Daal Tamatar | Daal Tomato

There are many ways of making daal and daal tamatar and this is sure one of the easy recipe.  My sister makes this so perfect..it just taste delicious.  And goes well with rice and wonderful along with rasam. 

This is such a basic recipe but I still don't get same like my sister does and I wanted to know the exact recipe for so long and this time took step vise pics for my reference.  The one important ingredient of this daal is Ghee, yes that's rite :-)... Tadka/tempering done in ghee gives wonderful taste so if you want to get the real taste then do use ghee, so let's checkout the recipe now.

Ingredients:

Yellow (Split)Moong Daal - 1 Cup
Onion - 1 [medium]
Tomato - 2 [medium]
Green Chili - 3-4
Garlic - 3-4 pods
Curry leaves - few
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Water

For Tempering:

Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida - a pinch

Method:

1. Clean, wash daal and add turmeric powder, slit green chili with required water and pressure cook for 2whistles

2. Chop garlic, onion, tomato and keep aside.

3. In a pan heat ghee, add hing and cumin seeds and allow the cumins to crack. Add garlic, onion, curry leaves and saute until onion becomes transparent.

4. Add all the spice powder and cook for a minute.

5. Add chopped tomato, salt and cook until tomato mashes well or for 5 mins in slow flame with lid on.

6. Add cooked daal, 1 cup water.  Stir well and bring it to boil then cook in slow flame for 3-5mins.

Enjoy with plain steamed rice and along with rasam as bonus :)

And this daal goes to Aqua's & Jaya's Back to Basics Event

Enjoy your day ..

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Gun Powder | Podi

I love podi, be it any kinda of podi and I can eat it with anything and everything and the same goes for chutney too.

So when I saw Mriganayani's Gun Powder I was so tempted to try, her blog is just wonderful with yummy recipes and all so helpful pictures.  I made few changes; eg: in her recipe is asked to grind the sesame seeds alone first then following by the lentil but I did all grinding together as I did in small quantity.  I loved the podi and it got over in no time :-).. Thanks gal for the recipe.


And this podi goes to Aqua's & Jaya's Back to Basics Event ...thanks Jaya for the tip :)

Ingredients:

Toor Daal/Pigeon Pea  - 2 tbsp
Chana Daa;/Bengal Gram - 1 tbsp
Urad Daal/Black Gram - 1/2 tbsp
White Sesame Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Dry Red Chili - 10-12 pieces
Hing - a pinch
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Pluck stems from chilies and keep aside.

2. Roast sesame seeds in a pan until golden brown and oil starts coming out. 

3. In a same pan add 1/2 tsp oil and roast all the daal one by one until golden brown and keep side. 
[I roast one by one to get all the daal roasted properly]

4. Add another 1/2 tsp of oil and fry the chilies until light brown.

5.  Let all the ingredients comes to room temperature and grind in to fine or coarse powder along with salt and hing. 

Once the powder is cool store in airtight containers and enjoy with rice/idly/dosa or with anything as I do.

Enjoy your day ...

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Assorted Pakoras | Fritters

Most of us like/love pakoda/fritters over a cup of tea.  I have tried so many times to post a pakoda recipe but it never really happened so this time I made up my mind I have, this was part of starter for a small get-together we had this Sunday.  This recipe which is little different, I just tried adding few new extra ingredients and made pakoda of Cauliflower, Onion, Potato, Bread along with mint chutney, I have posted mint chutney here.

Serving: 6-8 persons
Ingredients:

Potato - 1 Medium
Onion - 2 medium
Cauliflower - 1 cup florets
Bread - 4-5 slice (I used 2 hot dog buns)
[optional]
Tomato Ketchup - 3tbsp
Mint Chutney - 3tbsp
Oil - for deep fry

For Batter:

Chickpeas Flour/Besan - 1 1/2 cup
Rice Flour - 1/2 cup
Red chili Powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp [optional]
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp [optional]
Soda - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Orange Food Colour - 1/2 tsp [optional, I used Kesari Powder]
Water -

For Chili Paste: [optional]
Green chili - 4-5 [ to taste]
Mint Leaves - 3 tbsp [chopped]
Garlic - 1 small pod
Ginger - 1/2" piece

Method:

1. Grind all the ingredients under 'Chili Paste' into smooth paste with little or no water.

2. Mix all the ingredients under 'Batter' along with chili paste in to smooth paste without any lumps adding water in small quantity and make a thick batter, keep aside.

3. Wash, peel and cut onion, potato in thin round/slice shape.

4. Cut the cauliflower in small florets and microwave for 5mins in little water, keep aside.

5. Cut the hot bun from middle and apply tomato ketchup in one slice and mint chutney in another, place both the slice together and cut in small pieces. 
[If using bread do the same thing, apply chutney and ketchup in individual slices, place together and cut in desired shape and size]

6. Heat oil in a wok/kadai, dip veggies and bread pieces in chickpeas batter covering the batter all over the pieces and deep fry in medium heat until golden brown.  Repeat the same for all the batch.

Serve hot/warm with choose of chutney/sauce/ketchup.

These are great starters for any party or a yummy snack, we all know this ofcourse :)

Enjoy your day ....

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Baati | In Oven

In my previous Baigan Aloo Bharta post I showed thali of daal baati, so here is the baati which I made in oven.  I have blogged before making baati on gas top in baati cooker along with daal and khayri recipes.

The changes made in this baati recipe are I added soda and turmeric the 2 ingredients which I learnt from Sonal, adding soda does make the baati soft so do try it.  Here presenting delicious meal of daal, baati, bharta, khayri, gatte ki sabji along with pickle :)

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour -  1 1/2 cup

Semolina - 1/2 cup

Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1-2 tbsp

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Turmeric -3/4 tsp

Water

Ghee/classified Butter -

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients along with enough water to make a chapati like dough.

2. Cover the dough for 1 hour with dump cloth and keep aside.

3. Make medium size ball and keep in baking tray.  [ I followed Sonal idea of rolling the dough in sausage and then into ball ]

4. Preheat the oven in 225C

5. Bake the balls in 225C for 10 -15 mins.

6. Turn the baati over and bake for another 10-15 mins.  Check if the baati fully cooked, if not bake for another 5-10 mins.

Break the baatis and dip/pour in ghee ...adding more ghee makes the baati very tasty :D

And this goes to Sonu's Flavours of Rajasthan a event started by Nayna.

Enjoy your weekend ...

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Baigan Aloo Bharta

We all know Baigan Bharta but how about adding some potato? Well, I just did as I had some leftover boiled potato and to use ;)  This is not my usual baigan bharta recipe I just tried it & the result was just yummy. I'm sure going to try this again. 

Ingredients:

Eggplant - 1 medium OR 300 gms
Potato - 1 [boiled]
Onion - 1 large
Green Chili- 3 [to taste]
Garlic - 1 tbsp [chopped]
Red chili  powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric - 3/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Mustard Oil - 1 tbsp Or any cooking oil
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Leaves - 1 tbsp chopped

Method:

1. Wash, pat dry smear oil all over the eggplant (I forgot to apply the oil)

2.  Roast the eggplant in direct flame (medium to slow), rotate the eggplant in all direct so it's gets roasted properly.  Do until you see the skin turns black and the eggplant becomes little soggy.  You can also insert a fork or knife in the center of eggplant to check it's cooked well.
[I do like to roast green chili and garlic too, but this is optional]

3.  Meanwhile finely chop onion, garlic and green chili.  Remove boiled potato skin and mash it.

4. Once eggplant roasted allow it to cool a bit, remove the stem & peel of burnt skin and mash cooked eggplant. 
[If any portion of eggplant is not gud properly, no worries but chop finely uncooked eggplant in small pieces and mix with mashed eggplant]

5. In a pan heat mustard oil add cumin seeds and let it crack.
[I used mustard oil for any bharta, you can use any cooking oil]

6. Add chopped garlic and roast until light brown, add chopped onion n chili and fry until onion turns golden brown in medium heat.

7. Add turmeric and chili powder and mix well.  Now add mashed potato and eggplant and mix everything well.

8. Add salt, mix well and cook for 5-8 mins in slow/medium flame or until everything gets cooked nicely.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and enjoy.

Another pic to drool ...

This was part of our Daal Bhati meal ....

Have a gud day ...

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Lobia Masala | Blackeye Beans Curry

Remember my Plantain Shallow Fry recipe?  There was another side dish and I promise to post the recipe soon, so here it comes.  I make blackeye beans/Lobia in many way and it's never the same, this recipe I adapted from Priya's Rajma Masala. 

I saw her recipe and liked it so instead of using kidney beans I used blackeye beans...after all everything is beans only ;) ..I did few changes here and there and come up with this one and it tasted yum.

Ingredients:

Lobia/ Blackeye Beans - 1 cup
Onion - 1 large
Tomato - 1 large
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Red chili Powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1tsp
Dry Mango Powder/ Amchur - 1/2 tsp
Kasoori Methi - 1tbsp
Jaggery - 1 tsp [optional]
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1tbsp
Water
Cilantro - 1 tbsp [chopped]

Method:

1. Clean, wash and soak blackeye beans in water overnight and pressure cook with water (for 1 cup beans add 2 to 3 cup of water) and little salt for 4-5 whistles or duration you cook your beans.

2. Wash and chop onion, tomato and grind to fine paste with little water.

3. In a pan heat oil, add cumin seeds and let it splutter.  Add the ground paste with ginger-garlic paste and mix everything well, cook for 2 minutes.

4. Add red chili, turmeric powders stir well and cover and cook for 5 minutes in medium flame or until oil separates from paste,  stir in intervals.

5. Add kasoori methi, garam masala, amchur, jaggery and salt mix everything well and cook for 2 minutes with lid on.

6. Add black eye beans/lobia and also water (used to cook the beans) and bring it to boil.  Check for salt and add more if required.

7. Cook in medium flame for 5-8 minutes or until the gravy become thick, stir in intervals. Garnish with cilantro.

Lobia Masala is ready, you can replace black eye beans with any other bean of your choice :)

Have a gud day ...

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Festive Food ~ Rakhi | Raksha Bandhan 2010

Dear All,

Festive Food is back with Raksha Bandhan 2010 event again. 

It was like yesterday when myself and Purva started Festive Food Event to enjoy the joy and happiness of all the festivals around us and it's already been 2 years...

The bond between brother and sister celebrated in form of Rakshabandhan.  I do not wish to repeat same thing again so for more details about Raksha Bandhan [Rakhi] please visit our announcement. 

Coming to the event this year again it's pity simple .  The purpose is to celebrate, do not think that you have a cook a dish to be part of this one.

Guidelines:

1. Send in entry in form of pictures, memories which relates you with Rakhi.

2. You being creative ~  made Rakhi, Card or any other thing? Send that too as entry...I will be happy.

3. Send in your entry of celebration even if you have not prepared anything specify for the day. You can share your purchased Rakhi/sweets/gift etc details too.

4. If you did prepare something special [sweet dish, any main dish, savoury snack] for the occasion share with us.

So you got it? It's all about sharing...

Since Rakhi is on 24th Aug '10, last date to send your entry is  12th Sep '10.

• Old entries are accepted as long as you didn't sent the same for the last 2 event and link back to this page.

• Please link back to this event announcement. I would be glad if you can include Logo and spread the word. There are no restrictions on the number of entries.

• Send in your entries at Indian.festivefood@gmail.com with below mentioned information:

    * Your Name:

    * Dish Name:

    * Blog’s Name:

    * Blog URL:

    * Post URL:

    * Picture(s):

• Non Bloggers no need to get upset, email your recipe along with the picture. I will post it on your name and include it in the round up.

Let's celebrate and share....

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