Peas Pulav

This is a simple pulav recipe that tastes great with a spicy side dish or Raita. This is one of those meals that can be made in a jiffy.

Ingredients

2 cups Basmati rice
1 onion
2 green chilies
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
1 cup shelled peas
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
4 bay leaves
2 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 cardamom pods
8-10 cashews
3 tablespoon oil
Salt to Taste

Preparation

Wash and soak the Basmati rice in water for about 30 minutes and drain and keep aside.
Peel and chop the onion into thin strips.
Wash and slit the green chilies into halves.
Split the cashews into half.

Putting Together

Heat the oil in a pan if making the pulav in a rice cooker or in the pressure cooker.
Add the cumin seeds and fry till they pop and turn slightly brown.
Add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods and fry till the spices turn slightly brown.
Add the onions, green chilies and ginger garlic paste and fry till the onions turn golden brown.
Add the soaked and drained rice and fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add the green peas and fry for another minute.
Add 3 cups of water and salt to taste and the cashews.
If cooking in a rice cooker, transfer everything into the rice cooker vessel, close and cook till done.
If cooking in a pressure cooker, close the lid when the water begins to boil and cook till done. (I usually cook until 2 whistles).

Vegetable Saffron Pulav

This is a recipe my husband and I are hooked on to, we really like it for its simplicity. I first learnt this from my mother in law and the only addition I made to it is the saffron simply because of the fragrance and lovely color it gives to the rice.

My 21 month old daughter likes this a lot too, and the only change I make when cooking for her is I chop the onions fine and cut the carrot and potato in small cubes.

This tastes good with a Subji or Raita

Ingredients

2 cups Basmati rice
1 onion
3 green chilies
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
8-10 green beans
2 carrots
1 cup cauliflower florets
3/4 cup shelled peas
2 potatoes
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
4 bay leaves
3 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods
8-10 cashews
Few strings of saffron
3 tablespoon oil
Salt to Taste

Preparation

Wash and soak the Basmati rice in water for about 30 minutes and drain and keep aside.
Wash and cut the green beans, carrots and potatoes into long and thin pieces of about an inch.
Wash, clean and pick the cauliflower florets.
Peel and chop the onion into thin strips.
Wash and slit the green chilies into halves.
Split the cashews into half.

Putting Together

Heat the oil in a pan if making the pulav in a rice cooker or in the pressure cooker.
Add the cumin seeds and fry till they pop and turn slightly brown.
Add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods and fry till the spices turn slightly brown.
Add the onions, green chilies and ginger garlic paste and fry till the onions turn golden brown.
Add the soaked and drained rice and fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add all the vegetables and fry for a couple of minutes till the vegetables are coated with the oil.
Add 3 cups of water and salt to taste.
Add the cashews and the strings of saffron.
If cooking in a rice cooker, transfer everything into the rice cooker vessel, close and cook till done.
If cooking in a pressure cooker, close the lid when the water begins to boil and cook till done. (I usually cook until 2 whistles).

Raita


This is the only form of raita I have known and relished from my childhood. I have later gone on to taste other kinds of raita, but still this has been my favorite. I make it every other day as an accompaniment with Rice Dishes.

Ingredients

1 cucumber
1 onion
2 carrots
2 tomatoes
2 Green Chilies
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
2 cups yogurt
Salt to Taste

Preparation

Wash and cut the cucumber and tomatoes finely.
Peel and finely chop the onion.
Peel and grate the carrots finely.
Wash and finely chop the green chilies and coriander leaves.
With a spoon beat the yogurt so that it is smooth and is a dropping consistency. Add some water while doing this to make sure the yogurt is not too thick. (The consistency of the yogurt is very important)

Putting Together

Mix the chopped onion, cucumber, tomato and grated carrot in a bowl.
Add the chopped chilies and coriander leaves.
Add the beaten yogurt and salt and mix everything together and serve.

Tossed Salad

This is salad in its simplest form. My mother usually used to make it with Chappathi and Dal Fry and it tastes yummy!

Ingredients

1 cucumber
1 onion
2 carrots
2 tomatoes
1/2 capsicum or green bell pepper
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Pepper powder
Salt to Taste

Preparation

Wash and cut all vegetables into small cubes.
Mix the lemon juice with salt and pepper.

Putting Together

Take all the cut vegetables in a salad bowl and pour the seasoned lemon juice over it.
Toss the salad in the bowl and serve.

Dal Fry


This is a simple dal that my mother makes and I used to love eating it with chappathis and Tossed Salad.

Ingredients
1 cup Moong Dal
3 green chilies
1 onion
1 large tomato
2 tablespoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon oil
Salt to Taste

Preparation
Wash the Moong Dal and cook it in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water and coriander powder. Peel and finely chop the onion.
Wash and slit the green chilies into half.
Wash and finely chop the coriander leaves.
Wash and finely cut the tomato.

Putting Together
Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds and let it pop and turn slightly brown.
Add the chopped onion and green chillies and fry till the onions become golden brown.
Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for a minute.
Add the cut tomato and fry till they get well cooked and mashed.
Add the cooked dal and salt and let it boil for 10-15 minutes on a low flame.
Turn off the flame and add the lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves.
Serve with Rotis or Rice.

Tovve

Tovve is an essential part of any of the traditional festivals or wedding meals in Bangalore and many other parts of South India. It is the simplest form of dal and tastes good on its own or with other delicacies like majjige huli.

In our traditional meal that is served on a plantain leaf, it is custom to wait for everything to be served before beginning to eat. Tovve is served on hot rice at almost the end just before the molten ghee is served. Maybe that is the reason it is always such a joy to see tovve served as it is a sign that the wait to taste the food is over.

Ingredients
1 cup Toor Dal
3 green chilies
2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
2 twigs of curry leaves
1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
A pinch of asafetida
1 tablespoon oil
Salt to Taste

Preparation
Wash the Toor Dal and cook it in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water till well done.Wash and finely chop the green chilies.
Wash and finely chop the coriander leaves.Pluck the curry leaves from the twigs and wash and keep aside.

Putting Together
Heat the oil in a pan for seasoning and add the mustard seeds.
Once the mustards seeds pop add the asafetida.
Add the chopped green chilies and coriander leaves and the curry leaves.
Add this to the cooked dal and season it with salt.
Serve with Rice.

Simple Palak Dal


This is the kind of Dal I make on days when I have very little time to cook or when we are in a mood to eat something really simple. I make a few variations with the same recipe. I have a section below with the suggested variations. Also I find it easiest to put everything in the pressure cooker and have the dal ready, however this can also be made in a pan with the dal cooked seperately.

Ingredients
1 cup Toor Dal
1 cup spinach (palak) Leaves
1 onion
3 green chilies
1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 tablespoon Lemon juice
2 tablespoon oil
Salt to Taste

Preparation
Wash the Toor Dal and keep it aside.
Peel and finely chop the onion.
Wash and finely chop the spinach.
Wash and slit the green chilies into two halves.
Wash and finely chop the coriander leaves.

Putting Together
Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and add the mustard seeds.
When the mustard seeds pop add the cumin seeds and fry till it becomes slightly brown.
Add the chopped onion and fry till it becomes golden brown.
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
Add the washed dal and 3 cups of water.
Add salt to taste and chopped coriander leaves.
Cover and cook in the pressure cooker for about 2-3 whistles.
Once the dal is cooked, adjust the consistency to your liking.
Serve with Rotis or Rice.

Suggested Variations

Dal – Substitute either moong dal or masoor dal for the toor dal.

Veggie - Substitute other vegetables like broccoli, tomatillos, and chayote squash instead of the spinach.

Spicy Mixed Dal

I first ate this Dal at a friend's place in Bangalore and I loved it instantly and asked her for the recipe. She is originally from Calcutta and I have been telling everybody ever since that Bengalis make some of the most amazing dals. I have been making this dal ever since and love it for its simplicity and taste. One tip on the flavoring of the dal she gave me is that you could flavor it with either pav bhaji masala or biryani masala.

Ingredients

1 cup black whole Urad Dal (Black Lentil)
½ cup cup Masoor Dal
¼ cup Moong Dal
1 onion
2 tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
2 tablespoon Pav Bhaji masala
1 tablespoon Lemon juice
2 tablespoon oil
Salt to Taste

Preparation
Wash and soak the urad dal overnight or for about 12 hours.
Cook the soaked urad dal along with the other dals with 4 cups of water, salt and coriander powder in a pressure cooker till the dals are well cooked.
Peel and finely chop the onion.
Wash and finely chop the tomatoes.
Wash and finely chop the coriander leaves.

Putting Together
Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
When the cumin seeds pop and become slightly brown add the chopped onions.
Fry the chopped onion till it becomes golden brown.
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
Add the chopped tomatoes and fry till they are well cooked and mashed.
Add the cooked lentil and the pav bhaji masala and let it boil on low flame for about 15 minutes.
Turn off the flame and add the lemon juice and garnish with the chopped coriander leaves.
Serve with any Indian bread or Rice.

Dal Makhani

I have cooked lentil in a lot of ways but had never made the authentic Dal Makhani that you get in the restaurants. I found this Dal Makhani recipe online and with a few modifications I found that it tastes pretty close to the authentic taste. One major change in my recipe from the original is that I have not added Rajma (Red kidney Bean) along with the lentil. For those who like your Dal with the beans you can add about 1/3 cup of the Rajma to the recipe.

I think its a recipe I will make every now and then if I just remember to soak the lentil beforehand :)

Ingredients

1 cup black whole Urad Dhal (Black Lentil)
1 onion
2 tomatoes
1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 inch Fresh Ginger
1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
1 teaspoon Red Chilly Powder
½ cup fresh cream or milk
3 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oil
Salt to Taste

Preparation

Wash and soak the lentil overnight or for about 12 hours.
Wash, peel and finely chop the ginger.
Cook the soaked lentil with 4 cups of water, salt, red chilly powder and chopped ginger in a pressure cooker till the lentil is well cooked.
Peel and finely chop the onion.
Wash and finely chop the tomatoes.

Putting Together

Heat the butter and oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds pop and become slightly brown add the chopped onions.
Fry the chopped onion till it becomes golden brown.
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
Add the chopped tomatoes and fry till they are well cooked and mashed.
Add the cooked lentil and the garam masala and let it boil on low flame for about 10 minutes.
Add the cream/milk and let it simmer for another 5 minutes.
Serve with any Indian bread or Rice.