Source:http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/dal-lucknowi-foodfood.aspx
Final Outcome: Not bad, cannot classify as excellent.
I have mentioned in one of my initial post that I frequently refer Sanjeev Kapoor's book Dals & Kadhis. I could cook just a basic Maharashtrian amti or kadhi, other than these I was not comfortable with cooking dals. This book has introduced me to a variety of dals so I love it.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
Toor Dal: 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Milk: 1/2 cup
Red chilies: 2
Cumin:1/2 tsp
Garlic cloves: 2 chopped
Fresh coriander leaves: 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil
Method:
1. Wash and soak toor dal for 15-20 mins. Drain and add 1 cup of water, salt, and a little oil. Pressure cook till it is cooked.
2. In a pan bring dal to a boil. In another pan heat oil. Add cumin seeds, red chilies and Garlic cloves. Saute till garlic turns brown. Add this seasoning to dal.
3. Add milk and chopped coriander and cook for a couple of mins.
4. After the dal comes to a boil, take off heat and serve hot.
Final Outcome: Fantastic!!!
I borrowed this recipe from pamphlet of a grocery store. I searched unsuccessfully online to include it in my post. It was a very different and yummy recipe.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
Brown Rice: 1 cup washed and set aside
Celery: 1 small bunch/ 1 cup chopped
Mushrooms: 1 pack quartered
Garlic cloves: 3-4 minced
Crushed pepper: 1 tsp
Italian seasoning: 1/2 tsp
Chili flakes: a pinch
Olive oil: 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Method:
1. Heat Oil in a deep pan. Add Onions and minced garlic. Cook for a couple of mins. Add chopped celery and cook till celery is soft.
2. Add chili flakes and quartered mushrooms. Cook for a couple of mins.
3. Add washed brown rice and mix well. Add salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Add 3 cups of water and cook covered till rice is cooked.
4. Uncover and mix well. Cook for a few more mins. Serve hot.
Final Outcome: Good.
My Grandma made these thalipith a very long time ago.I had forgotten all about them until my friend mentioned these. I made them for breakfast. It was a good change from regular recipes.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
Jowar flour: 2 cups
Brinjal: Roasted, peeled and mashed, 2
Onion : 1/2 finely chopped
Goda masala: 1 tsp
Red chili powder: 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
(I also added last nights leftover aamti(sambar))
Method:
1. Mix Jowar flour, roasted brinjal , masala, chili powder and salt with a little water. Kneed the dough.
2. Make small balls and pat them on a tava to form a thick roti like shape.
3. Keep on medium heat. Cook covered. Turn it over after a few mins.Add a little oil on tava if required.
4. Take off heat and serve with butter &/or chutney. Pat new thalipith only after tava cools.
Source: http://www.tarladalal.com/Bengali-Khichdi-(iron-Rich-Recipe)-5713r
Final Outcome: Nice!
After a long time I am borrowing a recipe from an external source. I wanted to try a different version of khichdi. While looking for recipes I came across this healthy and tasty recipe. I have done some subtle changes. Below is the recipe for reference:
Recipe:
Ingredients:
Rice: 1 cup , washed and set aside
Masoor dal: 1 cup washed and set aside
Onion: 1 chopped
Potato: 1 large cubed
Beans: 7-8 chopped into 1 inch pieces
Matar/Peas: 1/2 cup
Garlic cloves: 3-4 crushed
Ginger: 1/2 inch piece grated
Green chili: 1
Ghee 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Spices:
Cinnamon: 1 stick of 1 inch
Cloves: 2-3
Cardamom: 2-3
Bay leaf: 1
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
Method:
1. Heat Ghee in a pressure pan. Add Onion and fry till soft. Add Garlic and ginger paste. Add all the spices and fry for a min.
2. Add all the vegetables: Beans, Potato, Peas and green chili. mix well and fry for a min.
3. Add Rice, masoor dal and salt. Mix well.
4.Add 6 cups of water and cook 2 whistles. Serve hot.
Final Outcome: Very tasty!
I have done the most idiotic thing a blogger can do. Let me back up a little.... Today morning I cooked a new breakfast dish. I had to take a pic so I reached for my hubby's phone (it has good camera, my phone's camera does not work). But his memory card was full. None of the pics from his phone have been copied so I picked up our DSLR camera. For the second time I had to read the message that the memory card was full. In a rush to take a picture, gobble up my dish and wake other occupants of our house, I deleted 5-6 of the previous photos.... and alas Alu Bhaji was one of the photo that made space in my memory card:-(. Sadly Alu is not easily available. I don't know when I will be cooking it next.
This post is dedicated in sweet memory of lost pictures....
Recipe:
Alu: 2 bunches of leaves and stems. washed, stems peeled and chopped and leaves chopped.
Chana Dal: 1 tbsp soaked for 30 mins
Rice: 1/2 tbsp washed and soaked
Tamarind juice: 1 tbsp
Jaggery: 1 tbsp
Besan: 1 tbsp mixed with half cup of water.
Green chili: 1 cut into half
Salt to taste
For seasoning:
Oil
Mustard seeds: 1 pinch
Asafoetida: 1 pinch
Red chili: 1
Method:
1. Pressure cook Alu, Chana dal and rice with about a cup of water.
2. After the pressure releases, pour the cooked mixture into a pan. Add Tamarind juice, Jaggery and green chili. Bring it ti a boil. Now add Besan mixture and salt. mix well and cook for about 5 mins.
3. For seasoning: heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Once they splutter add Asafoetida and red chili. Pour hot seasoning over the bhaji.
4. Take bhaji off heat. and serve hot.
Hey Ifound this photo after 2 weeks!!! Hence updating my post with this pic now.
Final Outcome: Good
Whew!!! What a month I had! Guests, social gatherings, unplanned events.... I have not cooked a single new dish for an entire month. I had begun working on a cross stitch project. As usual I took a bite larger than I could chew. I planned on making a BIG 'Tweety' bird for my kid. So far I have only finished its foot! I need a few extra hours in a day. Lets hope I can complete atleast this resolution on time.
This recipe is borrowed from my mom. She makes it frequently. I have made it several times in the last month. The one in the picture was the 1st one ( We had just returned from a visit home and our refrigerator was empty except frozen sweet corn. Hence the picture contains only corn).
Recipe: ( for 2 persons)
Broken Wheat/Daliya: 1 cup
1 cup of vegetables chopped: Beans, carrot, Green peas and sweet corn
Ginger: 1 inch
Onion : 1/2 medium onion chopped
Green chili: 1 chopped
Oil: 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida: a pinch
Salt to taste
Lemon juice: 2 spoons
Fresh Coriander: 1 tbsp
Method:
1. Add chopped vegetables and Ginger to broken wheat. Add 2.5 cups of water and pressure cook 2 whistles or until done.
2. In a pan heat oil. Add mustard seeds. once they begin to splutter add asafoetida, green chili and onion. Cook till onion is soft.
3. Add cooked broken wheat and salt. Mix well.
3. Add a little water if it appears dry. Add lemon juice and chopped fresh coriander. Mix well and serve hot.
Final Outcome: Two thumbs up!!!
I have already made it twice. I am cooking more authentic recipes now and this was lovely. Try it and you will love it.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
Toor dal: 1/2 cup
Turmeric: 1/2 tsp
Tamrind juice: 2-3 spoons
Salt
Vegetables (cooked): Beans, carrots, Drumstick, potato
For seasoning:
Mustard: 1/2 tsp
Oil: 2-3 tsp
Curry leaves: 4-5
Masala:
Cinnamon: 1/2 inch
Cloves: 2
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Methi: ~ 1/4th tsp
Asafoetida: a pinch
Chana dal: 1 large spoon
Red chilies: 1 or 2
Coriander seeds: 1 large spoon
Mustard: 1 tsp
Curry Leaves: 7-8
Grated coconut: ~1/2 cup
Method:
1. Wash and soak toor dal for 20- 30 mins. Add a pinch of turmeric and pressure cook till done.
2. Heat a little oil in a pan. Add ingredients listed under masala one by one in the same order. (fry chana dal a little before adding the next ingredient). Cool and grind to a fine paste.
3. Add cooked veggies and masala from step 2 to the dal. Add tamrind juice and salt. Bring the sambar to a boil.
4. Prepare seasoning of mustard seeds and curry leaves. Pour it over hot sambar.
