Louki Chana Dal:
Ingredients:
1 cup Chanadal, soaked for 1 hour
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp. ginger paste
3 young zucchini peeled and cubed
˝ tsp. of garam masala
3 Tbsp. ghee or vegetable oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds (jeera)
1-2 whole red chillies
1/2 tsp. asafoetida (hing)
2 tsp. ground coriander powder
(I sometimes add a tablespoon of sweet coconut to my dish- this is optional but it makes
this dish just wonderful - Kavita)
˝ Tbsp. fresh lime juice
salt to taste
For the garnish - 4 Tbsp. chopped cilantro. Procedure:
- Pick through the dal and wash it. Drain the water. Add
3 cups of water to a heavy pot and add dal, 1 Tbsp. of ghee or oil, turmeric, ginger
and salt to taste. Boil the dal. Reduce heat. Add zucchini and garam masala (add
coconut - optional) and let it simmer.
- As dal is simmering, heat ghee in a small sauce pan and fry
cumin seeds and red chillies till they brown. Add asafoetida, coriander powder and fry the
seasonings for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the seasonings into dal and let it continue to simmer
on low until the zucchini is butter soft. Adjust the water so that the dal has the
consistency you like( from soup like consistency to thick soup, pour over dal or to eat
with flat bread)
- Add lime juice and garnish with chopped cilantro.
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Lentil-Chili or Dal Keema - This is an excellent
dish for those seeking to cut down their intake of red meat and hence cut bad cholesterol.
(Need a pressure cooker for this dish)
Ingredients:
12 oz or 1 lb. chana dal (gram pulse) washed and set aside
1 cup minced meat (keema)
4 Tbsp. yogurt
1 tsp. turmeric powder
2 tsp. coriander powder
1 tsp. garam masala (curry powder)
1 large onion (chopped fine)
1/2 tsp. garlic paste
1/2 tsp. ginger paste
4 green chili
1/2 bunch coriander leaves
2 tbsp. ghee / butter
Salt and chili powder to taste.
Heat ghee in the pressure cooker pan and fry the onions until golden brown. Add cleaned
and washed minced meat and fry, adding a little beaten curd and garlic when the meat turns
deep brown.
Add chana dal to the meat and stir in the turmeric coriander, chili powder, salt and
ginger. Fry for a minute, add 3 cups of water, close cooker and place on medium heat.
Pressure-cook. Then let cook on low with the pressure for 10 minutes. Remove and
cool the cooker for five minutes, open cooker and add split green chili and garam masala
powder and place cooker back on fire and cook for 1-2 minutes more, stirring gently do the
dal does not lose its form. Season with lime juice.
Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped cilantro leaves.
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Channa (Cholar) Dal from Bengal
Ingredients:
1 cup channa dal
1/2 teaspoon turmeric paste.
1/4 teaspoon chili
1 tbsp.coriander powder.
2 tbsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. garam masala powder
2 -4 green chilies, slit.
Salt to taste.
1/4 fresh finely grated or coconut shreds.
1 tbsp. ghee.
2 teaspoons sugar.
3 bay leaves.
Salt to taste.
Direction
Wash dal and keep aside for half an hour and add to the boiling water in the bowl. Add
turmeric & chili and stir. Simmer over medium fire till dal is done. Mix well . Add
the coriander, garam masala pastes and green chilies, also add salt and sugar to taste.
Mix thoroughly & cook till dal is soft and cooked. In a pan, heat the ghee, add bay
leaves, cumin and whole red chili. When it stops spluttering, pour the dal. Add coconut
stir and remove from fire. Serve hot with rice or roti.
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Aromatic Bengal Dal - Bengal Narkel-Cholar
1 cup channa dal.
2 - 3 Bay leaf or (Tej Patta in hindi)
2 whole cloves
2 Green
cardamom
1' Cinnamon stick
(grind the above 3 in a mortar with a pestle)
1/2 tbsp. Cumin seeds
2 tbsp.Ghee
2 green chills
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
2 tbsp. Chopped & fried coconut.
1 tsp. Sugar: .
Salt to taste.
Direction
- Boil chana dal with turmeric powder & garam masala till dal is soft.
- Heat
ghee in a pan, add bay leaf, cumin seeds & green chilies. Add boiled dal & water.
Add salt, sugar, and boil for 2 minutes. Garnish with coconut.
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Zucchini Tomato Dal
Ingredients
4 tsp. ghee or sunflower oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 minced green chili pepper-optional
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tbsp. panch poran - a bengali spice blend
1 tbsp. coriander powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 cup channa dal
4 cups water
2 cup zucchini, diced
1/2 cup ripe tomato diced
Salt to taste
Procedure
In a saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic (and minced chilipepper) and sauté
for 5 minutes. Stir in the turmeric, panch poran, coriander, and pepper; cook for 1 minute
more. Stir in the lentils and water and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Stir in the zucchini/tomato and cook for about 30 minutes more, stirring
occasionally, until the lentils are tender. Stir in the salt. Serve with an Indian
flat bread or flour tortilla and a sauce such as yogurt, cucumber and chopped parsley.
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Channa dal and Vegetables on toast for a
mini meal
INGREDIENTS :
4 tbsp. ghee or oil
1 tsp. dried methi/fenugreek seeds which is soaked in water so they swell.
1 green chillie,
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp garlic paste
1 onion sliced thin
1/2 cup channa dal
1 tbsp. corriander powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 bundle fresh spinach washed, cleaned, stems removed and chopped
1 small carrot washed, peeled cubed
1 small potato washed, peeled cubed
3 medium sized tomatoes.
2 cups water
Salt to taste
Procedure
Heat the oil in sauce pan with a tight fitting lid. Add
garlic, after a moment add ginger, chillie and onion.
After the onions brown add the channa dal, corriander powder and turmeric and
continue to sautee the channa for a minuite stirring it with a wooden spoon.
Then add spinach, carrot, potato, tomatoes.
Add 2 cups water and put the cover on the dish. Cook the dish till all
flavors mingle and the vegetables are butter soft. Season with salt.
Chana Dal of Puri Jagannath Temple - a wonder of a temple in Orissa India
Ingredients
2 cups of Chana dal - wash and clean it
1/4 cup grated coconut
2 cinnamon sticks
4 black cardamom
4 cloves
1 tsp whole black pepper powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds freshly ground
turmeric,
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp ghee plus panchporan spices
(cumin, mustard, fennel, fenugreek)
Salt to taste |
 |
1. Boil chana dal with turmeric powder and add salt,
turmeric and sugar. Cook until dal boils properly and dal is thick
2. Blend all ingredients from coconut to coriander powder. Add it to the dal after
it is almost cooked and simmer it for another 20 minutes
3. Heat ghee in a pan, an fry the panchporan spices until it fluters and then add it to
the dal |
