Dal - Roti. (Comfort Food.)

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Moong Dal
• 1 tbsp Ginger (grated)
• 1 tbsp Garlic (grated)
• 2 Dry Red Chillies
• 1 Onion , finely chopped
• 2 Tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbsp Ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Corriander powder
• 1 tsp Cumin powder
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam masala
• Salt to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" Cinnamon stick
• Few Curry leaves
• Chopped Cilantro
• lemon to serve.

Method:

• Soak the dal for an hour.Then pressure cook the dal for about 2-3 Whistles.
• Heat oil in a pan and fry the ginger , garlic & onion till they are soft.
• Add the tomatoes & cook till it disintegrates & all in all the spices except garam masala.
• Let this cook well for about 5 mins & then add the boiled lentils to this.
• Mix thoroughly & let it simmer on slow flame for about 10-15 mts.
• Now heat the ghee , once its hot add the dried red chillies & stir around till fragrant.
• Add the garam masala , curry leaves & instantly pour it into the dal.
• This will fill up the kitchen with wonderful aroma.Remove.
• Check for salt & squeeze the lime, garnish with chopped cilantro, some raw onions & serve hot with rotis.

Spicy Dal with Roasted Vegetables

Source: Suganya's http://www.tastypalettes.com/

Ingredients for Roasted Vegetables:

• 3 Potatoes, cubed
• 2 Carrots, cubed
• 1 Capsicum, cubed
• 1 Onion, roughly chopped
• 1 Full Garlic
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil

Method:

• Mix the vegetables with salt, pepper & olive Oil.
• Spread them in a baking tray & cover it with foil.
• Cut the whole garlic into two halves, horizontally.
• Season with salt, pepper and olive oil & Wrap them in separate pieces of foil.
• Keep the garlic head among the vegetables.
• Bake the vegetables at 450F for half an hour.
• Squeeze the roasted garlic over the vegetables.

Ingredients for Dal:

• 1 Cup Moong dal
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp Ginger, grated
• 4 Green chillies, slit
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp Oil
• 1 tsp Cumin powder
• 1 tsp Chilli powder

Method:

• Pressure cook the dal and mash it completely.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the ginger, chillies and fry for a couple of minutes.
• Add cumin powder, chilli powder and immediately transfer the tampering to the dal.
• Add salt, turmeric powder to the dal & mix it well.
• Add the prepared vegetables to this and serve hot.

Dal Makhni

Spicy Heavy dal prepared with Rajma and Black Urad dal.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Whole Black gram (Black Urad dal)
3 tbsp Red Kidney beans (Rajma)
1 tsp Red chilli powder
2 inch Ginger, chopped
1 tsp Cumin seeds (jeera)
5-6 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 large Onion, Chopped
2 nos Green chillies (slit)
2 medium Tomatoes , chopped
1tsp Garam masala powder
Salt to taste
3tbsp Butter
4 tbsp Fresh Cream (optional).


Method:

Soak rajma, urad dal in 3 cups water for 6-8 hrs.
Pressure cook rajma and urad dal in 3 cups water with salt, half red chilli powder and half ginger until rajma is soft. Say about 3 Whistles.
Heat butter in a pan and add jeera.after a minute add onion and fry till onions change color, now add ginger, garlic and green chillies and saute for a minute.
Now add tomatoes , red chilli powder and cook till tomatoes are reduced to pulp.
Add cooked rajma, urad dal along with the water and salt.Mix well.
Add garam masala powder and Cook covered for about 8-10mts.
You can add fresh cream to make it rich.

Garnish with butter and coriander leaves and serve hot.