Moong Dal Fry

According to me, Moong Dal has the best taste. It brings a wonderful texture and taste to the dish. another advantage is that it cooks faster than any other Dal and usually gets done in 2 whistles if you soak it for 15 minutes. I am  sharing with you a basic Dal Fry recipe today.

Ingredients

Yellow Moong Dal  - 1 Cup (Washed and Soaked in 3 cups of Water)
Turmeric powder and Asafoetida - A pinch each
Onion - 1 (Small, chopped)
Tomato - 1(Small, chopped)
Garlic - 5 Pods (chopped)
Mustard Seeds and Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon each
Ginger - 1/2 Inch (chopped)
Asafoetida - A Pinch
Red Chilly powder - 1/2 Tablespoon
Coriander powder, Cumin Powder - 1/2 teaspoon each
Corinader Leaves - to garnish
Salt, Oil or Ghee

Method

Cook the Soaked Moong Dal with Turmeric powder and asafoetida for 3 whistles. Masg it well and Keep this aside.

In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon of Oil or Ghee or a mixture of both. Once the oil is warm, add the mustard seeds and once they splutter add the Cumin seeds and allow it to splutter.

Then add the onion and saute. Once the Onion is done, add the Tomatoes, Garlic and Ginger and cook till the tomatoes becomes mushy.

To this add Red Chilly powder, Coriander powder and cumin powder and saute for few minutes. Saute the mixture till the Raw flavor is gone. If you think the masala might burn add the water from the dal.

Once the mixture is cooked, add the Dal and cook it covered for 5 minutes.

Garnish with Coriander leaves and Serve. 

Paneer Makhani 

Paneer Makhani is a rich dish made with Loads of Butter, Cashew etc. As I did not want to have loads of Butter, I have added Cashew Coconut paste to give the rich and creamy texture and omitted butter completely.

Ingredients

Onion - 1 (Big, roughly Chopped)
Tomato - 1 (Medium, Roughly Chopped)
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Garlic - 8 Pods
Red Chilly powder - 1 Tablespoon
Garam Masala - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Corinader Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Paneer - 1 Cup (200 grams cut into cubes)
Coconut - 2 Tablespoon (Grated)
Cashewnuts - 8 pieces
Salt and oil/Butter

Method

Soak the Paneer in warm water. I do not prefer to roast my Paneer as it makes the Paneer hard and rubbery.

If I make it at home then I do not soak them in warm water, however if it is store bought, w need to soak it in warm water.

In a Pan, warm a tablespoon of oil and saute the onion. once the onion is cooked, add the tomato and cook till it is mushy.

Then add the Ginger, Garlic, Red chilly powder, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder and saute for 5- 6 minutes.

If you think your mixture may burn, there is no harm in sprinkling some water.

After the mixture is cooked, bring it to room temperature and blend it to a paste using a mixer or blender.

Meanwhile, Add the coconut and Cashew in another blender and grind them into a smooth paste.

Now in a pan, take a tablespoon of oil and add this mixture and cook till all the Raw flavour is gone.

Now add the Coconut - Cashew paste and saute for 3-4 minutes on a low flame.

Drain the paneer and add the Paneer to the mixture in the stove and saute for 2-3 minutes. Do not over do this as the Paneer may crumble.

Serve with Vegetable Biriyani or Jeera Pulao.

Lunch Menu 1 (Coconut Milk Rice and Potato Gravy)

Whenever I have to put a lunch menu together I am totally confused, My mom says that's because I am a Libran. So I thought to post some Lunch, Breakfast and Brunch ideas too in the blog.

So here we go with the first Lunch Menu. This one is very simple and just 2 items yet it has a richness to it.

Click on the Below links for the Recipes:

• Coconut Milk Rice/Coconut Milk Biriyani/Thengaipal Sadam
• Potato Gravy with Coconut Milk

Gobi Fry / Gobi Sukhi Sabzi

I made this as part of my New Year Lunch menu. As I had already made Moong Dal Fry and Paneer Makhani, I wanted to make a Dry Vegetable so Gobi Fry.

Ingredients

Cauliflower Florets - 1 Cup (Cut into Florets and soaked in Salt water)
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida - A pinch
Red Chilly Powder - 1 Tablespoon
Turmeric Powder - A pinch
Garam Masala - a Pinch
Salt and Oil

Method

In a pot, boil 2-3 cups of water with a pinch of salt. Once the water starts to boil, add the florets and leave it for 2 minutes. Then switch off the flame and cover the pot and keep it aside for 10 minutes or so.

After 10 minutes, drain the water and keep the florets aside.

Heat a pan with tablespoon of Oil, add Cumin seeds and allow them to splutter. Then add the Cauliflower florets and toss. Leave the Cauliflower for about 5-6 minutes in the pan, tossing in between to ensure that it does not burn.

After 5 minutes, add Garam Masala,Asafoetida,Turmeric Powder and Red Chilly powder and toss it.

Cook it till the Raw flavour of the masala powder is gone, this may take about 5-7 minutes. Then add Salt and toss it and Serve.

It tastes great with Rice and Sambhar or with Roti.

Rasmalai - A sweet beginning to the New Year

Happy New Year to all of you.  

My FB status on 31st December 2013 was “Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one.” — Brad Paisley 

So I decided to write the 1st page with a sweet. 

I have made this recipe with Store bought Rosagullas. You can make these Rosagullas at home too. They are pretty easy to make and will make and post the recipe for Rosagullas some time soon.

Ingredients

Rosagullas - 1 Box (I used Haldirams and they had 8 Rosagullas)
Milk - 1/2 Litre + 2 Tablespoons
Saffron - Few Strands
Sugar - 1/4 Cup

Method

Take the Saffron in 2 Tablespoons of warm milk and mix and keep it aside.

In a pan, add 1/2 Litre of milk and cook it on Low flame till it becomes half the quantity. Stir them in between to avoid the milk from burning.

Meanwhile, Strain the sugar syrup from the Rosagullas. Squeeze them lightly so you can seperate as much as sugar syrup as possible.

Once the milk is reduced to half its quantity, add the saffron milk and sugar and stir it well till it all comes together and switch off the flame.

When this Milk is warm, add the squeezed Rosagullas and keep in Fridge for 3-4 Hours.

It tastes yummy when it is served Chill.

Note:

• If you want you can add ghee roasted buts like Pista,Cashew,Badam etc. It will make the Rasmalai rich.
• If you wan you can little more sugar to taste your taste buds. The amount I have specified will be just right, it wont be too sweet or less sweet
• If you want you can add cream or condensed milk to this recipe. It will make it much more creamy. If you want to add them add 2-3 Tablespoonsto the Milk  before adding the Rosagullas 
• If you dont want to add Saffron, you can leave it. However the aroma and colour may differ. 

I am sending this post to the  Foodabulous Fest Event organised by SimplyTADKA and hosted by Esho-Bosho-Aahare