HEEREKAYI TOVVE

 HEEREKAYI  TOVVE

Ridge Gourd  and Moong Dal are the main ingredients for today's recipe- Heerekayi Tovve -which is from my Home State of Karnataka. This dish is called Heerekayi Tovve since Ridge Gourd is called Heerekayi in Kannada and Tovve is the Kannada word for Dal. Ridge Gourd is called Turai in Hindi and Ghosale in my mother tongue, Konkani. We use ridge gourd at home from time to time as it has various properties that make it good for health. 

Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for other dishes made with ridge gourd such as:-

• Ridge Gourd Dosa
• Ghosale Alle Piyava Ghashi 
• Ridge Gourd Peel Chutney 
• Ridge Gourd Pepper Kootu

This easy to make dish tastes delicious and goes well with chapatis. I have adapted this from Ridge Gourd with Moong Dal by Bhasanur Cooking. 

We loved the dish and I would heartily recommend this for you. 

Ingredients:-

• Heerekayi ( Ridge Gourd), peeled and chopped, 1- about 300-350 gms
• Moong Dal, 1/2 cup
• Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Oil, 1 tsp 
• Salt, to taste

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a sprig 
• Garlic Cloves, 3
• Green Chillies, 2
• Onion, 1 (small sized) 
• Tomato, 1
• Coriander Leaves,  finely chopped, for garnish
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tbsp 

Method:-

Wash the ridge gourd and peel off the skin using a peeler. Chop the ridge gourd and keep aside. 

Chop the garlic, green chillies, onion, and tomato

Wash the moong dal and place it in a pressure cooker along with the chopped ridge gourd, adding 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder, a little salt and 1 tsp of oil . Add two cups of water and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles 

Once the cooker cools, remove the cooked ridge gourd-moong dal mixture and mash it lightly with a ladle

Keep aside

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in  kadhai, on medium heat add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add cumin seeds and when they sizzle add the curry leaves and saute for a few seconds

To this add, the chopped garlic and chopped green chillies and mix well

Add the chopped onion and saute till the onions become translucent

Add the finely chopped tomato and cook till it becomes soft and mushy

Now add the cooked dal and ridge gourd mixture, 1/2 cup of water and mix well

Check for salt and add if required

Add more water if required to get the desired consistency

Bring to a boil and lower the heat. Allow the dish to simmer for 2-3 minutes

Switch off the gas. Transfer to serving bowl

Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves

Serve the Heerekayi Tovve with hot chapatis  and / or rice. 

CARROT AND MOONG DAL STIR FRY

 CARROT AND MOONG DAL STIR FRY

We use carrots fairly often at my house as they are widely used in Indian cuisine. Here's a question for you! Do you know a lot about carrots?  If you think you do, you may like to check out "10 Things You Didn't Know About Carrots!" which I found quite interesting!!  

We often speak of how carrots are good for us. This article in WebMD details the many health benefits we get from them.   

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find other recipes for dishes made with carrots, such as:-

• Carrot Soup
• Gajar ka Halwa
• Sweet Corn Carrot Kosambari
• Carrot Beans Thoran

Today's recipe is for an easy to make yet delicious side dish made with Carrots and Moong Dal. I have adapted this from Carrot Poriyal by Tickling Palates. 

We enjoyed this for lunch with hot steamed rice and rasam. 

Ingredients:-

• Carrots, 250 gms 
• Moong Dal, 1/4 cup
• Onion, 1
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Asafoetida, 1/8 tsp 
• Urad Dal, 2 tsp
• Dry Red Chillies, 3, broken into halves
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 2-3 tbsp
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tbsp

Method:-

Wash the carrots, snip off the two ends and peel and dice them

Peel and finely chop the onion

Wash and soak the moong dal in a vessel with adequate water for 1/2 hour and drain the water

In a pressure cooker, cook the soaked moong dal without adding any water for 1 whistle

Once the cooker cools remove the cooked moong dal and keep aside

Heat oil in a thick-bottomed kadhai and on medium heat add the mustard seeds

When they splutter add the asafoetida and urad dal and sauté till the dal changes colour

Next add the broken dry red chillies and the curry leaves and sauté

Add the chopped onions and fry till they become translucent

To this add the diced carrots and a little water, mix well and cook covered for 4-5 minutes till the carrots get done

Now add the cooked moong dal and salt to taste

Mix well and cook for about 2 minutes

Now add the coconut gratings and mix well 

Switch off the gas and transfer to serving bowl

Serve Carrot & Moong Dal Stir Fry as an accompaniment to the main meal of rice and sambar/rasam 

MOONG DAL POHA DOSA

MOONG DAL POHA  DOSA

For us in South India, dosa has long been a traditional favorite for breakfast. Thanks to its popularity dosas are now available virtually all over the world. In the United States, they are often referred to as crepes . Many years ago, I remember a survey in the United States announced that our Masala Dosa was among the Top 10 Must Try Dishes in the world!

As most of you would know, there are innumerable types of dosas and their variants. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find, amongst other Dosas,  recipes for :

• The most common and basic Dosa
• Masoor Dal Dosa
• Pancharatna Dosa

Today's recipe is for Moong Dal Poha Dosa which is made with Moong Dal (Split Yellow Gram)  and Jada Poha ( Thick variety of Beaten Rice).

One of the advantages of this recipe is that it does not call for the fermentation of the batter and thereby saves time. Besides, Moong Dal has numerous health benefits.

I have adapted this from Poha Moong Dal Dosa from Simply Tadka. I tried this out for today's breakfast and we enjoyed it very much served with garlic chutney.

Ingredients:- 

• Moong Dal, (Split Yellow Gram), 1 cup
• Jada Poha (Thick Beaten Rice), 1/2 cup
• Rice Flour, 2 tbsp
• Green Chillies, chopped, 2
• Ginger, grated, 1/2 " piece
• Jeera (Cumin Seeds), 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Leaves, finely chopped, 2 tbsp
• Oil, as required for making dosas 
• Salt, to taste

Method:-

Wash the Moong Dal and soak it in adequate water for about 1 hour. Drain the excess water and keep aside.
Wash the Poha and soak it in adequate water for about 15-20 minutes.  Drain the excess water and keep aside.
In a mixer jar, grind together soaked moong dal, poha, green chillies, ginger, and rice flour to form a smooth batter using about 1/2 cup of water    

Remove the batter to a bowl, add salt and mix well. Add more water if required to get the right consistency for the dosa batter. This should not be too thick or too runny. 

To this add the chopped coriander leaves, and cumin seeds and mix well
Check for salt and add only if required

Heat a tawa and when it is sufficiently hot add a ladleful of batter and spread it to form the dosa
Drizzle a little oil on and around the dosa 

Cook covered on medium heat till one side of the dosa gets done
Flip and cook the other side likewise
Serve hot Moong Dal Poha Dosa with a chutney of your choice

PASI PARUPPU PAYASAM

PASI PARUPPU PAYASAM

Happy New Year, dear readers! I am back after a break of about six weeks. Yesterday was an auspicious day for us in india. We celebrated the festival of Pongal/Sankranti. Yesterday, is also significant as being the start of the harvesting season.

Like in every Hindu home where Makar Sankranti/Pongal is celebrated, I made a sweet too. This one is from Tamilnadu and is called Pasi Paruppu Payasam. It gets it's name from "Pasi Paruppu" being the name for Moong Dal ( yellow lentils) in English. "Payasam" is a sweet dish somewhat like "kheer" made in North India.

Ingredients:-

• Pasi Paruppu or Moong Dal, 1/2 cup
• Jaggery, grated, 3/4 cup, or to taste 
• Thin Coconut Milk, 1/2 cup
• Thick Coconut Milk, 1 cup
• Ghee, 1 and 1/2 tbsp to 2 tbsp
• Cashewnuts, 10-12, broken into halves
• Raisins, 1 tbsp
• Cardamom Powder, 1/2 tsp 

Method:-

First, we will extract the coconut milk if you are making it from scratch
Grate 1 full medium-sized coconut

In a mixer, grind the coconut gratings along with a cup of water for a few minutes at high speed
Filter the ground mixture using a damp muslin cloth or a strainer and press the mixture till all the coconut milk is collected . This is the thick coconut milk. Keep aside.
Next, return the coconut pulp to the mixer and blend again with another cup of water and repeat the straining process to extract the thin coconut milk. Keep aside.
The pulp that remains can be discarded,

Obviously, the above steps are not required if you are using store bought canned Coconut Milk

Dry roast the moong dal till it becomes slightly golden in color and gives off a good aroma

Rinse the roasted moong dal and place it in a vessel and add to it 1 and 1/2 cups of water

Pressure cook the moong dal in the vessel for about 3-4 whistles or till it gets fully cooked
Once the pressure cooker cools, transfer the cooked moong dal to a pan and and mash it with the back of a ladle
Heat the pan and to this add 1/2 cup of thin coconut milk that you have prepared, grated jaggery and cardamom powder

Mix well and stir continuously on medium heat till the jaggery gets fully dissolved and well blended with the cooked moong dal and bring to a boil 

Now add the thick coconut milk, mix well and let it simmer on low flame for 1-2 minutes
(Do not overheat after adding the thick coconut milk as this could curdle)

Switch off the gas and keep the payasam aside

Heat the ghee in a tempering pan and on medium heat add the cashew nuts, broken into halves, and fry them till they become golden in color

Add the raisins and fry till the raisins swell up 

Lastly, add the roasted cashew nuts, raisins to the Pasi Paruppu Payasam  and serve it hot

SUVA MOONG DAL SUBZI

SUVA MOONG DAL SUBZI

There are many of us who are fond of Dill Leaves, which are called Suva Bhaji in Hindi,  Shepu in Konkani and Marathi, and Sabsige Soppu in Kannada. They have a smell and flavour of their own.
Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes that use Dill Leaves such as Nuchina Unde, Akki Rotti With Dill Leaves, and Lobia Suva Bhaji Subzi.

Today's recipe is very easy to make. It goes well with rotis. I have adapted this from  Suva Moong Dal Subzi by Tarlaji Dalal.

Ingredients:-

Dill Leaves
                                           

    Yellow Moong Dal     

                                                                                  

• Dill Leaves, chopped, 1/4 cup
• Yellow Moong Dal, (Split Yellow Gram), 1 cup
• Cumin Seeds, (Jeera), 1 tsp
• Asafoetida Powder, (Hing), 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, (Haldi)  1/4 tsp
• Coriander-Cumin Seeds Powder, (Dhania-Jeera Powder) 2 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 2 tsp

Method:-

Remove the dill leaves from the stem, wash and chop them. Keep aside. 

Wash the moong dal and soak it in warm water for 2 hours. Then drain away the excess water and keep aside.
Heat oil in a thick-bottomed kadhai  and on medium hear add the cumin seeds
When they sizzle add the asafoetida powder and saute for a few seconds
To this, add the Yellow Moong Dal that has been soaked, turmeric powder, coriander-cumin seeds powder, chilli powder and salt along with 1 cup of water
Mix well and cook covered on medium flame stirring from time to time for about 10 minutes or till the dal gets done
Lastly, add the chopped dill leaves, mix well and remove from flame
Serve hot with rotis

INSTANT MOONG DAL HALWA

INSTANT MOONG DAL HALWA

There are some dates that stay firmly planted in your memory. March 21 is one such for me! I am so pleased to share that this blog completes 6 years today. It was on March 21, 2013 that I posted my first dish.

It is with quiet satisfaction that I see that since then there have been 677 posts which have received over 2.5 million hits. The Facebook Page for Cooking With Shobana has over 16,000 likes and the blog continues to feature in the Top 100 Indian Food Blogs and Websites.

I am grateful to God, and to you, my family and friends for your encouragement and support over the years.

To celebrate the occasion, today I have made a sweet dish called Moong Dal Halwa, which is popular all over India. This is the Instant version which is easier to make. It has been adapted from Instant Moong Dal Halwa by one of my favourite cookery experts, Nisha Madhulikaji.

Ingredients:-

• Moong Dal, (Yellow Split Gram), 1 cup
• Sugar, 1 heaped cup 
• Ghee, 1/2 cup, 
• Full Cream Milk, 1/2 litre + additional 1 cup (optional-instead of water) 
• Cashews, chopped, 10-15
• Almonds, finely chopped, 10-15
• Raisins, 1 tbsp
• Pistachios, 10-15
• Powdered Green Cardamom, from 6-7 pods

Method:-

Heat a little ghee in a pan and add the cashewnuts, almonds, and raisins. Roast them for a few minutes and keep aside.
Peel and powder the Green Cardamom and keep aside

Clean the moong dal, removing the powder if any
In a thick-bottomed pan, dry roast the moong dal for about 5 minutes on medium flame stirring continuously till it gives off a good aroma and turns a golden brown
Ensure that the moong dal doesn't get burnt
Transfer to a plate and allow the roasted moong dal to cool
In a mixer jar, grind the roasted moong dal in pulse mode to a coarse powder. Keep aside
Heat 4 tbsp of ghee in the pan and on medium heat roast the coarsely ground moong dal for about 5 minutes till it gives off a good aroma and turns a golden brown
Lower the flame and add 500 ml milk and keep stirring so that no lumps are formed
Add another 1 cup of milk (or water) and cook on medium flame stirring continuously till it forms a thick mass
Next add the sugar and some of the roasted dry fruits (keeping aside some for garnish) and cook for some more time as the sugar added leaves water
Add the remaining ghee and keep stirring till it gets well blended and more thick
Add the powdered cardamom and cook the halwa for 1-2 minutes more
Transfer to a plate and garnish with the remaining roasted dry fruits and pistachios

FRENCH BEANS & MOONG DAL STIR FRY

FRENCH BEANS & MOONG DAL STIR FRY

French Beans are commonly available all through the year. They are used in  different cuisines in India as typified by Maharashtrian style Farasbi chi Sabzi,  Beans Talasani from our own Konkani cuisine, and  French Beans & Garlic in the Indian-Chinese style.  Recipes for these are available in this blog.

In Tamilnadu, French Beans is used in combination with Moong Dal which is called Paasi Parapu or Payatham Parapu in Tamil. Today's dish is an easy to make yet tasty stir fry using the two. 

Ingredients:-

• French Beans, 500 gms
• Moong Dal, ( Split Green Gram Dal or Paasi Parupu) 1/3 cup, soaked
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 2-3 tbsp for garnish

For Seasoning:

• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Urad Dal, 1 tsp
• Asafoetida, 1/8 tsp 
• Green Chillies, slit, 2
• Red Chilli, broken, 1
• Curry Leaves, a sprig
• Oil, 2 tsp

Method:

Wash and de-string the French Beans and chop them uniformly and keep aside

Wash and soak the moong dal for 15-20 minutes. Then, discard the water and keep aside the soaked moong dal. 

Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadhai and when it gets hot, reduce the flame and add the mustard seeds

When they splutter, add the urad dal and saute till it changes colour

Add the asafoetida, green chillies, broken red chilli and curry leaves and saute 

To this seasoning, add the cut French Beans, the soaked Moong Dal and salt and mix well

Add 1/3 cup of water, cover and cook on medium/low flame till the dal and the French Beans get done, stirring from time to time
Take care that they do not get overcooked/mushy 

Switch off the gas and garnish with fresh coconut gratings
Serve as a side dish, accompaniment to a meal of rice and rasam

CABBAGE & MOONG DAL STIR FRY

CABBAGE & MOONG DAL STIR FRY


Today's dish is an easy to make accompaniment to the main meal which uses cabbage and moong dal.  I make dishes using the versatile cabbage fairly often.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes as diverse as Cabbage Sannan from Konkani cuisine, a snack called Cabbage Stuffed Capsicum, and the very interesting Cabbage Kheer as dessert.

Besides, it is well known that cabbage has numerous health benefits.

Tips :

* This dish tastes best when the cabbage gets cooked but remains crunchy.
* The cabbage gets reduced in volume when cooked

Ingredients:-

• Cabbage, chopped, 2 cups
• Moong Dal ( Green Gram Dal), 1/4 cup
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dal, 1 tsp
• Green Chilli, chopped, 2
• Ginger, finely chopped, 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/8 tsp
• Curry Leaves, 6-8
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 2 tbsp
• Oil, 1 tsp
• Salt, to taste

Method: 

Wash and soak the moong dal in adequate water for about 15 minutes. Then, drain away the excess water and keep aside.
Wash and chop the cabbage. 

Heat oil in a kadhai and when it gets hot add the mustard seeds

When they splutter, add the urad dal and saute till it changes colour 

Add the chopped green chilli, ginger and curry leaves and saute for about half a minute 

To this add the chopped cabbage and soaked moong dal and mix well

Now add the turmeric powder and salt to taste and mix well
Sprinkle a little water and cook covered on medium flame for about 8-10 minutes stirring from time to time 

When the cabbage and the moong dal are cooked, (please take care to see that the cabbage does not get overcooked. It should remain crunchy) switch off the gas
Lastly add the fresh coconut gratings
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot

DAL PALAK

DAL PALAK

Often, the simplest recipes become the best ones. When you have eaten out for several days in a row and look for homely food, there is nothing as satisfying as the simple Dal Palak made with Moong Dal  (Split Green Gram) and Palak ( Spinach.)

As is commonly known, Spinach has numerous health benefits. 

In this recipe we use split green gram dal ( which is called Dhuli Moong Dal in Hindi). Please see picture below.

Today's recipe is adapted from Dal Palak from MasterChef Sanjeev Kapoor.

We had this with hot rotis and it was most enjoyable. We particularly liked the flavour of the sauteed garlic in this dal.

Ingredients:

•  Moong Dal (Split Green Gram ) 3/4 cup
• Palak ( Spinach), a small bunch or around 20-25 leaves
• Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds,  1 tsp
• Hing (Asafoetida), 1/8 tsp
• Onions, medium sized, 2
• Green Chillies,  2
• Ginger, 1" piece
• Garlic, 6-8 cloves
• Lemon juice, 1 tsp
• Oil/Ghee, 1 and 1/ 2 tbsp
• Salt, as per taste

Method:

Wash the moong dal and pressure cook with 2 cups of water adding salt and turmeric powder for 2 whistles or till the dal is fully cooked. When the cooker cools, remove the cooked dal and keep aside
Wash the spinach leaves in several changes of water and later shred them and keep aside.
Peel and finely chop the onions.
Peel and chop the garlic cloves
Wash and chop the green chillies and ginger.

Heat oil/ghee in a thick bottomed kadhai. When it gets hot, on medium heat add the asafoetida and cumin seeds.
When cumin seeds sizzle and start to change colour, add the chopped onions and green chillies.
Saute till the onions become soft and translucent.
Add the chopped ginger and garlic. Saute till the garlic gives off a good aroma.
Now add the cooked moong dal, mix well and bring to a boil
Check for salt and add if required
Next, add the shredded spinach and the lemon juice
Reduce the flame and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes till the spinach is cooked
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot with rotis.

DRUMSTICK, BRINJAL & MOONG DAL CURRY

DRUMSTICK, BRINJAL & MOONG DAL CURRY

In Konkani and Maharashtrian cuisine, we often use Drumsticks which are a good source of calcium, iron and vitamins apart from having other health benefits. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for Potato & Drumstick Upkari,  Drumsticks Pithla, and Magge and Mashingasaang Koddel. 

Today's recipe is for a side dish made with drumsticks paired with brinjals (eggplants) and moong dal curry. I have adapted this from Drumstick, Brinjal & Moong Dal Curry video by the well-known Chef Sanjay Thumma in his cookery channel, Vah Chef.

As you know, there are different types of brinjals. I have used the purple ones as shown in the picture below. Adding of moong dal is optional but I would recommend using this as it adds to the nutritional value of the dish. I have used only 1 green chilli instead of 3 recommended in the original recipe.

Ingredients:

• Drumsticks, 2
• Brinjals, 3 or about 150 grams
• Moong Dal, 1/4 cup 
• Onion, 1
• Turmeric Powder, 1/8 tsp
• Ginger Garlic Paste, 1/2 tsp
• Tomato, medium-sized, 1
• Green Chilli, 1
• Coriander Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1-2 tbsp
• Coriander Leaves, 2 tbsp

Method:

Wash, scrape and cut the drumsticks into 1" pieces

Wash and slice the brinjals into bite size pieces. Immerse them in water to avoid discolouration.
Soak the moong dal in adequate water for  about  2 hours
Slice the onion
Wash and slice the tomato.
Slit the green chilli and chop the coriander leaves

Heat oil in a thick-bottomed kadhai and when it gets hot add sliced onion and a little salt and saute for 2 minutes till the onions turn translucent 

Then add turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, and the drumstick pieces. Mix well

To this add the sliced brinjals and salt to taste. Adjust the salt keeping in mind that a little has been added to the onions earlier.
Cover and cook on low flame for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time

After about 4 minutes, add the sliced tomato, slit green chilli, coriander powder, and chilli powder, 

Mix well and cook covered till the tomato gets cooked and becomes mushy
Now add the soaked moong dal, chopped coriander leaves, mix well and cook covered on medium heat till the moong dal is fully cooked
Switch off the gas and transfer to serving bowl

Serve with rotis etc

MOONG DAL & PANEER CHILA

MOONG DAL & PANEER CHILA

A chila is a dosa-like pancake which is usually made out of besan (Bengal Gram Flour) and served as a snack or breakfast item in Rajasthan. I make it for breakfast once in a while. You will find in this blog the recipe for Sprouted Moong & Methi Chila.

Today's chila is made with protein-rich moong dal in place of besan. It is enriched with the use of grated paneer (cottage cheese). I have adapted this from the recipe for Moong Dal & Paneer Chila by the legendary Tarlaji Dalal.

We had these chilas with a green chutney made of mint and coriander.

Ingredients:

• Moong Dal, (Split Yellow Gram), 1/2 cup 
• Green Chillies, 3-4, or to taste
• Salt, to taste
• Hing, (Asafoetida), a pinch
• Sugar, 2 pinches (optional) 
• Paneer, grated, 8 tbsp
• Coriander, finely chopped, 4 tbsp
• Chaat Masala, 1 tsp
• Oil, to make chilas

Method:

Wash and soak the moong dal for 3-4 hours
In a mixer, grind the soaked moong dal with a little water to form a smooth batter
Make sure the batter is neither too thick or too thin
Transfer the batter to a bowl
Crush the green chillies to make a paste
To the moong dal batter add the green chilli paste along with salt, hing, and sugar
Mix together well

To make 4 Chilas:
Heat the non-stick tawa (griddle) and grease it with a little oil
When it is hot pour a ladleful of batter
Spread the batter evenly to make a thin chila with a diameter of about 5 inches
Add oil around the chila and cook on medium flame till it becomes golden brown
Sprinkle 2 tbsp of grated paneer, 1 tbsp of chopped coriander and 1/4 tsp of chaat masala
Flip the chila and similarly cook the other side
Make the other 3 chilas using the remaining ingredients
Serve hot with a chutney of your choice

* In case the moong dal batter is too thin, you may add 1 tbsp of Besan to thicken it.

MOONG DAL WITH DILL LEAVES

MOONG DAL WITH DILL LEAVES

Dill leaves have a delicate smell and flavour of their own. Known as Shepu in Marathi, Suva Bhaji in Hindi and Sabsige Soppu in Kannada, they are used in a variety of dishes such as, for example, Nuchina Unde,

Today's recipe for Moong Dal With Dill Leaves is adapted from this YouTube video by the famous cookery expert, Nisha Madhulika.

I have cooked this in oil while as you can cook it in ghee, if you wish. I have by choice not added ghee at the last stage or garnished with coriander leaves, as suggested.

This dish goes very well with rotis, chapatis, etc.

Ingredients:

• Dill Leaves, chopped, 2 cups
• Moong Dal, 1/2 cup
• Tomatoes, medium-sized, chopped, 2
• Ginger, chopped, 1 " piece
• Green Chillies, 2
• Oil, 1 and 1/2 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida, 1/8 tsp or a pinch
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Coriander Powder, 1 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Chilli Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Garam Masala Powder, 1/4 tsp * optional
• Coriander Leaves, for garnish

Method:

Remove the tender Dill leaves from their stems, wash thoroughly and allow the water to drain, then chop and keep aside

Wash the moong dal and keep aside

In a mixer, make a smooth paste by grinding together tomatoes, ginger, and green chillies without adding any water. Keep aside

Heat oil in a cooker, when it gets hot add cumin seeds, and when they sizzle add asafoetida, 

Next, add turmeric powder and coriander powder

Mix well and saute for a while

To this add the tomato-ginger and green chilli paste and stir on medium/low flame till the oil separates

Now add the moong dal and the chopped dill leaves and mix well

Add chilli powder and salt and cook for 2 minutes stirring continuously

Add 2 cups of water, close the cooker lid and cook for 1 whistle 

Switch off the gas and when the cooker cools, open it and check for consistency depending on your preference

If the cooked dal is too thick, you can add required amount of water

Add the garam masala, mix well and cook the dal for another 2 minutes

Finally, if you wish to do so, add a dollop of ghee and garnish with chopped coriander leaves

MOONG DAL USLI

MOONG DAL USLI

This is a simple, easy to make  and nutritious dish which we have had for years either as an item for breakfast or as a snack in the evenings. In Konkani, we call this, "Mooga Daali Usli."

It is made of Split Green Gram and is often made on festive occasions. This is a saatvik dish as it does not use onions or garlic. You could also make this if you are observing fast or wish to avoid dishes made of rice on any day.

Ingredients:

                                                        Moong Dal (Split Green Gram)

• Moong Dal, (Split Green Gram ), 1 cup
• Asafoetida, (Hing) Powder, a large pinch
• Green Chillies, slit lengthwise, 2-3
• Ginger, 1/2  " piece, finely chopped
• Curry Leaves, 10-12
• Salt, to taste
• Mustard, 1/2 tsp
• Oil, 1 tbsp
• Coconut Gratings, 2-3 tbsp

Method:

Wash and soak the moong dal for about 15 to 20 minutes

Drain the water and keep the moong dal aside

Dissolve the asafoetida powder in 2 tsp of water and keep aside

In a kadhai, heat oil and when it gets hot add the mustard 

When it splutters, add the finely chopped ginger and slit green chillies and curry leaves

Saute for a while 

Add about 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil

Lower the heat and add the soaked moong dal and salt.
Mix well and cook covered on medium heat till the moong dal is done. Make sure the dal does not get overcooked.

Take off the heat, add coconut gratings and the dissolved asafoetida *

Serve hot

Tip: * As a variation, you could garnish with chopped coriander leaves and add fresh lemon juice.

MOONG DAL DOSA

MOONG DAL DOSA

Dosa is a common breakfast item, particularly since there are so many varieties of dosas to choose from. Elsewhere in this blog, for example, you will find recipes for Urad and Moong Dal Dosa, Pancharatna Dosa,  and Paper Dosa.

Today's post is adapted from the recipe for Moong Dal Dosa in Sarika's blog. Like the Urad & Moong Dal Dosa, this too doesn't require fermentation. The dosas came out nice and crisp which we enjoyed with Coriander Chutney.

Ingredients:

• Moong Dal (Split Green Gram), 2 cups 
• Green Chillies, 4-5 
• Ginger, chopped, 1 " piece
• Rice Flour, 1/2 cup
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, for making dosas

                                                       Moong Dal 

Method:

Wash and soak the moong dal for about 2 hours. Drain and keep aside.

Crush the green chillies and chopped ginger to a paste 

In a mixer, grind together the soaked moong dal along with the green chilli-ginger paste adding required amount of water to a smooth batter

To this add the rice flour and grind it once again so that it gets well-blended to form a batter of the pouring consistency required to make dosas
Remove the batter to a vessel, add salt and mix well

To make the dosa: 
Heat the tawa ( griddle.) Sprinkle a few drops of water. When the water sizzles, the tawa is ready for use.
Pour a ladleful of the batter on the tawa.
Spread this quickly using the ladle.
Move outwards from the centre using a continuous spiral motion till the dosa measures about 6 ".
Pour a teaspoon of oil around it.
Cook for a couple of minutes till it becomes crisp at the edges.
Now, flip the dosa and cook the other side till done.
Serve hot with chutney of your choice.

NILGIRI MOONG KA KORMA

NILGIRI MOONG KA KORMA

Whole Green Gram or Sabut Moong  as it is popularly called in India, has many health benefits  detailed in this article from The Health Site. We use this to prepare the Andhra favourite Pesarattu.

The recipe for Nilgiri Moong Ka Korma has been adapted from the recipe by Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor to suit my requirements. This dish cooked in coconut-based masala, yogurt and spices
turned out to be delicious and we enjoyed it with hot rotis.

Ingredients:

• Whole Green Gram (Sabut Moong), 1 cup
• Oil, 2 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Seeds, 1/2 tbsp
• Ginger, finely chopped, 1/2 tbsp
• Garlic Pods, finely chopped, 4
• Poppy Seeds (KhusKhus), 1/2 tbsp
• Onion, grated, 1
• Fresh Coriander Leaves, chopped, 1/2 cup
• Green Chillies, large -sized, ground to paste, 2
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Fresh Coconut, grated, 1/2 cup
• Yogurt, 2 tbsp
• Salt, to taste

Method:

Wash and soak the whole Green Gram for about 8 hours
In a pan, cook the whole green gram in water with salt and turmeric powder till it is fully cooked but not mushy or overcooked. Keep aside
Chop the fresh coriander leaves. Keep aside.

Grind the green chillies to a paste and keep aside.
In a non-stick pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil and when it gets heated add cumin seeds and when they sizzle, add coriander seeds and saute for a minute
Add the finely chopped ginger and garlic and saute till the garlic turns a light brown and gives off a nice aroma
Add the poppy seeds and saute for a couple of minutes
Add the grated onion, mix well and saute for 2-3 minutes
Add the ground chilli paste, followed by turmeric powder, grated coconut and the chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and saute for 1 minute.
Let it cool and transfer this to a blender.
Add yogurt and grind to a smooth paste, using just the required amount of water
In the non-stick pan, heat the remaining 1 tbsp of oil. Add the ground paste from the blender and saute for 4-5 minutes or till the raw smell goes
Now add the cooked green gram and salt and mix well. In adding salt, keep in mind that the green gram has already been cooked in salt.
Cook this for another 3-4 minutes, add water depending on the consistency you prefer, mix well and bring it to a boil
Serve hot with rotis or rice.

OATS AND MOONG DAL TIKKIS

OATS AND MOONG DAL TIKKIS

Snacks can be made with health filled ingredients too! This very tasty and healthy snack is made using oats and moong dal ( Split Yellow Gram). It tasted great when had with tea in the evening. Served green chutney and ketchup as accompaniments.

This recipe is adapted from one of my favourite cookery experts, the legendary Tarla Dalal. 
I sent in this picture after I had prepared this dish and was delighted that they added it to their website for a few months.

I hope you will like this as much as we did.

Ingredients:

• Quick Cooking Oats, 1/2 cup
• Yellow Moong Dal, (Split Yellow Gram), 1/2 cup 
• Fresh Curds/Dahi, 2 tbsp.
• Grated Onions, 3 tbsp.
• Green Chillies, finely chopped, 1/2 tsp
• Chaat Masala, 2 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 2tsp
• Garam Masala, 1/4 tsp
• Haldi (Turmeric) , 1/4 tsp
• Ginger Garlic Paste, 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves, finely chopped, 2 tbsp.
• Mint, finely chopped, 2 tbsp.
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, for greasing and cooking

Method:
Clean, wash and boil the moong dal in 1 cup of water till the dal is soft and cooked and all the water evaporates
Drain and blend the dal in a mixer to a coarse paste
Transfer the paste to a bowl, add all the remaining ingredients and mix well
Divide the mixture and shape each portion into round, flat tikkis
Lightly grease a non-stick tawa with 1/2 tsp of oil
Cook each of the tikkis using required amount of oil, till they are evenly cooked on both the sides
Serve hot with green chutney or sauce.

VEN PONGAL

VEN PONGAL

Many think the South Indian breakfast is made up only of idlis and dosas. We make other items too such as upma, puris, and pongal to name but a few.

Earlier in this blog, I have shared the recipe for the Sweet Pongal, today I present Ven Pongal which is another type of pongal. This is made of rice and moong dal and is a common item for breakfast/tiffin in Tamilnadu.  This recipe is adapted from Jeyashri's Kitchen.

I have served it with sambar today but you can serve it with chutney as well.



Ingredients:

• Raw Rice, 1 cup
• Yellow Moong Dal, 1/2 cup
• Ghee, 2 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
• Black Pepper, 1/2 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Ginger, grated, 1/2 tbsp
• Curry leaves, a few
• Milk, 2 tbsp ( optional)
• Cashewnuts, 10

Method:

Wash the rice and dal thoroughly
Transfer to a vessel, add salt and 4-5 cups of water
Place in a pressure cooker and cook for 4-5 whistles
Once the cooker cools, remove the vessel, mash the rice and dal mixture using the back of the ladle add the milk ( if you are using) and mix well. Keep aside.
Heat ghee in a thick bottomed kadhai and when it is hot add the black pepper
When it sizzles, add the cashewnuts and saute on low flame till they become golden in colour
Add the cumin seeds and saute for a few seconds
Add curry leaves and the grated ginger and saute for a few seconds
Now to this add the cooked and mashed rice and dal mixture prepared earlier and mix well
If you want you can add some more ghee and mix well again
Serve hot with sambar or chutney of your choice

SWEET MOONG DAL KHICHDI

SWEET MOONG DAL KHICHDI ( Mooga Dali ani Rulaava Khichdi) 

There are different types of khichdi, the one I am making today is a sweet which I usually make on some festivals. I remember this dish very well as it was one of the first I learnt.  In my mother tongue, Konkani we call this sweet: Mooga Dali ani Rulaava Khichdi. 

Some choose to garnish the sweet khichdi pieces with sliced bananas. While I have used medium rava and moong dal, this can also be made with chana dal.

Ingredients:

• Medium Rava (Semolina/Rulaav), 1 cup
• Moong Dal, (Split Green Gram/ Mooga Dali) , 1 cup    
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 2-3 tbsps
• Sugar, 1 and 1/2 cups, or to taste
• Raisins, 2 tsp
• Cashewnuts, broken into pieces, a few
• Elaichi (Cardamom) Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Ghee, 2 heaped tbsp

Method:

In a non-stick khadai, on low/medium heat, roast the rava till you get a nice aroma. Keep aside.
Roast the moong dal till it turns a light brown. Keep aside.
Roast the cashewnuts and raisins separately in a little ghee. Keep aside.
Heat water (about 4 cups or twice the quantity of the rava+ moong dal) and when it boils, add the roasted moong dal
Stir well and cook covered on medium flame till it is half done
Next, add the roasted rava, mix well and cook until soft
Add sugar, coconut gratings and ghee

Keep stirring on medium heat till the khichdi leaves the sides of the khadai
Add the elaichi powder, roasted cashewnuts ( keeping a few pieces for garnishing) and roasted raisins and mix well
Remove from the khadai and spread onto a greased plate

Cut into squares/diamonds or any shape of your choice
Garnish with roasted cashewnuts.

URAD DAL & MOONG DAL IDLI

URAD DAL & MOONG DAL IDLI

The specialty of this variety of the popular South Indian breakfast item idlis, is that they are made without rice. They are made of Urad dal ( black gram dal) and  Moong dal ( Green gram Dal). This in no way takes away from the taste of the idlis which in fact come out soft and fluffy. 

This recipe comes in handy for those who wish to have idlis but not those made with rice. It is also useful for those who observe fast on particular days by not eating anything made of rice. 

The addition of finely grated ginger and crushed green chillies gives the idlis a spicy flavour of their own. Do try this and let me know what you think of it.

 Ingredients:  

Urad dal ( Split Black Gram Dal), 1 cup ( right of the pic below)

Moong Dal ( Split Green Gram Dal), 1 cup ( left of the pic below)

Ginger, finely grated, 1/2 " piece

Green chillies, crushed, 2-3

Salt, to taste

Oil, for greasing the idli moulds

Method:

Wash and soak urad dal and moong dal separately for 3-4 hours

Grind them separately in a mixer to a smooth batter. While grinding, add only the required amount of water so that the batter does not become too dilute.

Mix the two batters in a large vessel, add salt and allow this to ferment for 10-12 hours or overnight.

In choosing a vessel, ensure there is enough space for the batter to rise as it ferments.

The final batter is thick in consistency like the usual idli batter

Add finely grated ginger and crushed green chillies to this batter.

Grease the idli moulds as you would for making any type of idlis

Pour in the batter and steam for 10-12 minutes in a pressure cooker without using the weight

Demould the idlis after they cool

Serve hot with sambar or chutney of your choice.