Dal Fry

Get into any Indian restaurant, and probably one of the most common dish accompanying rice and phulkas will be the Dal Fry. As the name suggests, it's main ingredients include lentils with a dash of spices.

Usually made with a ghee tempering, the dry spices are first lightly fried resulting in a heavenly aroma. This follows the onion-ginger garlic-tomato sauteing, which further enhances the plain lentils. Have it with plain rice or phulkas, either ways it leaves any Dal-lover refreshed.

A humble yet heavenly soul-food !

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 Cup Toor Dal/ Arhar Dal
• 1/2 Cup Chana Dal
• 1 Large Tomato, chopped
• 1 Large Onion, chopped
• 4-5 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 Tspn Ginger, crushed
• 1-2 Green Chilly, slit length-wise
• 1 Tspn Kasuri Methi, crushed
• A pinch of Asafoetida
• 1-2 Dry Red Chilly
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1/2 Tspn Cinnamon Powder
• 1Tspn Sugar
• 1Tspn Turmeric Powder
• 2-3 Sprigs of Coriander Leaves
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tspn Mustard Seeds
• Ghee or Oil, for tempering
• Red Chilly Powder, as per taste
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Soak the lentils in water for about an hour. Rinse well and pressure cook with salt and turmeric till soft.
• Heat ghee/ oil in a pan. Add dry red chilly, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, bay leaf and asafoetida. As they begin to crackle, add the chopped onions and saute till translucent.
• Add the garlic and ginger. Saute.
• Add chopped tomato and saute till soft and pulpy. Add sugar, chilly powder, cinnamon powder and crushed kasuri methi. Mix well.
• Add the boiled lentils. Add appropriate quantity of water if a thinner consistency is desired. Let it come to a boil, after which let it simmer for about 5 minutes, before switching off flame.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or phulkas. 
• Happy gobbling :P !

Chickpea Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Pasta (cooked till al-dente)
• 1 Cup Chickpeas/ Garbanzo Beans/ Chana(soaked overnight & boiled)
• 1 Tomato, chopped
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 1 Cucumber, chopped
• 1/2 Cup Corn Kernels, boiled
• 1/4 Capsicum, chopped
• 1/4 Carrot, chopped
• 2-3 Sprigs of Coriander Leaves
• 1 Green Chilly, minced (optional)
• 1 Tbspn Lemon Juice (optional)
• 1 Tspn Freshly Ground Pepper
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Boil the pasta in salted water till al-dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. After draining out the cold water, add a few drops of olive oil and toss. The coating of olive oil on cooked pasta ensures that it does not stick to each other. 
• Boil chickpeas (soaked overnight). 
• Combine all the ingredients well and Voila!... A super healthy pasta salad is ready :D.

Palak Kadhi

Healthy and yummy - Palak Kadhi !!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Bunch Palak Leaves/ Spinach
• 2-3 Green Chillies or as per taste
• 2-3 Sprigs of Curry Leaf
• 1 Tspn Coriander Seeds, crushed
• 1 Tspn Mustard Seeds
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• Chilli Powder, as per taste
• 1 Cup Sour Curd
• 1 Cup Besan/ Gram Flour
• Pinch of hing/ asafoetida
• 2 Tspn Ghee
• 1 Dry Red Chilli

METHOD

• Rinse and chop the palak leaves. Heat a pan and add about a tbspn of oil. Fry the chopped palak till soft and well cooked.
• In another container, add the curd and besan. Whisk till smooth. Add salt and turmeric along with water to obtain a thin consistency.
• Heat a pan, add ghee. When ghee gets heated up, add the mustard seeds and dry red chilli. Cumin seeds are to be added next, after the mustard seeds start crackling. Add hing, chilli powder, turmeric, salt and curry leaves. Saute for around 30 seconds.
• Pour the besan and curd solution. Let it come to a boil, then let it simmer. Keep stirring, lest it gets stuck to the bottom. Frothing shall be observed when this mixture is being cooked. This froth disappears after a while, indicating that the besan is now cooked.
• Add the cooked palak leaves and simmer for another 5-6 minutes. Keep stirring in between.
• And, palak kadhi is ready. Goes best with plain rice.

Lasooni Dal

Dal with a garlicky kick !!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 Cup Toor Dal/ Arhar Dal
• 1/2 Cup Massor Dal/ Red Lentils
• 2 Medium Sized Onion, chopped
• 3 Tbspn Garlic, chopped
• 1 Tomato, chopped
• 1 Green Chilly
• 1 Tbspn Panch Phootan
• 1 Sprig Coriander Leaves

METHOD

• Boil the lentils with salt, turmeric and chopped tomato in a pressure cooker, for around 3 whistles or till soft.
• Heat oil in a pan and add panch phootan. When it starts crackling, add the sliced onions and garlic. Saute till they start to brown. 
• Add the boiled dal and let it come to a boil. Switch off flame.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tomato Dal

The tad bit extra tomatoes added to this already tasty lentil, not only gives it a lovely orange-ish  color but also a wonderful taste. Tomato Dal and plain rice combo is a favorite among many, including mine :D :D.
Can be slurrped away as a soup too ;) !!

Both Toor Dal as well as tomatoes are packed with nutritional values, thereby making it a very healthy dish. This lentil has a high content of folic acid while tomatoes are rich in Vitamins B6, A, C, K, thiamine, potassium, magnesium as well as antioxidants.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Toor Dal
• 3 Medium Tomatoes
• 1 Medium Onion
• 1 Tspn Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1-2 Green Chilly
• 1 Dry Red Chilly
• A pinch of Hing/ Asafoetida
• 1 Tspn Mustard Seeds
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Rinse the toor dal. Add salt and turmeric to the dal. Boil it in a pressure cooker for 4 whistles or till dal is soft and well cooked. Add enough water so that the dal is completely immersed.
• Heat a pan and add a couple of tbspn of oil. Add mustard seeds and as they start to crackle, add dry red chilly, cumin seeds and asafoetida.
• Add chopped onions and saute till transparent. Add ginger garlic paste. Saute till raw flavour vanishes.
• Add finely chopped tomatoes, green chilly, turmeric and salt. Fry till tomatoes are pulpy and well cooked.
• Add the previously boiled toor dal. Mix well. Let it come to a boil. Add water if it becomes too thick.
• Simmer for about 5 minutes. The final consistency should be medium, neither too thick nor too thin.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with a plain or jeera rice.

 Boil toor dal, in a pressure cooker for 4 whistles or till well cooked and soft.

In another pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chilly and asafoetida.

And, relish this yummy Dal with plain or jeera rice.

Mitha Dali

At the mere mention of Puri, the first image which floats up in my brain, is the Puri Temple - The Lord Jagannatha's Temple where He is worshiped along with his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra on the Ratna Bedi along with Sridevi, Bhudevi, Sudarshan Chakra and Madanmohan.
A very sacred place, It has a special space in the hearts and minds of many.

Personally, I have a lot of fond memories attached with Puri. And to be very frank, most of it are with the Mahaprasad. During each visit to The Temple, I would eagerly wait for all the rituals to get over, for then we would head for the Anand Bazar where the Mahaprasad is sold.
One whiff of the aroma and I would be sure that this is exactly what heavenly food smells like... then of-course, it is !! For it is said that Maa Lakshmi, Herself presides over the temple kitchen. No wonder heavenly food comes out.

We would have a hearty meal and on our way back would carry some for neighbours and friends. Given a choice I would probably have carried back each of the dishes for a second meal....and a third...probably each meal of each day :D!!
Anyway we (the kids) would be asked for our wishes (a special portion for us too :D :D ) and each time 'mitha dali' would be the unanimous scream!
And, the following meal would see 2 greedy kids devouring away mitha dali till the point the earthern pot (containing the dali) would be as clean as new :P .

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Channa Dal
• 1/4 Cup Coconut, grated
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tbspn Panch Phootan (cumin, mustard, nigella, fennel and fenugreek)
• 1 Tspn Coriander Seeds
• 1" Cinnamon 
• 4-5 Cardamom
• 4-5 Cloves
• 4-5 Black Pepper
• 2 Tbspn Jaggery (or sugar)
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• Ghee
• Salt, as per taste 

METHOD

• Soak the Channa Dal for about 30 minutes. Rinse and pressure cook the Channa Dal with salt, turmeric and jaggery, for 10 minutes or till Channa Dal is soft.
• Blend the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, coriander seeds and cumin seeds. Add little water to make a paste.
• After the steam releases from the pressure cooker, add the above paste along with the coconut and bring to a boil. Then simmer for around 15 minutes or till a relatively thick consistency is achieved.
• In another pan, heat a couple of tbspn of ghee. Add the panchphootan seeds. Saute for about half a minute and then add the dal. Mix well and simmer for about a couple of minutes. 
• Serve and relish the ever awesome 'mitha dali' :D.

 Soak Channa Dal for about half an hour.

 Pressure cook the soaked Dal with salt, turmeric and jaggery (I have used dark jaggery).

 Make a paste of cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper.

 Add the coconut and the dry spices paste to the boiled Dal. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes.
In another pan, heat ghee and add panch phootan. As they splutter, add the Dal. Simmer for a couple of minutes.

Relish :D !!



 

Raw Papaya Curry

Papaya - The benefits are quite a many !! Cosmetic industries, pharmaceutical industries as well as fitness centers have become huge fans of this gift from Mother Nature.
A sure cure for gastric problems, heart burn, constipation and skin injuries, apart from it aiding in burning calorie.

And, did you know - Raw papaya has more nutritional value than its older and riper counterparts :O !! This is due to the fact that as the fruit ripens its useful enzyme level decreases.
All the more reason to fetch this little green being :D.

A healthy, easy and tasty curry recipe -

INGREDIENTS:

• 100gm Channa Dal – soaked previously for at least 30 minutes
• 100gm Raw Papaya / Green Papaya, peeled and cubed
• 1 Medium Sized Potato, cubed
• 1 Medium Sized Onion, chopped finely
• 1 Medium Sized Tomato, pureed
• 1 Tspn Ginger Garlic paste
• 1 1” Cinnamon stick
• 1 Green Chilly, halved
• 1 Tbspn Hing
• 1 Tspn Mustard Seeds
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• Cooking Oil

METHOD:

• Soak Channa Dal for at least 30 minutes.
• Peel and de-seed the papaya. Cut into small cubes. Similarly cut the potatoes.
• In a pressure cooker heat oil and add mustard seeds. As they begin to splutter add cumin seeds and cinnamon. Let it cook for a few seconds before adding onions.
• Cook the onions till they turn golden brown.
• Add ginger garlic paste. Saute till raw flavour disappears.
• Add the tomato, papaya and potatoes along with salt and turmeric. Saute for about 5 minutes.
• Add the Channa Dal with about 2 cups of water (all the contents should be almost immersed) and let it cook for another min.
• Close the lid of the pressure cooker and let it cook for about 3 whistles or till papaya is soft and well cooked. Switch off flame.
• Let all the pressure release on its own. Then open the cooker and put it in medium heat and cook till desired consistency is achieved.
• Sprinkle a pinch of roasted jeera powder, for an enhanced smell.

 Pressure cook all the ingredients - the onion-ginger-garlic sauteed masala, the raw papaya, the potatoes, the tomatoes along with the Channa Dal.

Chole Masala/ Chana Masala

Chole or Chana or Garbanzo Beans - The name itself is sufficient to poke my brain, which in turn immediately stirs up its memory cells and brings up the puri and chole or chole bhature image. Just like acting to a stimuli, my body immediately responds - soak chole, prepare chole and puri or bhature and gobble gobble gobble. Umm... yummy !!
Be it any day or rather any meal of the day, be sure to count me in for a plate of chole-bhature :D !

This member of the legume family is both health as well as pocket friendly. Its high iron content makes it an attractive food for anemic people. Moreover, its high fiber content makes  it easy for digestion - another add-on to the list. It fills one up for a longer time, thus controlling appetite, thereby reducing the urge to fill up unnecessary snacks. Hence, good for people trying to lose weight too.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Garbanzo Beans /Chickpeas/ Chole/ Chana
• 1 Large Onion, chopped finely
• 1 Tbspn Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 Large Tomato, pureed
• 1-2 Green Chilly, chopped finely
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 Dry Red Chilly
• 1" Cinnamon 
• 2-3 Green Cardamom
• 1 Tbspn Chana/Chole Masala
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• 1 Tspn Chilly Powder (optional)
• 1 Tspn Amchur Powder 
• 1 Tspn Lemon Juice (optional)
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Soak the chickpeas overnight in sufficient water. Boil in a pressure cooker in salted water till soft.
• Heat about 2 tbspn oil in a pan. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon and cardamom. Saute. Add dry red chilly and cumin seeds.
• As the cumin seeds start crackling, add the finely chopped onions. Saute till translucent. Add the ginger garlic paste. Saute till raw flavour goes away.
• Add the tomato puree, green chilly, salt (only for the masala mix, as the chickpeas have been boiled in salted water) and turmeric powder. Fry till oil starts leaving the masala.
• Mix the chickpeas along with the water in which it was boiled. Bring to a boil. 
• Add amchur powder, chilly powder (optional) and store bought chana masala. Simmer for about 10 minutes or till desired consistency is achieved.
• Goes very well with puri, chapati ... in fact, with any kind of bread :D !
• If you are a citrus lover like me, drizzle some lemon juice before starting to gobble gobble and gobble :P.

Gujarati Bhindi Kadhi

INGREDIENTS

• 8-10 Medium Sized Bhindi/ Okra/ Lady's Finger
• 1 Cup Sour Curd
• 2 Tbspn Besan/ Gram Flour
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• Salt, as per taste
• 1 Tspn Sugar or Jaggery, or as per taste
• 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
• Chilly Powder, as per taste
• 1 Tspn Mustard Seeds
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• A pinch of Hing/ Asafoetida
• 1 Dry Red Chilly
• 1-2 Sprig Coriander Leaves

METHOD

• Chop the bhindi into 1" pieces. Shallow fry till tender and crispy. Keep aside.
• Whip the curd. Add in the salt, sugar or jaggery and besan and mix well. Add around 2 cups of water to it to attain a thin and watery solution. 
• In a pan, heat a tbspn of ghee or oil, as per preference. Add mustard seeds and when they begin to splutter add the dry red chilly, hing, cumin seeds,curry leaves and turmeric powder. When the cumin seeds start crackling, add the curd besan solution. Add chilly powder. Mix well.
• Bring the solution to a boil and then let it simmer. the top layer shall start getting frothy. Cook on low flame till this froth disappears  (indicates besan is cooked) which will be around 8-10 minutes. Add water in case the kadhi gets thick. The final consistency should be thin.
• Add the pre-fried bhindi and simmer for another couple of minutes.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
• Relish hot. 

Horsegram Dal/ Kolatha Dali

A protein rich wholesome dal !!

INGREDIENTS

• 200gm Horsegram or Kolatha Dali
• 1 Dry Mango Piece/ Ambula
• 2-3 Green Chilly or as per taste
• 1 Medium Onion, chopped finely
• 1 Tspn Garlic, minced
• 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
• 1 Dry Red Chilly
• 1 Tspn Mustard Seeds
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• Pinch of Hing/ Asafoetida
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Soak the kolatha dali for half an hour.
• Pressure cook with salt, turmeric powder, slit green chilly and ambula, for around 20 minutes or till dal is soft and mushy. Let it cool.
• Mash the dal with the help of a ladle. Alternatively, it could be mashed with a blender too.
• Heat mustard oil in a pan. Add the mustard and cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add the hing, dry red chilly and curry leaves. Saute for a while.
• Add finely chopped onion and garlic. Saute till onion starts getting brown.
• Add the mashed dal and let it come to a boil. Add water in case it becomes thick. Simmer for another 5-6 minutes.
• Kolatha dali is best relished with plain rice.

Green Peas Masala

INGREDIENTS:

• 200 gm Green Peas, shelled
• 1 Medium Onion
• 1 Tbspn Ginger Garlic paste
• 1 Large Tomato pureed
• 1-2 Green Chilly, chopped finely
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• Pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)
• 1" Cinnamon
• 1 Tspn Garam Masala
• 8-10 Cashews
• 1 Tspn Sesame Seeds (optional)
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD:

• Boil the green peas till soft. Alternatively, they can be shallow fried too.
• In a pan, heat oil/butter and add cumin seeds as well as cinnamon and a pinch of hing.
• After the cumin seeds stop crackling, add minced onions and saute them till golden brown.
• Add ginger garlic paste. After the raw smell vanishes, add the pureed tomato.
• Add turmeric powder and salt to taste. Stir occasionally till oil oozes out of the masala.
• Blend the cashew and sesame seeds to a smooth paste and add. Stir for a couple of minutes.
• Then add some of the broth (in which green peas were cooked). Bring to boil and add the peas.
• Let it cook on simmer till the desired consistency of the gravy is achieved.
• Green peas masala is ready to be devoured with a plate full of steaming plain/ jeera rice or as I like - with roti :D !!

Rajasthani Kadhi

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Curd
• 2 Tbspn Besan/ Gram Flour
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• Salt, as per taste
• Chilly Powder, as per taste
• 1 Tspn Mustard Seeds
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• A pinch of Hing/ Asafoetida
• 1 Dry Red Chilly

METHOD

• Whip the curd so that it becomes smooth. Add in the salt and besan and mix well. There should be no lumps. Add around 2 cups of water to it to attain a thin and watery solution. 
• In a pan, heat a tbspn of ghee or oil, as per your preference. Add mustard seeds and when they begin to splutter add the dry red chilly, hing, cumin seeds and turmeric powder. When the cumin seeds start crackling, add the curd besan solution. Add chilly powder. Mix well.
• Bring the solution to a boil and then let it simmer. the top layer shall start getting frothy. Cook on low flame till this froth disappears  (indicates besan is cooked) which will be around 8-10 minutes. Add water in case the kadhi gets thick. The final consistency should be medium neither too thick nor too thin.
• And, now relish it with steaming plain rice.

Chillies

A Mexican delight !! Yummiliously wholesome.

INGREDIENTS

• 200gm Mixed Beans. Can be a mix of any beans you have. I have used Lima Beans, Kidney Beans, Soya Beans & Black Beans.
• 1 Large Onion, sliced
• 1 Medium Capsicum, chopped
• 1 Medium Carrot, chopped
• 2-3 Medium Tomatoes, chopped finely
• 1-2 Green Chilly, chopped finely
• 1 Tbspn Ginger Garlic paste
• 1 Tspn Garam Masala
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• Salt to taste

METHOD

• Soak the beans overnight. Rinse. Pressure cook them for 30 minutes or till soft. Keep aside.
• Heat a pan and add oil. Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a couple of minutes.
• Add onion, green chilly, capsicum and carrots. Add salt. Saute till vegetables are soft.
• Add tomatoes and fry till tomatoes are well cooked.
• Add the previously boiled beans along with the water in which it boiled. Mix well. Add chilli powder if you require. Add garam masala. Add more water if you require a thinner consistency. Bring to a boil and then simmer for a couple of minutes.
• Yummy chillies is all ready for your palate. Sprinkle some cheese on it, if you desire or side it any other dish and relish.

Dal Palak

INGREDIENTS

• 100gms Toor Dal
• 1 Bunch Spinach Leaves, rinsed, washed and chopped finely
• 1 Medium Onion, chopped finely
• 1 Tbspn Garlic, chopped finely
• 1 Tspn Mustard Seeds
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1 Dry Red Chilli
• A pinch of Asafoetida/ Hing
• 1 Tspn Garam Masala (optional)
• Lemon Juice (optional)
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Pressure cook the dal with salt, turmeric and water for 3-4 whistles or till dal is soft.
• Meanwhile in another pan, add oil and shallow fry the spinach, till soft and well cooked. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and add dry red chilli, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and hing. Fry for a while before adding onion. Fry onion till brown. Then add the garlic and stir for a couple of minutes till garlic starts browning.
• Now, add the boiled dal as well as the cooked spinach. Add garam masala and lemon juice. Mix and simmer for another couple of minutes.
• Dal palak is all ready to go with plain rice or roti's. Enjoy !!

Panchmel Dal or Panchratna Dal

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 Cup Toor Dal/ Arhar Dal
• 1/4 Cup Chana Dal
• 1/4 Cup Moong Dal
• 1/4 Cup Masoor Dal
• 1/4 Cup Urad Dal
• 1 Medium Onion, sliced thinnly
• 1 Tspn Ginger Paste
• 2 Medium Tomato, Pureed
• 2-3 Green Chillies or as per taste, slit vertically
• 1 Tspn Garam Masala
• 1 Tspn Coriander Powder
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1" Cinnamon stick
• 2-3 Cardamom
• 2-3 Cloves
• 1 Dry Red Chilli
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• Salt, as per taste
• Ghee for cooking
• A pinch of Asafoetida/ Hing
• 1 Tspn Sugar or Jaggery
• 1 Tspn Lemon Juice
• Red Chilli Powder, as per taste
• 2-3 Sprigs of Coriander Leaves

 METHOD

• Soak all the lentils in water for at least 30 minutes. Pressure it with salt and turmeric, till it is soft and mushy.
• Heat a pan and add ghee.
• Add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and dry red chilli. As they crackle, add hing and sliced onions. Fry them till they are well cooked, after which add the ginger paste and green chillies. Saute for a minute. Add the tomato puree, salt and turmeric. Fry till tomatoes are soft.
• Add in the previously boiled lentils. Mix well. Add water if it becomes thick. Bring to a boil. Add garam masala and coriander powder.
• Simmer for 10 minutes.
• ....and yummy panchmel dal is ready to be served. Garnish with coriander leaves. Sprinkle lemon juice as per taste.

Punjabi Kadhi

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Large Potato
• 1 Large Onion
• 2-3 Green Chillies or as per taste
• 2-3 Sprigs of Curry Leaf
• 1 Tspn Coriander Seeds, crushed
• 1 Tspn Ajwain Seeds
• 1 Tspn Mustard Seeds
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• Chilli Powder, as per taste
• 1 Cup Sour Curd
• 1 Cup Besan/ Gram Flour
• Pinch of hing/ asafoetida
• 2 Tspn Ghee
• 1 Dry Red Chilli

METHOD

• Cut the potato and onion, into small pieces. Put them into a mixing bowl, along with some curry leaves, minced green chillies, ajwain, crushed coriander, salt as per taste and turmeric.
• Sprinkle besan generously and mix well. For moisture, add curd accordingly. The consistency should be much thicker than dosa batter, for it has to be deep fried like a pakoda or fritters.
• Heat oil and deep fry small portions of the mixture, dropping preferably 1” diameter balls, one by one into the hot oil. Fry on medium flame.
• Once all the pakoda’s are deep fried, keep aside on a paper towel to drain out excess oil.
• Take a small bowl and add 2-3 tbspns of besan. Add water to this and make a smooth paste.
• In another larger container, pour this solution along with the rest of the curd and water to make an almost watery solution. Keep aside.
• Heat a pan, add ghee. When ghee gets heated up, add the mustard seeds and dry red chilli. Cumin seeds are to be added next, after the mustard seeds start crackling. Add hing, chilli powder, turmeric, salt and curry leaves. Saute for around 30 seconds.
• Pour the besan and curd solution. Let it come to a boil, then let it simmer. Keep stirring, lest it gets stuck to the bottom. Frothing shall be observed when this mixture is being cooked. This froth disappears after a while, indicating that the besan is now cooked.
• Add the previously fried pakoda’s and simmer for another 5-6 minutes.
• Yummylicious kadhi pakoda awaits you !!

Sajana Saga Mooga Dali

Nutrients count totaling up to almost a century in count and half a century antioxidants !! Wow... that's Moringa leaves or Drumstick leaves for us :D. 

Packed with vitamins, medicinal properties, antioxidants and nutrients, these leaves make an excellent ingredient for any and every day dish.

Here's one -

 INGREDIENTS:

• 500gms Sajana Saga/Drumstick Leaves
• 250gms Moong Dal
• 5-6 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 Medium Sized Onion
• 1 Medium Sized Onion   
• 1 Green Chilly
• 1 Dry Red Chilly
• 1 Tbspn Panchphootan

METHOD:

• Boil moong dal in a pressure cooker.
• In another pan add oil, red chilli, phootan.
• Fry onions and then garlic. Add tomatoes and saute till pulpy.
• Add cooked mooga dali after tomato is well cooked.
• After mooga dali comes to a boil , add washed sajana saga and cook till saga is properly cooked.

Boota Alu Kakharu Curry

Any important festival and this curry is sure to make its presence felt in an Odiya household.

INGREDIENTS:

• 100gm Chana Dal – soaked previously for at least 30 minutes
• 100gm Red Pumpkin
• 1 Medium Sized Potato
• 1 Medium Sized Onion (optional)
• 1 Medium Sized Tomato
• 1 Tspn Ginger grated
• 1 1” Cinnamon stick
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 Dry Red Chilli
• 1 Tbspn Hing
• 1 Tbspn Panchphootan
• Ghee

METHOD:

• In a pressure cooker heat ghee, add panch phutona and red chili to it.
• As the spices stop cracking add the bay leaf, cinnamon and let it cook for few seconds before adding onions.
• Cook the onions till they turn golden brown. (Adding onions is optional)
• Add grated ginger and vegetables. Fry the vegetables for 4-5 mins.
• Add the turmeric powder, salt to taste and a little sugar.
• Add 3cups of water and let it cook for another min.
• Add the dal and tomato the cooker. Cover and cook.
• Let all the pressure release on its own. Then open the cooker and put it in medium heat and cook till desired consistency is achieved.
• Before serving, sprinkle some roasted jeera and red chili powder, for an enhanced smell.
• Goes very well with hot and steaming pooris.

Dalma

An authentic Odiya dish.... not only simple, but healthy yet delicious! A sure dish in every Odiya's wish menu!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 150gms Toor dal (can be replaced with Moong dal or Channa dal )
• 1 Medium Sized Potato
• 1 Medium Sized Tomato
• 1 Medium Sized Brinjal
• ½ of a Raw Banana
• 100gms Red Pumpkin
• 50 gms Yam
• 50gms Arbi
• 1 Green Chilli
• Salt to taste
• Ghee
• 1 Tbspn Panchphootan
• 1 Dry red chilli
• 2 Tbspn Grated Coconut

METHOD:

• Cut all the vegetables into almost equal sized 1”cubes.
• Pressure cook all the vegetables and dal. Do add turmeric powder and salt as per taste, along with enough water so as to submerge all the vegetables and dal.
• When the pressure is out, transfer all  the cooked contents into a container. Keep aside.
• Heat ghee in a pan and add dry chilli with panchphootan.
• As soon as the panchphootan crackles, add the previously cooked vegetables and dal . Bring to a boil and add grated coconut.
• Garnish with roasted jeera and red chilli powder.
• Goes best with steaming plain rice. Serve hot!

Rajma (Kidney Beans Curry)

INGREDIENTS:

• 200 gm Rajma (Kidney Beans)
• 1 Large Onion
• 1 Tbspn Ginger Garlic paste
• 1 Large Tomato pureed
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• Pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)
• 1 Tspn Coriander Powder
• 1 Tspn Garam Masala or Rajma Masala (store bought)
  

METHOD:

• Soak Rajma beans overnight or at least for 6-7 hours.
• Pressure cook the pre-soaked beans enough to melt away in the mouth. Ideally they become soft.
• In a pan, heat oil/butter and add cumin seeds as well as a pinch of hing.
• After the cumin seeds stop crackling, add thinly sliced onions and saute them till golden brown.
• Add ginger garlic paste. After the raw smell vanishes, add the pureed tomato.
• Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt to taste. (Alternatively, store bought rajma masala can be used too instead of the individual dry powders).Stir occasionally till oil oozes out of the masala.
• With the help of a strainer, remove the rajma beans and add them. Stir for a couple of minutes.
• Then add some of the broth (in which rajma beans were cooked), to obtain a gravy. Bring to boil.
• Add garam masala (or store bought rajma masala). Let it cook on simmer till the desired consistency of the gravy is achieved.
• Rajma is ready to be devoured with a plate full of steaming plain/ jeera rice.