Creamy Broccoli Dal

Ingredients
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed
2 cups broccoli stalks and florets, stalks peeled and everything finely chopped (a food processor helps with this!) – we usually use one broccoli crown with its stem
2 cups water or vegetable broth
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 tbsp soy sauce (or salt to taste)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp Aleppo chili flakes
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

Method
1. Add oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add in the cumin and mustard seeds, and cook until fragrant, around a minute. Add in the onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, around 8 minutes. Add in rinsed lentils, broccoli and water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until the lentils are soft.
2. Remove from heat and add in soy milk, soy sauce, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala and chili flakes. Adjust salt to taste. Serve immediately. Can serve with rice, but usually I just eat it like a soup!

PALAK DAL

Palak Dal is one of the nutritious dishes. Palak is the famous Popeye’s ingestion of spinach and Dal is lentil (can be any like Tuvar, Moong or Channa dal). 

Ingredients
    butter – 1 tbsp
    coriander leaves – 1 springs
    curry leaves – 1 springs
    garlic – 5 clove
    mustard – 1/4 tsp
    green chilli – 2 nos
    hing – 1 pinch
    jeera – 1/4 tsp
    oil – 1 tbsp
    onion – 1 nos
    red chilli whole - 2 nos
    salt to taste
    spinach – 1/2 kg
    tomato – 2 large
    toor dal (boiled) – 1 cup
    turmeric – 1 pinch

Method
- Boil dal and keep aside, heat oil aqdd red chilli whole , mustard and cumin seeds, add sliced garlic and onions.
- Add turmeric,hing,curry leaves ,chopped chilli and cook for 2 min
- Add tomatoes and cook till they are half cooked.
- Add spinach ,butter and cook for 2 min 
- Add daal ( dal which has been cooked well and mashy)
- Add salt and finish when froth dissolves

Bajra Khichdi

Ingredients
  100 gms Bajra
  40 gms Yellow Moong Dal
  1 tsp Ghee
  1/2 tsp Salt

Method
1. Soak 100 grams bajra for about an hour.
2. Remove the husk by grinding coarsely in a mixer at a low speed.
3. Mix moong dal when it becomes completely husk free.
4. Transfer the contents in a pressure cooker with water and salt.
5. Cook for 10 minutes.
6. Add hot water if required.
7. Mix hot ghee. 
8. Bajra Khichdi is ready to serve.

Cranberry Dal

Ingredients
Toor Dal 1 cup
Cranberries 1 cup
Green chillies 4-5 chopped
Mirchi Powder 1/2 tsp 
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Roasted Methi Powder a pinch
Sugar 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Seasoning (Oil 1 tsp, Urad Dal 1/2 tsp, Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp, Jeera 1/2 tsp, Red chilli 1, Hing couple pinches, curry leaves)


Method
- Cook toor dal in a pressure cooker and while it is cooling, in a heated sauce pan, add oil and the rest of the seasoning. After the mustard seeds crackle, add the washed cranberries.
- Add about 1/4 cup of water and let the cranberries cook. They would become mushy in about 3-4 min. 
- Add green chillies and/or mirchi powder, salt, roasted methi powder, sugar and turmeric. Mix well and add the boiled toor dal and mix well. Let it simmer for about 5 min and switch off the flame.
- Serve hot with Rice and ghee.

Dal Makhani

A spicy dal with a generous touch of butter and cream. Dal Makhaniis a  nice blend of Masoor Dal and Rajma! 


Ingredients
    2 cups Whole Masoor Dal
    1/4 cup Rajma
    2 tsp Ghee
    1 tsp Cumin Seeds
    3 Tomatoes pureed    
    1 Onion finely chopped
    1 1/2 tsp Garlic paste
    1 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
    1 1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
    1 tsp Kasoori methi
    1 stick of Butter
    1 tsp Garam masala
    1/4 cup Cream


Method
- Wash and soak Rajma overnight. Wash and soak Masoor dal for 4 hours. Combine all dals together and pressure cook until 6 to 7 whistles.
- Heat ghee in a pan add cumin seeds, onion and saute till onions get nice golden color.
- Add garlic paste and cook for a minute.
- Add tomato puree, coriander powder, red chilli powder, mix and cook till oil separates from the spices.
-  Add boiled dal, mix, add kasoori methi, salt, butter, mix, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
- Add garam masala powder, mix and garnish with cream.

Channa Dal Gosht

Ingredients
1/2 kg mutton or chicken 
1/4 tsp haldi 
1/2 tsp chili powder 
1 medium onion chopped 
1 cup dal channa presoaked 
1/4 tsp ginger paste 
1/4 tsp garam masala 
3 tbs oil
Salt to taste 


Method
- Fry the onion in oil till it starts to turn brown. 
- Add the spices and meat and let the water dry. 
- add the presoaked dal and 2 glasses of water. 
- Cover and leave on low heat to tenderize. 
- When both meat and dal have softened add ginger and gram masala.


For Tharka 
- Fry a few slices of onion in a little oil and when brown add along wiyh hot oil to the dish. 
- Garnish with fresh dhuniya leaves and chopped green chili. 
- Serve with lemon.


Useful Advice: If cooking chicken boil the dal beforehand because chicken does not take that long to tenderize whereas the dal takes a long time. 

Whole Masoor Daal

This is very healthy to have as full meal specially for the asthmatic patients.


Ingredients
1 cup whole masoor daal
2 big sized onions
2 big tomatoes
2 green chillies
1” piece ginger
a handful coriander leaves
2 tsp pav-bhaji masala
salt to taste
chilli powder to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder 
2 tbsp oil
1/4 cup grated coconut
2 tsp. mango powder
2 tsps. coriander seeds


Method
   1. clean the daal and wash 2 to 3 times and soak overnight.
   2. chop the onions, tomatoes,chillies and ginger finely.
   3. put the oil in the pan and add onions,chillies,ginger and corriander seeds.
   4. fry a little. add tomatoes and stir for few minutes
   5. Add salt, chilli powder, termeric powder, pav-bhaji masala and half of corriander leaves. mix well.
   6. Add daal and pour enough water to cook. do not put too much water. daal should be dry when done.
   7. Now add mango powder, corriander leaves and coconut. mix well and cook for 5 minutes. see that the daal is dry.
   8. serve hot with chapaaties or you can enjoy it as a snack with tea.

Daal idli

Serves best with coconut pieces along with grated coconut in batter. chutney/sauce works well with daal idli.


Ingredients
250gm Toor Dal
Coconut graded-1/2 cup
4 green chillis
ginger paste-1 tsp
Methi leaves-finely chopped 1 cup
salt to taste
asofetedia
oil


Method
   1. Soak the toor dal in water for about 8-10 hrs before preparation. remove water afterwards. add 4 chillis, ginger paste, salt, asofetedia as per taste.now grind the mixture in mixie until it becomes a fine paste. now add grated cocunut, finely chopped methi leaves to the fine paste and mix well with little water(similar to idly batter consistency).
   2. Now smear some oil on the idli making plates(plates with round cup like spaces) and pour the mixture in each of the spaces provided and cook for about 10-15 minutes. delicious daal idli is ready to eat. serve hot with pudina chutney or ghee.

Daal Makhni

Ingredients
1/2 cup urad (whole black lentil)
2 tbsp rajma (kidney beans)
1 tsp cumin seeds 
6 cloves garlic - chopped
2 inch piece ginger - chopped
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 cup cream
1 tsp chilli powder
3 tbsp butter
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp oil
salt as per taste


Method
   1. Pick, wash and soak whole black urad and rajma overnight in three cups of water.
   2. Peel and chop the onion, ginger and garlic finely. wash and chop the tomatoes.
   3. Cook the soaked dal and rajma in three cups of water with salt, red chili powder and half the chopped ginger till dal and rajma are cooked and soft.
   4. Heat oil and butter in a thick-bottomed pan. add cumin seeds, when it crackles add chopped onions and fry till golden brown.
   5. Add chopped ginger, garlic and chopped tomatoes. sauté till tomatoes are well mashed and fat starts to leave the masala. add boiled dal and rajma to this. adjust seasoning.
   6. Add garam masala powder and simmer on very low heat for fifteen minutes.
   7. Add fresh cream and let it simmer for another five minutes.
   8. Serve hot with naan or paratha.

Kalay Channay - Black Chickpeas

Ingredients
- 500 g. kalay channay (black chickpeas)
- 1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda
- 1\2 cup oil
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp. garlic paste
- 1 tsp. ginger paste
- 1 1\2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 1\2 tsp. salt
- 1\4 tsp. turmeric
- 3 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 small onion. roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp. fresh coriander leaves - chopped
- 4 green chilies, chopped

Method
1. Put the chick peas and bicarbonate of soda in a large pot and soak in plenty of water for several hours or preferably overnight.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add onions and sauté, until onions are soft but not brown, about 3 minutes.
3. Add garlic, ginger paste and sauté for 1 minute then add chili powder, salt, turmeric and 3 tablespoons water (To prevent the mixture from burning.) Stirring frequently, fry the mixture for 5-8 minutes. (During stir frying add little water if the mixture sticks to the bottom of the pan).
4. Add chickpeas to the onion mixture, stir to mix and add enough water to cover the chickpeas by about 3 inch. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and cook the chick peas for about 2 hours until they are tender but still retain their shape. (This process can be speeded up in a pressure cooker. Use half the quantity of water. (Follow the manufacturer's instructions for timing.)
5. Once the chick peas have become tender and little gravy has left, turn off the heat.
6.Transfer the chick peas to a serving dish, Add lemon juice, stir once and decorate with chopped onion, coriander leaves and green chilies.
7. Serve warm.

Special Chat

Ingredients
250 gms chana /choley (chick-peas) boiled
4 potatoes (boiled and cut in cubes)
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp or to taste salt
1 tbsp or to taste chat masala
1 cup curd
2 tbsp coriander leaves
2 green chillies
Papri as required

Method
Lightly fry chana/ chick peas and potatoes in oil. Add salt and chat masala and mix well-place in a dish. Blend the curd, coriander leaves, green chillies and a pinch of salt in the blender. Pour this curd mixture over the chana /chick-peas and potatoes and garnish with papri. Yummy special chat is ready to serve.

Chholay

Ingredients
250 gms white chick peas
¼ tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp oil
1 tsp green chillies chopped
¼ tsp soda
1 pinch of kalonji
Salt to taste

Method
Soak the chickpeas overnight with a pinch of soda. In the morning, put chickpeas in a pan with fresh water and boil them on low heat. When they become half tender, add rest of the ingredients and boil again till done.

Masala Chana ( Weight Loss After Pregnancy )

A nutritious and tasty snack that provides complex carbohydrates. A great way to lose weight while maintaining post-delivery health.


Ingredients
2 tsp low-fat butter
2 tsp finely chopped green chillies
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
3/4 cup finely chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp chilli powder 
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp chaat masala
1/2 cup boiled, peeled and
finely chopped potatoes
1 cup kala chana(brown chick peas) / hara chana
soaked overnight andcooked
salt to taste
1 1/2 tbsp finely chopped raw mangoes
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander 
1 tbsp lemon juice


Method
- Heat the butter in a non-stick pan, add the green chillies and onions and sauté on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes or till the onions turn translucent.
- Add the tomatoes, chilli powder, garam masala and chaat masala and sauté on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, chana, salt, raw mangoes, coriander and lemon juice, mix well and sauté on a medium flame for another 2 to 3 minutes. 
- Serve immediately.

Daal Pulao

Delicious daal pulao can be serve with garnished coriander leaves as a main course dish.


Ingredients
1 cup basmati rice 
1/4 cup masoor dal (split red lentil)
mixed vegetables to your taste (onion, potato, peas(boiled), carrots, cauliflower,mushrooms, french beans)
2 cloves of garlic (lehsun) 
1/2 " piece of ginger (adrak), grated
1/2 tsp cumin seeds 
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 to 3 cloves 
1/2 black cardamom 
7 to 8 black peppercorns 
1 " stick of cinnamon 
1 bayleaf 
chilli powder and salt to taste
2 tbsp ghee (melted)
2 1/2 cups water
2 tsp lemon juice


Method
    Soak rice and daal for 15 minutes if u have time.
    Coarsly grind cloves, cardamom(only the seeds), black pepper and cinamon.
    Cut onion in slices and rest of the vegetables in cubes.
    Heat ghee and add jeera, tejpatta n skin of the black cardamom now add onion n ginger garlic.fry for 2 minutes and add all the vegetables and fry for 5-7 mints on medium-high flame.
    Add coarsly ground masalas n haldi n salt n chillie.fry for 1 minute.
    Add rice, stir once n add water and lemon juice.
    Keep open till the foam subsides n then cook covered for 15 mints.
    Serve hot or reheated with curd and ghee(optional)

Moong Dal Water (Baby and Toddler Recipe)

This is a nourishing food and an ideal one to start with as its texture is similar to that of breast milk. The water has been strained as babies cannot digest whole cereals and pulse before the age of 6 months. It is best to give it unstrained after your little one is 6 months old. To make it tastier, you can add a tadka of ghee, jeera and turmeric powder a couple of weeks after you start this.


Ingredients
2 tbsp yellow moong dal (split yellow gram)


Method
    Pressure cook the dal in 1/2 cup of water for 2 whistles.
    Add an additional 1/2 cup of water to the cooked dal and liquidise it in a blender.
    Strain the cooked dal and serve lukewarm.


Quick Tip
    You can make even thinner consistency than given above by adding more sterilized water to the dal.

Moong Dal Khichdi ( Baby and Toddler Recipe)

This is a good combination of a cereal and a pulse which is suitable for your baby once she has adapted to rice after 1 to 2 weeks of starting weaning. This will add more variety to your baby's meal and also provide plenty of protein for healthy growth. 


Ingredients
1 tsp moong dal (split green gram)
1 tbsp rice 
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp butter or ghee


Method
    Wash and soak the green gram and rice together.
    Add the turmeric powder and pressure cook it for 3 whistles.
    Remove from the pressure cooker and add the ghee. Mix well.
    Mash the khichdi completely to make a smooth consistency. Serve lukewarm.

Masoor Dal Water (Baby and Toddler Recipe)

This is a nourishing food and an ideal one to start with as its. The water has been strained as babies cannot digest whole cereals and pulse before the age of 6 months. It is best to give it unstrained after your little one is 6 months old. To make it tastier, you can add a tadka of ghee, jeera and turmeric powder a couple of weeks after you start this.


Ingredients
2 tbsp red masoor dal (split red lentil)


Method
    Pressure cook the dal in 1/2 cup of water for 2 whistles.
    Add an additional 1/2 cup of water to the cooked dal and liquidise it in a blender.
    Strain the cooked dal and serve lukewarm.


Quick Tip
    You can make even thinner consistency than given above by adding more sterilized water to the dal.

KHICHADI - Moong Daal Khichadi

    Known to sooth many a soul. Moms usually make this for a comfort  meal. This simple mixture of lentils and rice which has a wonderful hue of yellow because of the turmeric is healthy and hearty. It can be served with pickles, Plain yogurt or Ghee. Sometimes it is also eaten with a little bit of whole milk mixed into the khichadi, when eating. Make it on a cold winter's day, 


Ingredients


1 1/2 cups Basmati rice, washed, soaked in water for 1/2 hour and drained
1/2 cup yellow Moong daal, washed, soaked in water for 1/2 hour and drained


Soak the Moong daal and rice ahead time and then get all the other ingredients together.
5 teaspoons butter or oil
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
2 to 3 Whole Cloves 
6 peppercorns
1/4 th teaspoon Black pepper powder
1 bay leaf
1 1/2  teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3 cups boiling or hot water

Garnish 
1 teaspoon of ghee
Fresh coriander leaves 


Method


In a large saucepan, melt the butter or oil over moderate heat. When the foam subsides for the butter, add the cloves,  peppercorns, black pepper powder and bay leaf add the onion and fry, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes.  Continue sautéing, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent but not brown.


Add the rice, moong daal, salt and turmeric. Stir and toss the mixture gently. Reduce the heat to moderately low and stir gently for a minute.


Pour in the boiling water and stir once. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice and Moong daal are cooked and tender and all the water has been absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat. 


Many people like to cook this in a pressure cooker or a rice cooker. 


Serve at once. Garnish with 1 teaspoon of ghee and some fresh coriander leaves. 

Chole Paratha

Ingredients

 120g Chickpeas
 1 onion (Large)
 1" ginger
 4 Garlic cloves
 2 tbsp Yogurt
 2 small tomatoes
 100g potatoes (boiled)
 1 tsp. garam masala
 30g Tamarind (Immli) juice
 15g Jaggery (grated)
 1 onion cut into rings
 1 lemon cut into slices
 2 - 3  green chillies slit
 1 tbsp coriander and mint leaves
 Salt and chilli powder to taste

Method

Soak chickpeas overnight. Boil in pressure cooker for 1 minutes and set aside.
Dissolve jaggery in tamarind juice and strain.
Leave aside, grind onion, ginger and garlic to a fine paste. Fry onion in 2 tbsp oil, add the ground onion paste, then the spices, salt and yogurt and fry till mixture turns dry. Add the boiled chickpeas and tamarind juice. Cook till gravy thickens.
Put in a serving dish and decorate with onions and lemon slices, potatoes, tomatoes, chilles mint and coriander leaves.
Serve with Parathas or Poori.

Moong Dal Recipe

Dal or lentils are very common part of the South Asian cuisine. In India and Pakistan daal is part of every day meal and is prepared using several different recipes. There are many different kind lentils are commonly used in the Indian subcontinent which include Masoor dal, Green dal, Chana dal, Arhar dal, Toor dal, Rajma dal, Urad dal, and many more. Moong Dal is probably the most popular dal recipe in India and Pakistan. It is easy to make, healthy and very nutritious recipe. Tadka (baghar) is most important thing in dal recipes, because all the spices and flavors are added to the dal recipe during the tadka. Common Tadka ingredients are cumin, garlic chopped cloves, cilantro, dried red chilies and garam masala. Moong dal is best serve hot with rice or chapati and mint or any other chutney.

Ingredients

     2 cup dried yellow split peas (Moong dal)
     1 cup chopped tomatoes
     1 small size finely sliced onion
     1 tsp red chili powder
     1/2 tsp coriander powder
     1/2 tsp turmeric powder
     5 black pepper
     3 cloves
     2 cardamon
     1 bay leaves
     4 curry leaves
     1 tsp garam masala powder
     2 tbsp lemon juice
     2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
     1/2 tsp garlic paste
     1/2 tsp cumin
     2 dried red chili pepper
     2 tbsp fresh chopped coriander leaves
     2 fresh green chilies
     Salt to taste
     3 tbsp pure ghee (Desi Ghee)
     1 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

Wash and soak dal for 30-35 minutes. Heat split Moong Dal and water with red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garlic paste, Until boiling. Cook for 10 -12 minutes on a low flame.

Now add tomatoes, green chopped chilies and cook until dal is tender and thickened. Add more water if necessary, to prevent drying out . To the cooked split add bay leaves, lemon juice, salt and garam masala powder and mix well.

Heat oil in a small pan, add thinly sliced onion and fry till golden brown, Now add this fry onion with oil pour in dal.

Heat pure ghee (Desi Ghee) another pan, Add cumin seeds, cloves, black pepper, cardamon, curry leaves, dried red chilies, garlic chopped cloves, and saute for 2-3 minutes on a very low flame.

Now this tadka (Baghar) pour on Moong dal. Delicious moong dal is ready to serve.

Garnish by fresh chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice, chapati and mint chutney.