Dal Fry

From where I come from dal is comfort food at its best. Nothing beats the spicy homey dal with rice, raita and pickle. Yum !

This dal recipe is one of my favorite to date.

Its really like the one you'd order at any Indian restaurant. 

I've posted a some-what similar recipe before with Maash dal.  You can find the recipe HERE

You can make this with Maash dal, Toor dal or Moong dal. I'm using moong

For this recipe you'll need:

250 grams of Yellow lentil (Moong Dal)

1 large Onion chopped

2 large Tomatoes chopped

3-4 Green Chilies chopped

1/2 tsp of Cumin

7-8 whole Red Chilies

1 1/2 tsp of Red Chili Powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Coriander powder

2 tsp of Ginger Garlic paste

1/2 bunch of Coriander

Juice of 1 Lemon

Boil Lentil with salt and turmeric. 

Meanwhile make the Masala

Heat oil in a pan, add green chilies, cumin and whole red chilies. Cook till fragrant

add onions. Cook till transparent.

than add ginger garlic paste. When fragrant

add tomatoes, red chili powder, coriander powder. Cook till the tomatoes are done and the oil comes on top. 

Add coriander and lemon juice. Mix together.

Than add the boiled dal.

..a little water. Cook till the consistency you like.

Serve with roti or rice !

Meethi Dahi Barey {Lentil Dumpling in Sweetened Yogurt}

This is something that is usually made in the month of Ramadan for Iftaar. Its a soft lentil dumpling that is fried and dunked in sweet yogurt.

Its super easy, and can be made ahead of time.

For this recipe you'll need:

1/2 cup of Yellow Lentil

a pinch of Baking Soda

a pinch of Salt

1 1/2 cup of Yogurt

5-6 tbsp of Sugar

Soak Lentil in water for 1 hour.

Than blend to make a paste.

Add baking soda and salt. Mix and leave for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile heat water with a bit of salt till simmering.

Mix yogurt and sugar together. Keep aside.

Pour this mixture in a heated oil with a spoon, so that they form disc shapes, dont make them very large, as they will swell up in the water. Fry till light golden. 

Than add them in hot water for 5 minutes. Take them out. Press out access water when cool handle. 

Add them to sweetened yogurt. 

Sprinkle with Chaat Masala and serve !

Haleem

Haleem in a stew make with meat, lentils, wheat and barley. It is complete nutritious meal as all the ingrediants used are a great source of fibre and proteins. And its super delicious !

We made a BIG pot of this, as we distribute if to family and friends on 9th Muharram.

But i'm telling you the recipe for 1 kg meat. 

You'll need:

100 grams of Wheat (gandum)

100 grams of Barley (jau)

200 grams of Gram lentil (chaney ki daal)

200 grams of Split yellow lentil (Moong)

200 grams of Red lentil (Masoor)

100 grams of Mash daal

1 kg of boneless Chicken/ Beef/ Mutton (i used beef)

1 tbsp of Ginger Garlic paste

2 large or 3 medium Onion, sliced

2 medium Tomatoes (or 4-5 tbsp of tomato puree)

5-6 Green Chilies, chopped

Salt to taste

2 tbsp of Red chili powder (adjust according to taste)

1/2 tsp of Coriander powder

1/4 tsp of Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp of All Apice (garam masala powder)

1/4 tsp of Cumin (zeera)

6-7 Cloves (laung)

6-7 whole Black Pepper

1 Bay leave

2-3 black cardamom

Serve with:

Crispy browned Onion

Chopped Corainder and Mint

Chaat Masala

Chopped Green Chilies

Lemon

Soak lentils, wheat and barley in water for 4-5 hours.

In a seperate pateeli add everything else including the meat.

Add enough water to that the meat is covered.

Cook on low flame for 4-5 hours so that the meat is very tender and the water evaporates.

When the water dries, add oil and saute for a few minutes, crushing the meat in the process. If the meat is still tough, add a bit more water anf let it cook more, the meat should literally disintegrate.

Meanwhile thats happening, cook the lentils, barley and wheat together in a pressure cooker. You can cook them in a pot if you like. I used a presure cooker :)

Blend in a blender or use a hand blender.

Add to the meat mixture.

Now you know how BIG i was talking about :P

Cook some more, for about 15-20 minutes. Stirring ocassionally to prevent burning.

When ready to take out, sprinkle a little Garam Masala on top.

Serve with Chaat Masala, corainder, mint, fried Onions, green chilies and lemon on top 

Shami Kabab

I've been meaning to make this since Bakra Eid, just didnt get the time.

This is my Mother's recipe and for those who havent tried my mother's food, let me tell that she is an amazing cook!

I tripled the ingredients, as my mother freezes a few too. Made 96 kababs :D (yes, i counted :P)

Ingredients :

Beef : 1 kg (boneless, fat removed, cut in cubes)

Chickpea Lentil : 250 gm (1 pao)

Salt : to taste

Red chili powder : to taste

Cumin : 1 tsp

Black pepper whole : 1 tsp

Cinnamon : 2 sticks

Clove : 1 tsp

Black cardamom :3-4

Garlic : 9-10 large cloves

Ginger : 2 inch piece

Green chilies : 9-10

(To make the kabab)

Onion : 2 medium sized

Green chilies : 10-12

Eggs : 3-4

Coriander : 1/2 cup

Mint : 1/2 cup

Method :

Soak the lentil in water for 1 hour.

In a large pot add the beef..

...add all the spices...

...and the chickpea lentil.

Cook on low flame for 2-2 1/2 hour. Or till the meat and the lentil are tender.

Now take out half of the meat (only) in a separate pot..

...add about a cup and a half of water and let it cook for 1 more hour on low flame.

Stir occasionally. Cook till the meat is so tender that it breaks and shreds when u stir it. Take off heat and let it cool a bit. than with ur hands lightly shred the meat.

Meanwhile pass the remaining meat and lentil mixture, onion and green chilies through the mince machine.

Add eggs, coriander, mint and the shredded meat to the minced meat.

Than with your hand mix for 5-7 minutes.

This is how it will look like when its done.

Shape into kababs.

Shallow fry and Enjoy !! 

Mash Daal ... My way :P

hey all !
So this is what my mother calls "Pathani Daal" :P. I never liked maash ki daal before but i came across this recipe a few months back, knowing me u know i had to try it, so i did and lucky for me it turned out amazing. And i've been making it ever since. A delicious twist on your everyday daal recipe !

Ingredients :

Daal Mash : 1/2 kg
Onion : 2 sliced
Whole red chillies : 6-7
Zeera : 1 tsp
Garlic : 5-6 cloves
Tomatoes : 3 cubed
Red chilli powder : 1 tbsp ( or to taste)
Salt : to taste
Haldi : 1/4 tsp
Lemon : 1
Green Chillies : 5-6
Coriander : 1/2 bunch
Ginger : 1 inch piece julienne
Oil : 1/2 cup

Method :

Clean and soak daal in water for 1 hour. Than boil and keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok and fry onions till golden brown. Take out and keep aside.

In the same oil add freshly crushed garlic, zeera and whole red chillies.

When fragrant add tomatoes, red chilli powder, haldi and salt. Cook on low flame.

When the oil is released and the tomatoes are cooked add juice of 1 lemon, green chillies and boiled daal.

Sprinkle fried onions, ginger and coriander(i used mint cuz i was running low on coriander). Cover and put on dam for 5-7 minutes.

Happy Cooking !

Sharing this recipe with Love for Lentils