Spinach dal

This is a very simple and common recipe. We all make it but when my friend makes it comes out simply delicious. So I got the official recipe from her.

Ingredients

Tuar dal - 1 cup
Spinach - 1 pack of Frozen chopped spinach
Tomato - 1 1/2 chopped
Onion - 1 chopped - Medium Sized
Garlic - 2 minced.
Tamarind ... 1tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 2 pinches
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Jeera /Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Green chili - 2 to 3 according to taste - sliced
Coriander leaves - chopped
Salt to taste
Oil

Pressure cook the tuar dal, spinach, a drop of oil and a pinch of turmeric powder up to 4 whistles. The amount of water I usually put is enough to cover all the ingredients in the cooker. Let it cool and then mash the dal and spinach.
In a saute pan heat 2 tsp of oil and splutter the mustard, urad dal and then add the tomato. Add the green Chile and continue frying for 6-8 minutes then add the turmeric powder , jeera powder and coriander powder. Fry for another 2 minutes. Add the mashed dal and spinach, 1 1/2 cup of water and boil on low to medium heat for 15 minutes. Garnish with Chopped coriander leaves. This goes very well with rice, idli, dosa, roti...you name it and it goes with it.

Parippu vada

One of my favorite snack with hot piping tea. The best parippu vada I have eaten are from the road side stalls that come to life after dusk. I would bribe friends to get some of the best tasting parotta mutta curry, parippu vada etc to gobble up. Getting the perfect reason to make them was easy this weekend - the winter snow storm in Chicago. Huddled indoor with nothing pressing to do except watch the snow wistfully, the parippu vada was the perfect foil.



This recipe is also my entry to te event "Sunday Snacks - Hot n Spicy" hosted by the lovely Pallavi of All Thingz Yummy.

Ingredients

Tuar Dal - 1 cup
Onion - 1/2 Chopped
Green Chili - 3 chopped
Dried Red Chili - 1
Ginger - 1" finely chopped
Curry Leaves - 5 to 6
Kayam / Asafoetida - pinch
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Rinse and soak the tuar dal for at least 4 hours. Drain the water and leave it in a colander for 10 minutes until the water drains completely. Grind the Dal,1/2 of the chopped onions and ginger, Red chili, green chili and salt into a thick coarse paste with no additional water. Mix the rest of the onion, ginger, curry leaves, kayam.
Heat the oil. In the meantime take handful of the mixture and make it into patties with a dimple on the top onto a cling wrap. carefully transfer the patties into the hot oil. Flip after 5 minutes and cook for another 5 minutes. Cook until the vada is a dark golden brown. Don't make the vada too thick as it would take a longer time to cook.
Remove from the oil to a paper napkin. Serve with hot piping tea.


You can also add 1/2 cup of soaked channa dal or masoor dal to the mixture.

Quick Vegetable Biryani

This is a quick and simple biryani. I normally make rice separately these days for two reasons - We currently have the electric stove which seems to have a mind of its own, and the rice cooked on the stove gets, lets just say, crispy!! The other reason is that once the rice is already cooked I can change my recipe until the last minute depending on what I want that instant ..
This recipe is simple in the number of ingredients and vegetables used.

Ingredients:
Cooked Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cup
Onion thinly sliced - 1/2 cup
Carrots small cubes - 1 cup
Peas - 1/2 cup
Cauliflower - 5 to 6 Florets
Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Malli podi/ Coriander Powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Malli Ela /Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Saunf/Fennel seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
Ginger - 1 " finely chopped
Garlic - 1 pod
Clove 3 to 4
Bay leaf -1
Cinnamon Stick - 1"
Nutmeg - 2 pinches
Cardamom - 2

Salt to taste
Ghee / Clarified Butter - 1 tbsp

When the Rice is cooked half the way you can start with the biryani masala. Once the rice it done cool the rice. In a blender make a smooth paste of 3 to 4 slices of onion, malli ela, saunf, cloves, garlic, ginger, cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon, nutmeg using very little water. In the meantime in a wok / large kadai heat the ghee (you can also use any refined oil and 1 tsp of ghee for smell instead). Add the rest of the onions and fry it until golden brown and slightly crispy. Add the carrot, cauliflower and peas and cook for 10 minutes. I used cauliflower that I had already boiled and frozen. If yours is raw it would take slightly more time for the veggies to cook well. Once the they are done add the chili powder, coriander powder and fry to 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the paste you created earlier and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the salt. Turn of the heat.
Now using a fork add the rice and mix with the masala. Run the fork and blend well. Serve hot with yogurt raita and pappadum.


If you would like to make the rice and the veggies together - after the paste is added and cooked add the uncooked rice and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add twice the amount of water for the rice, cover and cook on medium to low heat until the rice is cooked and the water evaporates. You might need to add additional 1 cup of water if you think it has not reached the consistency of the cooked rice you like.

To make a simple Yogurt Raita:
Mix finely chopped 2 tbsp of onion, 1 tbsp of finely chopped tomato, 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves, 1/3 tsp of chili powder, 1/4 tsp jeera powder in 1 cup of yogurt. Add 1/3 cup of water and salt to taste.

You can also garnish with fried cashews, golden raisins and chopped Coriander leaves.

Rava - Flaxseed Dosa

This is one of the of the dishes that I made modifications to incorporate more healthier options. Here I use ground flax seeds meal. This Rava - Flaxseed dosa can be made and used instantly if needed, so this is perfect for those rush times when you have very little time and yet you want something as comforting as dosa.

Ingredients:
Fine Rava / Semolina - 1 Cup
Rice Flour - 1 tbsp
Ground Flaxseed Meal - 1 tbsp
Onion - 2 tbsp finely chopped
Jeerakam / Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 7 to 8
Green Chili - 1 finely chopped
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Water - 2 1/2 cups

In a mixing bowl make a smooth batter of all the ingredients except the oil. Let it sit for 5 minutes. In the meantime heat a griddle or dosa kallu. Pour 1 ladleful of the batter and spread into a 5 to 6 inch wide thin crepes. If you are using dosa kallu make sure you oil the kallu before using of the dosa would stick. When using the non stick pan add a few drops of oil after spreading the batter. Let it get crisp for 5 minutes and then flip. Let it cook for another 3 minutes. Remove and serve hot with dosa podior sambhar.

You can decrease the amount of rava and increase the flaxseed according to your preference.
ground Flaxseed meal/ powder are available at most grocery stores.