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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For all those people who are not familiar with this dish, i will give a small introduction. This is a typical kerala tea time snack. Its usually available in the local tea shops. Its very simple & easy to make & this is one of my favourite tea time snack, nalumanipalaharam :)

1. Cherupayar(Moong Dal) – 1/2 kg
2. Jaggery – 1/4 kg
   Coconut – 2 cups
3. Plain Flour – 1 1/2 cup
   Gram Flour – 1 1/2 cup
4. Cardamom – 5 crushed
5. Water

Cook cherupayar in 3 cups water & drain the water completely. Make sure that it is not overcooked. Melt Jaggery by adding 1/4 cup water. When it melts add coconut & cardamom. Mix well. Add the cooked cherupayar to this mix & combine. Make sure that the mix is dry. When it is cooled make small balls with the mix. Combine plain flour & besan flour. Add little water to this & make a thick batter. Dip each of the balls in the batter & deep fry.

Source: Vanitha Magazine

Why not leave a comment? Quick, head on over to MariasMenu.com for more tasty, delicious and simple recipes! Remember to check out the Recipe Index to find some easy-to-cook dishes. Don’t forget to tell your friends and family about MariasMenu!