Whole moong dahl/Green gram dahl

Hello,

Indian food is extremely nutritious and we use a lot of combination of different masalas. North Indian masalas are different from South Indian masalas. I will write about different spices used in vegetarian cuisine. Gujrati, Punjabi and Rajastani cuisine is considered to be the most interesting and tasty cuisine. I will write about it soon. 

I think my readers are now familiar with palghat iyer cooking. Let us go for a journey to the North and explore the vibrant cuisine. Yes you guessed it right I do wish to travel to Gujrat, Rajastan and North East India is in my wish list.  

Let me share with you a simple green gram dahl recipe. It taste great with Naan, Roti and Kulcha. With plain rice too!!


Whole moong dahl/Green gram dahl

Ingredients

Green gram - 200 grams
Tomato - 1(finely chopped
Onion - 1 small(finely chopped)
Ginger - a small piece( finely chopped)
Green chilli - 2(finely chopped)
Coriander powder -  1 tsp
Jeera powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
ghee - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 tsp(wash and chop finely)


Method of Preparation

*Soak whole green gram for about 3 hours.

* Pressure cook green gram by adding 3 glasses of water for 2 whistles in medium or low flame.

 In a heated pan pour ghee/oil add chopped onion, green chilli and ginger saute for a while. Now add tomato. Let it cook for a while. You will notice now the oil is separated from the onion and onions are turning into golden brown. Its time to add jeera powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder. Mix well add this to the cooked green gram. Adjust salt and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

Roasted rice rawa kozhakattai/rice dumpling with coconut chutney

Roasted Raw rice kozhakattai/rice dumpling with coconut chutney

Ingredients

Roasted rice rawa - One cup
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Gingly oil - 1 tsp
Hing - one pinch
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli - 1 broken
Hot water - 2 1/2 cups
salt as required


Method of Preparation


In a heated Kadai pour a table spoon of gingley oil, 1

tsp mustard seed, 1 tsp urad dal and a pinch of hing, one 

red chilly broken. Allow the mustard to crackle. 

Now add roasted rice rawa.salt and 2 1/4 cup boiled water

mix well. Add coconut and allow everything to mix well. Allow

it to cook in low flame. Off the stove. Make small balls. 

Steam it for about 10 minutes. Serve with coconut chutney.


Coconut chutney 

Ingredients

Grated coconut - 1 cup
green chilli - 3 nos.
puffed bengal gram(pottu kadala) - 1 table spoon
ginger - 1 small piece
salt - as required

For the tadka

Oil - 1 2 tsp
mustard seed - 1/4 tsp
red dry chilli - 2 nos.

Method of Preparation 

Add all the ingredients and ground by adding just enough water. Grind coarsely. Remove from mixer and add little more water if required for pouring consistency. In a small pan add oil and add mustard and red chilli. Allow it to splutter. Pour in top of the chutney. Serve with hot kozhakattai/rice dumpling.

Tamarind Chutney and Mint/Pudina Chutney

Time for few chutney. In Indian cuisine chutney play an important role. Especially when we make chats. I will share with you two of the most important chutneys we usually make while serving chats.

Tamarind Chutney

Ingredients

Tamarind extrat - 1cup (from 100 grams tamarind )
Dates - 25
Ginger powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Kala namak/Black salt - 1 tsp
Jeera powder - 2 tsp
Jaggery - 100 grams
Salt as required

Method of Preparation

*Soak tamarind in hot water for about an hour and exgtract pulp. 

*Soak dates in warm water (just enough water for the dates to soak) for about an hour. In a mixer put the dates and use the same water and make a smooth paste out of it.  

Boil tamarind pulp and jaggery for about 7 minutes. Strain the liquid using a strainer for any impurities. Now add the dates paste to the tamarind and jaggery. Add rest of the dry masalas and boil further for about 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust salt and allow the tamarind chutney to reach room temperature. Store in a small glass jar. Serve it along with dahi vada, dahi pappadi chat, samosa and a number of Indian chats. 

Mint Chutney

Ingredients

Mint leaves - 1 bunch
coriander leaves - 1 bunch
Green chilli - 4
Lemon - 1 (extract juice)
Sugar - 1 tsp
salt as required
Onion - 1 chopped
Garlic - 1 pod crushed

Method of Preparation

Wash and trim the mint leaves and coriander leaves. We are going to use only the leaves. If the coriander leaves stem is soft chop it and use it. 

In a mixer put all the ingredients and grind to a fine paste. If needed add a little water. Adjust salt. This yummy chutney can be served with many starters. Taste great when freshly made. 

Bread Paneer balls

Yet another Paneer dish for evening snack or starter for kids get together.

Ingredients

Paneer - 2 cups
Yogurt/curd - 2 tsp
green chilli - 2 (chopped)
All purpose flour/Maida - 2 tsp
coriander leaves - 1 tsp (chopped)
Salt as required
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp (crushed)
Bread slice - 4 pieces (cut the edges)
Oil for frying

Method of Preparation

* Soak Paneer in warm water till you use. Drain excess water and crumble paneer 

* Trim the edges of bread and make crumbs out of it. 

* Keep a plate ready. Spread kitchen towel in it.

Crumble bread and paneer using hand. Mix all the other ingredients and make small gooseberry sized balls. In a heated pan pour oil and keep the flame medium. Slowly place each bread paneer balls into oil and deep fry till golden brown. Remove from the pan place it on the kitchen towel/napkin. Allow excess oil to be absorbed.  Serve hot with tamarind chutney/coriander chutney.

Paneer Bhurji for Roti

Paneer Bhurji my all time favourite dish. It takes just a few minutes to prepare this delicious burji. You an use it as filling for sandwich or roti.

Paneer Bhurji

Ingredients

Paneer (Amul) - 200 grams (crumble into small pieces with hands)

Onion - 2 chopped finely

Capsicum - 1 sliced into small pieces

Tomato - 3 tomatoes slice into very small pieces

Ginger - a small piece (chop finely)

Garlic - 1 pod (crush)

Green chilli - 2 nos.(chop into small pieces)

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Dhaniya powder - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander leaves/curry leaves - 1/2 tsp

salt to taste

Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp

Oil/Ghee - 1 tsp

Method of Preparation

In a heated pan add oil fry onion, ginger and garlic for a while Add chopped tomatoes saute for about 5 to 6 minutes in medium flame till onion turns into golden brown. Now add all dry masala and capsicum pieces. Keep stirring till the ghee/oil separates from the masala. Now add paneer, salt, coriander/curry leaves and further mix well and cook for about 3 minutes. Serve hot with freshly made rotis use it as a filling for bread and grill. 

Sweet corn fritters

Sweet corn fritters

Ingredients

Sweet corn - 2 cups

egg - 2

milk - 3 table spoon

baking powder - a pinch

salt - as required

sugar - 1 tsp

Italian herbs - a pinch

pepper - 1 tsp

Oil for deep frying

Method of Preparation

* Beat egg and add milk to it.

* In a large bowl mix all the other ingredients and make a small well in the middle of the flour. Pour egg n milk mixture. Mix well.

*Keep a kadai pour oil when the oil is hot scoop corn batter and make four to five corn fritters at a time. Allow it to turn into crispy golden brown. Use a perforated ladle and remove corn fritters into an absorbant kitchen towel.

* I used a flat pan as the oil used will not be used for any vegetarian cooking!

Serve with condensed milk, honey, maple syrup. It also taste good with chinese chilli sauce or  mint chutney.

Kaju Katli

Kaju Katli

Few important things to remember before making kaju katli

* Kaju should be at room temperature. If you keep it in refrigerator make sure you bring it to room temperature before starting this dish.

* Keep the greased plate ready.

* Keep the kitchen counter clean as we are going to knead the kaju katli dough into a smooth dough directly in the kitchen counter.

* Wipe the mixer vessel clean with a kitchen wipe. Make sure its dry, 

Ingredients

Kaju pieces - 350 grmas

Sugar - 1 cup

Water - 1/2 cup

Method of Preparation 

* Powder kaju pieces using pulse mode in the mixer. Just make a fine powder. Do not add water/milk.  

* Keep a non stick pan on the stove add sugar and water. Allow sugar to melt. Add powdered kaju powder and start stirring. In few minutes time you will see the katli is not sticking anymore in the pan. Off the stove.

* Allow the dough to cool down. Put the soft  dough into your kitchen counter.Use your hands to knead the dough into a soft smooth dough. 

* Spread the soft dough into a greased plate roll it using a roller pin. Cut into desired shape. 

It was my first attempt I have to try a lot of time to perfect this soft melt in your mouth delicious sweet.