Hema's recipes - Dal Tadka

"DAL" is a preparation of pulses/lentils. "TADKA" means seasoning with spices. Dal can be prepared with toordal, masoordal (red colour dal), moong dal (yellow dal) chana dal etc. It goes well with rice and chapati. Here is the simple recipe of 'yellow moong dal'.

INGREDIENTS:

1) Yellow moong dal - 1 cup

2) Onion - 1

3) Tomato - 1

4) Greenchilli - 3-4

5) Mustard - 1/2 tbsp

6) Urad dal - 1/2 tbsp

7) Curry leaves - a few

8) Coriander leaves - a few

9) Oil - 2 tbsp

10) Salt to taste

METHOD:

1)chop tomatoes, slice onions into long pieces.

2)Take a veseel, add the moong dal, sliced onions, chopped tomatoes, turmeric, salt. Add required amount of water. Pressure cook it for 4-5 whistles.

3)Now heat oil in a pan. Add mustard, urad dal, curry leaves & green chillies. when they splutter add it to the cooked dal.

4)This dal can be had for sidedish to chapati, phulka, paratha.

Hema's recipes - Keerai Kootu

Keerai/spinach is a rich source of iron. It is very good especially for ladies. Daily intake of spinach in your diet increases iron and calcium content which is a must especially for ladies.

It can be any type of spinach. Spinach has a volatile acid which will leave when cooked. So it has to be cooked without being covered with a lid. This recipe can be done in many ways. But my mom does it this way which I too follow and here goes the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

1) Spinach - 1 bunch

2) Toor dal - 2 tbsp

3) Jeera - 1 tbsp

4) Red chilli - 3

5) Mustard - 1/2 tbsp

6) Urad dal- 1/2 tbsp

7) Channa dal - 1/2 tbsp

8) Coconut - 2 tbsp

9) Salt to taste.

10) Oil - 2 tbsp.

METHOD:

1)Wash the spinach and chop it finely.

2)Soak toordal, jeera, red chilli in water for 5-10 mins. grind this along with coconut into a fine paste.

3)Take a kadai, add required amount of water and bring to boil. now add the chopped spinach and let it cook.

4)Now add the grounded paste. let it cook on a medium flame for about 5 mins or untill the raw smell goes off.

5)For seasoning , heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal and pour this in that kadai.

6)This keerai can be had with rice or can be served as a side dish.

Hema's recipes - Gobi Manchurian Dry

Gobi manchurian is a Indian chinese dish. It is made of cauliflower. It is one of the famous starters served in many Indian restaurants which is dry, spicy and tasty. I usually make it as evening snacks during weekends which can be had with tea.

INGREDIENTS:

1) Cauliflower florets - 1 cup

2) Gram flour - 1/4 cup

3) Rice flour - 2 tbsp

4) Corn flour - 3 tbsp

5) Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp

6) Soya sauce - 2 tbsp

7) Red chilli sauce - 1 tbsp

8) Tomato sauce - 1 tbsp

9) Salt to taste

10) Oil to fry

11) Finely chopped coriander leaves - a few

METHOD:

1) Cut the cauliflower into big florets, wash nicely and boil it in water for 5 minutes.

2) Mix gram flour, rice flour, cornflour, 1 tsp soya sauce, salt, red chilli powder with water to get a thick batter. Dip the cauliflower pieces and

fry them in hot oil till golden brown.

3) Take a seperate vessel, heat little oil, add spring onions, add the red chilli sauce, tomato sauce, 1 tsp soya sauce, coriander leaves and a pinch of salt and cook for 1 min.

4) Put the fried cauliflower pieces in the above sauce, let it get mixed well and cook for further 1 or 2 mins.

5) Finally serve hot.

Hema's recipes - Green Peas Rice

I have a friend who taught me peas pulao in north indian style. so just thought why don't we do it in south Indian style by adding coconut. believe me after preparing it, the aroma of the dish was spread in my house. coconut, the main ingredient of the dish makes it so delicious. My husband just loved it and appreciated me.

Recipe is as follows:

INGREDIENTS:

Green Peas - 1 /2 cup
Rice - 1 cup (preferably basmathi rice)
Onion - 1
Grated coconut - 1 teaspoon
Ginger - 1 small piece
Garlic - 2-3 pods(optional)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Green chilli - 2-3
Red chilli - 1
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Urad dhal - 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves - few
Salt - to taste
Cooking oil - 2 teaspoon

METHOD:

1) Wash & soak the rice in water for about 1/2 an hour.
2)Wash the green peas nicely & keep it aside.
3) Finely chop the onion and keep it aside
4) Put the red chilli, greenchilli, cumin seeds, grated coconut, garlic and ginger in the mixer and grind it to a fine paste.
5) Heat some oil in the cooker, once the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds.When the mustard seeds start to
crackle add urad dhal and curry leaves and fry them till the color of the dhal change to golden brown.
6) Add the chopped onion and fry them till the onion becomes transparent. Then add the green peas and salt and cook them for about 5 minutes in the medium flame.
7) Add the grinded paste into the pan and cook it till the raw smell of the masala goes off (you can fry them in the pan for about 5 -10 minutes in the low flame).
8) Now add the rice. stir it well for a minute so that it gets mixed up with peas & masala.
9) Add 1 and 1/2 cup water(depends on quantity of rice). Cover the cooker lid and put it on for 1 whistle.
10) The yummy green peas rice is ready to serve. You can serve it with cucumber/onion raita.

Hema's recipes - Broccoli Soup

Broccoli evolved from a wild cabbage plant on the continent of Europe.

It contains vitamins and minerals, notably vitamin C, folate (folic acid), and potassium.In addition, broccoli contains a good amount of beta-carotene and is low in calories and virtually fat free.

The recipe is as follows:

1) Broccoli - 1 cup of florets
2) Onion - 1 (medium)
3) Garlic - 2 cloves
4) Carrot - 1 (small)
5) 2-3 cups water
6) Milk - 1/2 cup
7) Salt to taste
8) Pepper powder to taste
9) Butter/ghee - 1tsp

METHOD:

1) Cut broccoli into small florets and wash well. soak in salted water for ten to fifteen minutes and drain.
2)Peel and roughly chop onion, garlic and carrot.

3)Take a pan. Heat butter/ghee. add chopped onion, garlic, carrot one by one & saute it.
4)Add broccoli florets and saute for few mins. mix it well with the veggies.
5)Now add water as required and continue to cook without covering the pan. cook for five to seven minutes or till broccoli is tender.
6)Remove from fire, cool and puree it in a blender.
7)Add milk to pureed broccoli. mix well. bring to a boil again..
8)Add salt and pepper powder to taste and finally serve.

Hema's recipes - Green Moong Dal Gravy

Normally, dal for chapatis are made with toor dal or yellow moong dal but whole green moong dal also makes a great side dish.Whole green moong dal is the most popular sprout worldwide. It is a protein rich diet.

The recipes is as follows:

INGREDIENTS:

1) Whole Green Moong dal - 1 cup
2) Onions - 1

3) Tomato - 1
4) Green chilies - 4
5) Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
6) Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
7) Ginger - a small piece finely shredded
8) Garlic - 1-2 pods finely shredded
9) Curry leaves - 3 to 4
10) Milk - 1 cup
11) Oil - 1

METHOD:

1) Soak the whole moong dal for over night or if you are in hurry soak it in hot water for 1-2 hrs.
2) Then pressure cook the soaked moong dal with 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup water.
3) Heat oil in a pan. add cumin seeds and curry leaves. when they splutter add green chilli.
4) Now add the shredded ginger & garlic and fry them till the raw smells goes.
5) Then add Onion and fry them till it becomes golden brown .
6) Now add the cooked whole moong dal in to it with little turmeric powder and salt.
7) Mix it well and add 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup of milk.
8) At this stage add tomatoes now .
9) And close the lid let it boil for 10 minutes in medium flame
10) After that remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves

Hema's recipes - Rava Idli

Idli is one breakfast that is light in the morning & also easy to prepare. But it takes hours to ferment the batter .

Rava idli is unlike the normal idli. It doesn't consume so much time to make.

The recipe is as follows:

1) Rava - 1 cup
2) Curd - 1 cup
3) Musatrd seeds - 1/2 tbsp
4) Urad dal - 1/2 tbsp
5) Channa dal - 1/2 tbsp
6) Ginger - small piece chopped finely
7) Greenchillies - 3 chopped finely
8) Curry leaves - a few
9) Coriander leaves - a few
10) Salt to taste

METHOD:

1) Heat oil in a pan. add all items from mustard seeds to coriander leaves one by one.
2) Add rava to it and fry it on medium heat till u get nice aroma.
3) Transfer this to a plate and let it cool.
4) Now take a bowl, add this rava. beat the curd well and add it to this rava.
5) Add salt to taste and leave this batter for about 30-45 mins.
6) You can add little milk if it is too thick.
7) Now grease the idli plates and pour in the batter. Steam them for 10 mins.
8) Serve hot with chutney or sambhar.