Aloo Mattar Subji

The other day I asked Kundan to get some frozen green peas; little did I expect that in the freezer box they would have stored sprouted dried peas, he got it thinking it as fresh green peas. Once he got bottle gourd when I had asked him for radish. He is so familiar with vegetables… ;) I had used these sprouted peas in a simple aloo mattar subji instead of fresh peas.

Serves: 4

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1.     Sprouted peas – 1 ½ cups

2.     Potato – 3

3.     Tomato – 3

4.     Onion – 1

5.     Ginger garlic paste – ½ tbsp

6.     Butter – 2 tbsp

7.     Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

8.     Red chili powder – 1 ½ tsp

9.     Garam masala – 1 tsp

10.            Salt to taste

Method:

Step 1: Boil, peel and cube the potatoes, cook the sprouted peas and puree onion & tomatoes and keep aside.

Step 2: Melt butter in a pan, splutter cumin seeds, sauté ginger garlic paste and then the puree in it until the butter starts to separate.

Step 3: Now add chili powder, garam masala and salt to the spice mix and add 1 ½ cups of water.

Step 4: Once it comes to boil, add cooked potatoes and peas and adjust spices and consistency.

Step 5: Cook for another 3-5 minutes and turn off heat.

Step 6: Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with rice or roti.

Urad Kadhi

I had sprouted some urad dal which I wanted use for another recipe but due to lack of time I made this interesting recipe that I had hit on the net. This is a simple to make kadhi full of nutrition and taste. I had prepared it to accompany hot steamed rice with papad, it was yummm… Kadhi lovers should give it a try; this is kadhi+dal in one dish.

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1.      Sprouted Urad dal – 1 cup

2.    Gram Flour – ¼ cup

3.    Dahi – 2 cups

4.    Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

5.     Salt as per taste

6.    Water – 1 cup

7.     Oil – ½ tbsp

8.    Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp

9.    Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp

10.            Green chilies – 2

11.  Ginger – 1 “ piece

12.Asafoetida – 1 pinch

13.Curry leaves – 1 sprig

14.Coriander finely chopped – 2 tbsp

Method:

Step 1: Whisk the curds, water, turmeric powder and gram flour in a bowl till smooth and thin. Keep aside.

Step 2: Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds, add slit green chilies, and curry leaves, chopped ginger and sprinkle asafoetida.

Step 3: Sauté sprouted urad dal in it for 3-5 minutes until it is soft.

Step 4: Add the curd mixture and stir continuously in low to medium heat.

Step 5: When it starts boiling, the gravy thickens and nice aroma emanates from it. At that point, turn off heat and transfer the kadhi to the serving vessel.

Step 6: Garnish with chopped coriander and relish with steamed rice or roti.

Fresh Pigeon Peas (Tur Beans) Gravy

I had bought some tur-beans (fresh tur dal) l from Bangalore when I visited my sister last time. I peeled them and froze them but forgot it for a couple of months; yesterday I tried this simple gravy to pack for lunch along with phulkas. I prepared pulpy gravy that suited the beans very well. He said it tasted like green peas subji; maybe we can try some more green peas-recipes with this beans.

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 15 min

Ingredients:

1.      Fresh peeled tur dal – 1 ½ cups

2.    Tomato – 3

3.    Onion – 2

4.    Green chili – 1

5.     Ginger – 1“ piece

6.    Garlic – 3 cloves

7.     Oil – 1 tbsp

8.    Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

9.    Red chili powder – 1 tsp

10.Garam masala – ½ tsp

11.  Coriander powder – ½ tsp

12. Salt to taste

Method:

Step 1: Chop one onion and one tomato; grind together two tomatoes, one onion, green chili, ginger & garlic into a fine paste.

Step 2: Heat oil in a pan, splutter cumin seeds and sauté chopped onion and then tomato until soft.

Step 3: Add and sauté the ground paste in it until the oil separates.

Step 4: Put the dry masala powders and fry for a minute; pour two cups of water and let it come to a boil.

Step 5: Add the tur dal, enough salt and mix well; cook covered in simmer for 5 minutes.

Step 6: Open the lid, check if dal is cooked, adjust salt and spices and cook it open for 2 minutes and then turn of stove.

Step 7: Serve garnished with coriander or fresh cream to accompany phulkas or rice.

Dal Tadka

Dal tadka is the seasoned lentil soup used as an accompaniment with steamed rice. This is a comfort food for most north Indians and are kid friendly. My 2 years old niece loves it and we were overwhelmed to see her eat something with enthusiasm. It is simple, healthy and yummy; it goes well with any dry subji or papad or even pickle.

Ingredients:

1.       Tuvar dal – 1 cup

2.       Moong dal – ¼ cup

3.       Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

4.       Salt as per taste

5.       Ghee – 1 tbsp

6.       Asafoetida – 1 pinch

7.       Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

8.       Dry chilies – 2

9.       Kasoori methi – 1 tbsp

10.   Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Method:

Step 1: Wash and pressure cook the dals with some salt and turmeric.

Step 2: Heat ghee in a pan and splutter cumin seeds in it, sprinkle asafoetida, add broken dry chilies and kasoori methi and curry leaves.

Step 3: Add dal to the tadka and mix water depending on consistency required; adjust salt, spice and boil for 1 minute. Turn off heat.

Step 4: Squeeze lemon and serve hot with rotis or rice.

Cowpeas Dal

I always wondered why are these called cowpeas; for those of you who do not know, the piece of info is that the leaves of this cowpea plant was popular as cattle fodder even before the consumption of its lentils by humans started which could possibly be a reason for the name. I've shared another basic recipe that I tried with the protein rich, fiber rich, calcium rich lentil, cowpeas .

Ingredients:

1. Cowpeas – 1 cup
2. Onion – 1 big
3. Tomato – 1 big
4. Ginger – 2 “
5. Garlic – 4 cloves
6. Green chillies – 2
7. Cumin – 1/3 spoon
8. Turmeric powder – ¼ spoon
9. Chilli powder – ¼ spoon
10. Salt
11. Oil
12. Cloves - 3
13. Bay leaf
14. Cinnamon
15. Coriander leaves
16. Lemon – ½

Method:

• Soak the cowpeas overnight and pressure cook with salt
• Grind onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and green chillies into smooth paste
• Heat oil in a pan and add cumin, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon to it
• Add the masala paste and sauté until raw smell goes and add turmeric, chilli powder to it
• Slightly mash the cooked cowpeas and mix well and switch of heat

• Squeeze half a lemon and garnish with coriander leaves before serving

Punjabi Chole

Pujabi chole is a recipe that goes so well with bhaturas, kulchas, rotis or even rice. Some people love to have this with plain bread or just snack on these. This authentic recipe is so yummy and is adored any people age group. I had tried this when his friends had come over for lunch and they all really liked it so much.

Ingredients:

1. Chole or kabuli chenna - 250 gms
2. Green chillis - 3 slit length wise
3. Grated ginger - 1 tsp
4. Cinnamon stick -  1/2″
5. Black cardamom - 1 (replace with green cardamom if unavailable)
6. Bay leaf -1
7. Onion - 1 finely chopped
8. Tomatoes - 2 finely chopped
9. Red chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp
10. Fresh coriander leaves chopped - 2 tbsp
11. Salt to taste
12. Oil - 2 tbsp

For Masala Powder: 
1. Coriander seeds -1 1/2 tbsp
2. Cloves -3
4. Cinnamon - 1" piece
5. Black cardamoms - 2
6. Pepper corns -  1/2 tsp
7. Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp

Method:

Step 1: Wash ans soak the chole overnight. Pressure cook that along with 3 cups of water, cinnamon and one large black cardamom till soft. It should be soft but not overcooked and mushy. Drain the water and keep aside.
Step 2: Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add green chillis, grated ginger and bay leaf. Saute for few seconds.
Step 3: Add the chopped onions and saute till transparent. Add red chili powder and salt. Mix well. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft and oil separates, it might take 15 minutes.
Step 4: Dry roast and grind the masal powder ingredients in parallel.
Step 5: Now add the ground masala powder and mix well.
Step 6: Add the boiled chole. Cook on simmer for 4 mts. Add the left over water and if necessary add another cup of water and bring to a boil. Slightly mash the chole with the ladle itself. Cook till you achieve a slightly thick gravy.
Step 7: Adjust the salt, spices and turn off heat. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Step 8: Serve hot with lemon and onion slices.

Rajma Masala

Rajma masala and steamed rice is a super dooper combo that every north Indian adores; however, rajma is from Mexican origin. This is suitable for parties or potlucks or lunch boxes and unlike most special dishes this is a hassle free, healthy, easy for digestion and eat-it-anyway dish (you can eat it like a lentil soup or with rotis or with rice or even as dip or spread). This is one such dish which when you try once you'll keep repeating often.

Ingredients:

1. Rajma - 1 cup
2. Tomato - 3
3. Onion - 1
4. Butter/ Oil - 1 tbsp
5. Bay leaf -1
6. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
7. Asafoetida - 1 pinch
8. Ginger - 2" cut into long thin slices
9. Green chili - 1
10. Red chili powder - 1 tsp
11. Coriander powder - 2 tsp
12. Garam masala - 1 tsp
13. Lemon - 1
14. Coriander for garnishing.

Method:

Step 1: Wash and soak rajma overnight. With some salt pressure cook the rajma approx for 3 whistles until soft but not mushy.
Step 2: Puree tomato and green chili into fine paste.
Step 3: Heat butter or oil in a pan, add bay leaf to it, crackle cumin seeds, sprinkle asafoetida, add sliced ginger and saute the finely chopped onion in it.
Step 4: Once the onion becomes translucent, add the pureed tomato paste and saute until oil separates.
Step 5: Add the cooked rajma into the masala, add chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala and add water as per consistency.
Step 6: Adjust salt and spices and simmer for 5 minutes and turn off heat.
Step 7: Squeeze juice of a lemon, garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with rice.