This dish is a life saver in our busy lives coz its sooooooooo easy to prepare yet tasty. This dal is a signature Malabar/ Palakkadan dish coming from the Nair community. This is a seasonal dish and you could experiment with other veggies like yellow/ kerala cucumber, pumpkin, ashgourd, bottlegourd, raw papaya, snakegourd or even plain onions or shallots. You can serve this simple curry with plain rice or chapathi's. Ode to my Amma who is a regular maker of this dish and for adding a new tinge to this curry always!!!! :-D
Ingredients
Button/ Portabello Mushrooms/ or any veggie mentioned above - 1 cup cut into chunks
Shallots - 10- 12 Nos
Moong Dal/ Sambhar (Tuvar) Dal - 1 cup
Tumeric Powder - 1 tsp
Curryleaves - 2 sprigs
Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp or as per one's requirement
Salt to taste
Grind to a smooth paste:
Shallots - 6
Red Chillies - 4 Nos or depending on one's spice level
Tumeric Powder - a pinch
Method
Wash and boil Moongdal in a cooker till soft and mushy. It takes about 3-4 whistles. When the pressure is released, mash the dal and add the mushrooms and onions along with the chilli paste, tumeric powder and salt. Close the lid again and pressure cook it for 2 whistles. When the steam is released, add curry leaves and drizzle coconut oil. You will know your curry had reached the right note when a heavenly smell will waft across your kitchen.
Serve it along with plain rice and some nice uppumanga chutney (recipe posted before this entry).
Monday, April 13, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Uppumanga Chammanthi/ Brined Mangoes Chutney
Ingredients
1. Uppumanga/ Brined Mangoes - 2 Nos
2. Green Chillies - 5 Nos
3. Ginger - small 1" inch piece
4. Shallots - 5 Nos
5. Coconut - one handful
6. Yoghurt/ Curd - 1 cup
7. For Tempering/ Tadka:
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Red Chillies - 2 Nos
Curry Leaves - one sprig
Method
Grind the items listed from 1-5. Mix this chutney in the yoghurt/ Curd and keep aside. Temper the items listed under item 7 and pour it over the yoghurt mixture.
This dish is best when had with plain rice, upperi/ thoran and some kondattam/ varaval by the side.
1. Uppumanga/ Brined Mangoes - 2 Nos
2. Green Chillies - 5 Nos
3. Ginger - small 1" inch piece
4. Shallots - 5 Nos
5. Coconut - one handful
6. Yoghurt/ Curd - 1 cup
7. For Tempering/ Tadka:
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Red Chillies - 2 Nos
Curry Leaves - one sprig
Method
Grind the items listed from 1-5. Mix this chutney in the yoghurt/ Curd and keep aside. Temper the items listed under item 7 and pour it over the yoghurt mixture.
This dish is best when had with plain rice, upperi/ thoran and some kondattam/ varaval by the side.
Monday, April 6, 2009
The Four Dal "Adai"/ "Adathatti"
Ingredients
Tuvar/ Sambhar Parippu - 1 cup
Green gram/ Cherupayar Parippu - 1 cup
Channa Dal - 1 cup
Uzhunnu Parippu/ Urad Dal - 1 cup
Dosa/ Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Red chillies - 8-10 Nos
Black Peppercorns - 0.5 tsp
Curry Leaves - 3 sprigs
Asafoetida - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Vegetable/ Coconut/ Gingelly Oil - as per one's desire
Method
1. Soak the four dals and rice in water for 2-3 hours.
2. Grind them to a coarse batter, the consistency should not be fine like Idli batter i.e. it should be crunchy.
3. Now add asafoetida, red chillies, curry leaves and salt. you dont need to ferment it like the normal dosa batter. Prepare the batter in a dosa/ pancake style till crispy by smearing oil all the over the sides and centre . Serve this dosa with a steaming hot cup of tea and if you are particular about sidedish for this dosa, I would advise avial or plain jaggery to go with it. I might post Avial recipe in the coming days as Vishu is fast approaching, so wait and watch for a sumptuous Vishu spread in 'BORN FOODIE'.
Tuvar/ Sambhar Parippu - 1 cup
Green gram/ Cherupayar Parippu - 1 cup
Channa Dal - 1 cup
Uzhunnu Parippu/ Urad Dal - 1 cup
Dosa/ Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Red chillies - 8-10 Nos
Black Peppercorns - 0.5 tsp
Curry Leaves - 3 sprigs
Asafoetida - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Vegetable/ Coconut/ Gingelly Oil - as per one's desire
Method
1. Soak the four dals and rice in water for 2-3 hours.
2. Grind them to a coarse batter, the consistency should not be fine like Idli batter i.e. it should be crunchy.
3. Now add asafoetida, red chillies, curry leaves and salt. you dont need to ferment it like the normal dosa batter. Prepare the batter in a dosa/ pancake style till crispy by smearing oil all the over the sides and centre . Serve this dosa with a steaming hot cup of tea and if you are particular about sidedish for this dosa, I would advise avial or plain jaggery to go with it. I might post Avial recipe in the coming days as Vishu is fast approaching, so wait and watch for a sumptuous Vishu spread in 'BORN FOODIE'.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Malai Mushroom- Paneer
Ingredients
Button Mushrooms (sliced) - 15 No.
Paneer/ Cottage Cheese/ Tofu (diced) - 10 No.
Thinly sliced Onions - 2 cups
Finely chopped Tomato - 1 cup
Half inch ginger- finely chopped
Garlic Pods- 3 No.
Green Chillies(slitted)- 5 No.
Fresh Cream - 3 tbsp
Tomato Paste - 2 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 0.5 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnish
Method
Heat oil in a pan, add ginger, garlic and onions, fry till golden brown. Mix all the spice powders nicely with 2 tbsp water to make a paste and pour into the onion mixture and stir for 3 mins. Add green chillies and salt and cook for few secs. Finally add the tomato paste and tomatoes and fry till oil starts to form at the ends. At this point of time add the malai and Paneer, mix well to form a thick gravy.
Switch off and garnish with coriander leaves. This dish is best eaten with North Indian breads or Plain/ Flavoured rice.
Button Mushrooms (sliced) - 15 No.
Paneer/ Cottage Cheese/ Tofu (diced) - 10 No.
Thinly sliced Onions - 2 cups
Finely chopped Tomato - 1 cup
Half inch ginger- finely chopped
Garlic Pods- 3 No.
Green Chillies(slitted)- 5 No.
Fresh Cream - 3 tbsp
Tomato Paste - 2 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 0.5 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnish
Method
Heat oil in a pan, add ginger, garlic and onions, fry till golden brown. Mix all the spice powders nicely with 2 tbsp water to make a paste and pour into the onion mixture and stir for 3 mins. Add green chillies and salt and cook for few secs. Finally add the tomato paste and tomatoes and fry till oil starts to form at the ends. At this point of time add the malai and Paneer, mix well to form a thick gravy.
Switch off and garnish with coriander leaves. This dish is best eaten with North Indian breads or Plain/ Flavoured rice.
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