gram dal (channe ki dal) – 2 tbsp
   Red kidney beans (rajmah) – 2 tbsp
2. Ghee/oil – 1 tbsp
3. Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
4. Whole red chilly – 2
5. Ginger – 1″ piece
   Garlic- 4 flakes (optional)
6. Tomatoes – 4, pureed in a grinder
7. Kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves) – 1 tbsp
8. Ghee/oil – 3 tbsp
9. Coriander powder – 2 tsp
   Garam masala – 1/2 tsp
10. Butter – 2 tbsp
11. Fresh cream – 1/4 cup
    Milk – 1/4 cup

Clean, wash dals. Soak both dals and rajmah together for 6 hours or overnight. Grind ginger & garlic together to a paste. Discard water from the dals and add 6 cups of fresh water. Pressure cook the dals and rajmah with 1 tbsp ghee, salt, half of the ginger garlic paste and whole red chillies. After the first whistle keep on low flame for 40 minutes. Remove from fire. After the pressure drops, mash the hot dal a little. Keep aside.

Heat ghee. Add tomato puree. Cook until thick and dry. Add the remaining ginger garlic paste, garam masala and coriander powder. Cook until ghee separates. Add kasoori methi. Cook further for 1-2 minutes. Add this tomato mixture to the boiled dal.

Add butter, simmer on low flame for 20-25 mins, stirring & mashing the dal occasionally. Combine cream & milk & beat it well. Add beaten cream mixed with milk. Mix very well. Simmer for 15-20 mins more to get the right color & smoothness. Remove from fire serve hot.

Notes: The above qty serves 6-8 people. I didn’t use channe ki dal. I used whipping cream instead of fresh cream. This can be stored for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Recipe source: Punjabi Khanna by Nita Mehta

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Kanji & payar is a welcome change from our usual chappathi for dinner. Hot kanji sprinkled with salt & grated coconut, along with a little bit overcooked payar ( I like my payar to be a bit pasty with kanji) is a taste that I find hard to trade for any fancy dish.

Kanji & vanpayar (rose moong dal or red cow peas) is a new combo to me. Back home we usually have kanji with cherupayar (green moong dal). But last time when we went to India, my mother in law made vanpayar with kanji. Thats the first time I had that combo, I usually have  vanpayar with rice and kachimoru . Anyways I fell in love with mummy’s new combo and there are two main reasons for that: vanpayar is supposedly easier on tummy compared to cherupayar and this preparation doesnt have coconut, so its healthy without any compromise on the taste, isnt that great?? The secret of its taste is in the ground masala, I just love it when I fry this masala in coconut oil, try it and you will know what am talking about :)

One more thing before going to the recipe…though I’ve written “olathiyathu” in title, am not sure whether it is olathiyathu. Since coconut is not added, it’s not a thoran and I haven’t heard anybody saying vanpayar mezhukkuperatti, so I just wrote olathiyathu. Please do share your thoughts on the same…

Here is mummy’s recipe for vanpayar:

1. Vanpayar (red dal) – 1 cup
2. Small onion – 5-7
   Garlic – 2-3
   Black pepper – 1/4 – 1/2 tsp
   Red chili – 2-3
   Curry leaves
3. Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
4. Salt
   Mustard – 1/4 tsp
5. Coconut oil

Wash and clean the vanpayar. Pressure cook vanpayar in 2 – 2 1/2 cups water ( I cook it in high flame for 4-5 whistles and keep it closed for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, open the cooker and drain the water completely). Grind together number 2 ingredients (It will be great, if you can crush it using mortar & pestle). Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard. Add ground masala, turmeric powder and curry leaves & fry it for 1-2 minutes. Add cooked payar & salt. Mix everything well. Add around 1/4 cup (or less) of  water & combine. Cook till the water is dried. Serve hot with kanji or rice.

Notes: As you can see in the picture, I like payar to be mashed and soft. If you dont want it to be pasty, adjust the cooking time accordingly and also adjust the quantity of water that you add to the cooked payar.

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I should stick to my new year resolution at least for a week right ;) ? This parippu (dal) curry is a typical Kerala dish. It’s one of the main dishes of Onasadhya as well. We call it “parippu chaaru” at home. If there is parippu chaaru, ghee and pappad, it’s almost like a mini sadya for me. I just love the smell of ghee drizzled over parippu, it increases my appetite beyond limits. Usually I don’t eat much rice, but with this I wouldn’t even mind a 2nd or 3rd helping :) Actually back home if parippu chaaru is made for lunch, extra rice will be made, since everybody tends to have more servings of rice with this. (see am not the only guilty person here ;) )

I’m happy to send this dish for FIC- Yellow, hosted by Sunshinemom. Food in colours is a unique event started by Sunshinemom of TongueTicklers. This event celebrates food with a different colour each month. This month’s colour is Yellow and here goes my yellow beauty :)

1. Cheruparippu (moong dal) – 100 gm (approximately 1 cup)
2. Grated coconut – half of one coconut
   Jeera – 1/2 tsp
   Green chilli – 2-3
   Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
3. Ghee/coconut oil – 2-3 tsp
4. Water – 1/2 ltr
5. Small onion – 3-4
   Mustard seeds – a pinch
   Red chilli – 2
   Curry leaves
6. Salt

Grind together number 2 ingredients. Roast the moong dal in a heavy bottomed pan (without oil). Boil half a litre water and add the roasted dal to this. Cook till the dal is done. Mash it well or you can just run it in a food processor or blender for a few seconds. Add ground paste, salt and 1/2 – 1 cup water to the mashed dal and let it boil. Remove from heat.

Heat oil/ghee in another pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add small onion, curry leaves and red chilli. Fry till small onion becomes golden brown. Pour over cooked dal. Serve with rice and pappad, wait… don’t start eating… drizzle some ghee on the curry, now you are ready to eat :)

Notes: I recommend using ghee for this recipe.

Source: Vanitha

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A veg post after a long time. Its a very basic recipe with no frills.

I should say dal (lentils) is kind of new on our menu. Both of us didn’t prefer dal, may be because we had too much of it during our hostel days.

It all changed because of my dear friend Preeta, who was also my neighbor till a few months back (she relocated to India recently). We used to have tea time chatting sessions regularly and one of our major topics of discussion was food. Since she is from North of India & me from south, we used to discuss the different food habits, preparations etc;  Once during our usual chatting session, she said she made dal makhni that day & I told her I’ve never had that. She was so surprised (or shall i say shocked?) to hear that. She immediately packed some dal makhni for me. My whole perception about dal was changed with a spoonful of Preeta’s dal makhni :) and I was hoping that it will be the same for hubby also…though he was a bit hesitant in the beginning to try it, I somehow succeeded in convincing him and he also fell in love with it.

That gave me the inspiration to try out different dal recipes, I started with her dal makhni itself (recipe coming soon). I was so happy that we both like dal now, because I can now experiment with one more ingredient which can be prepared in many ways & moreover its healthy too.

So after ice breaking session  with Preeta’s dal makhni, I made an effort to know it more and have started noticing dal recipes and that’s how I got this one. This was shown on a TV cookery show. I liked it because of its simplicity.

Preeta dear, thanks once again for your wonderful dal makhni and for helping us to change our attitude towards dal :) and I miss our chatting sessions a lot :( . Wishing you the best…

Please check out the dal palak made by Josphine, based on the above recipe. Thank you so much Josphine :)

Here is the recipe:

1. Moong Dal – 1 cup
2. Spinach leaves/Palak – 1 cup, chopped
3. Onion – 2, chopped
   Garlic – 4,5 pieces crushed
   Green chili -4,5
4. Tomato – 2,chopped
5. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
6. Jeera – 1/2 tsp
7. Garam masala – 1/2 – 1 tsp
8. Coconut milk – 3/4 cup, medium thick (optional)

Roast moong dal in a saucepan without oil for 5-7 minutes. When the colour is slightly changed add 2 cups of water and cook till its done. Let it cool for sometime. Mash the dal using a blender/food processor (you can also mash it using the back of a wooden spoon, since I like the dal to be mashed well I used food processor). Heat oil in a pan & splutter jeera. Add crushed garlic & saute for a few minutes. Add chopped onion and green chili . Saute till the onion becomes soft. Add turmeric powder, chopped tomatoes & salt. When tomato becomes soft add mashed dal and 3/4 – 1 cup of water. Mix well & add palak. Cook till the palak leaves are done. At this stage you can add either 3/4 cup of coconut milk or water. Sprinkle the garam masala and cook for 5 more minutes. Adjust the gravy as per your requirements.

Notes: Though the original recipe uses coconut milk, I didnt add it. Anyways for a creamier and richer version you can add coconut milk.

Source: Lakshmi Nair

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