Whole Tuvar(toor) Curry

I have been using toor dal for sambhar and dosas. I got to find the whole toor dal at Indian grocery store. I just came with the recipe and it turned out well. Just thought of sharing with you all.

This recipe goes well with roti or rice. I tried this with roti and the taste was good.

Whole Toor curry

Whole toor curry

Ingredients:

Whole Toor Dal - 3/4 cup
Onion - 1 
Tomato - 2
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic - 3 buds
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Chili powder- 1/2 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tbsp
Cumin powder- 1/2 tbsp
Milk- 2 tbsp
Kasoor methi- little 
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Salt- as per your taste
Oil- little 

Seasoning: 

Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Cilantro - little 

Method: 

Soak whole toor dal for 6-7 hours . Pressure cook dal with turmeric, salt and little oil, allow the dal to cook for 5-6 whistles.

Heat a sauce pan with 5 table spoon of oil. Add cumin seeds and wait until it splutters. Then add ginger , garlic saute for 20 seconds and then add onion. 

After onion becomes soft add the tomato (cut finely or pureed). When the tomato gets mushy add chili powder, coriander powder and cumin powder. Mix it well.

Add milk and wait until oil separates ( does not stick to the bottom of the pan), now add the cooked dal followed by kasoor methi. Close the pan with lid and allow to cook for 10 minutes in medium heat. Keep stirring in between to avoid the curry creating a bottom layer in the pan. Gently mash the dal with potato masher for nice consistency.

Finally add lemon and give a stir. Garnish with cilantro.

Enjoy with the combo of your choice!!!!

Thanks - VP

Aloo-Mattar Poha

Poha is a flattened rice which has a very unique taste compared to rice. It will taste good in all the forms  either as payasams,upma or pulav. I have tried aloo poha with some small changes it is known famously as a Mumbai street food. 

Aloo-Mattar Poha

Ingredients :

Poha- 1 1/2 cup
Potato (Aloo) - 1 medium
Peas (Mattar) - 1/2 cup (fresh or frozen)
Onion- 1 medium 
Ginger- 1 inch piece ( finely cut)
Green chilies- 3
Lemon juice- 1 tbsp
Turmeric - a pinch 

Seasoning:

Mustard - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves- Few
Hing- a pinch 
Italian seasoning- 1 tbsp
Oil- 1 tbsp
Salt- as per taste

Method: 

Cut onion, ginger and green chilies finely

In a pan, heat a table spoon of oil add mustard. After it stops fluttering, add hing and curry leaves.
Followed by ginger and green chilies. After few seconds add onion and wait for two minutes.
Now add potato and peas. Let it cook for 5 minutes.
When the potatoes are half cooked add turmeric and Italian seasoning and saute for few seconds
Mean while, wash the poha in running water and prick with a fork
Now add the washed poha and close the pan. Allow to cook for 10 minutes until poha is cooked. Finally, add lemon juice and allow it to cook for 2 minutes and serve with some cilantro as garnish

Enjoy hot or cold either as tea-time snack or a yummy breakfast!!!

Note: 
You can add either boiled potato and peas instead of uncooked ones. In that case, poha can be added immediately after adding potato and peas.
Italian seasoning is available in all the grocery stores.

Thanks for reading - VP

Sabhudana (Sago) Idli

When I recall my memories about sabhudana, I can tell about the yummy payasams and curd pachadi. When I learnt about the sago idli from the blog, I started jumping with joy. I wanted to try this at once with some changes. I like the taste and also the wonderful texture of the sabhudana ever since my childhood. 

Sago Idly

Ingredients:

Idly Rava - 1 cup 

Sabhudana -1/2 cup 

Curd -1 cup

Salt - as per taste  

Seasoning:

Mustard - 1 tsp

Urad dal- 1 tbsp

Curry leaves- few

Cashew - a handful

coriander leaves- little

Turmeric - a pinch 

Hing- a pinch

Method: 

Soak sabhudana,rava with curd  along with salt for 10 hours ( preferably the previous night for the breakfast).

After that add some water mix and bring to a consistency of idli batter 

In  a pan add a tablespoon of oil, then add mustard. After it splutters add urad dal, hing, curry leaves, cashews,ginger and green chillies. 

Pour the seasoning to the batter and then add coriander and turmeric. 

Heat the idli pan with water, pour the batter to the idli mould and cook for 15 mins (similar to idli)

Enjoy with coconut chutney or sambhar of your choice !!!!

Thanks for reading - VP

Tomato-Thokku

I had been a long time after my first post, got engaged into my work a lot.
Now, its a comeback with a spicy tomato chutney which is ideal for roti,dosas,idli and rice. A perfect combo for all :)

Ingredients:

Tomato- 3 (ripe and juicy ones)
Garlic- 3 buds
Chilli powder- 1/2 tbsp
Pav bhaji masal- 1 tsp

Seasoning:

Oil- 1 tbsp( sesame oil)
Mustard- 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Hing- a pinch
curry leaves- a little
Salt- as per your taste

Method:

Cut the tomato into cubes (you can even grind and puree or can even use tomato puree) and garlic into very small pieces.

Take a fry pan and add oil. After that add mustard and wait until the crackling sound  stops. Then add the urad dal and curry leaves.

Add the garlic and tomato and wait until the tomatoes become soft to a half cooked state.

Then add chilli powder, pav bhaji masala and salt and give a quick stir.

Place the stove on medium-low and keep stirring in small intervals.

Once the oil starts oozing out and the tomato leaves the bottom of the pan ( not sticky) the thokku is ready

Enjoy with the combo of your choice!!!

Thanks for reading- vp

Plantain ( Raw Banana) dosa

Plantains are a rich in fiber and has very less fat.I used to prepare sambharor stir fry using plantain. Dosas using plantain is quite a different one, original recipe was adapted from redchillies and I have made some changes by adding urad dal, fennel seeds and onions.
Original recipe suggest adding coconut, it can also be added I have not included it in my recipe

Ingredients:

Raw Rice - 1 cup
Urad dal- 1/4 cup
Raw Banana- 1 (Big one)
Green Chillies- 4
Hing- a pinch
Fennel seeds- 1 table spoon
Tapioca- 2 table spoon
Onion- 1 medium size (chopped finely)
Cilantro leaves- little (chopped finely)

Preparation time : 4 hours ; Cook time - 40 mins
We can get 8-9 dosas for this measurement

Method:

Soak raw rice with tapioca for 3 hours. Soak urad dal separately for 1 hour.

Add raw banana,green chillies,Urad dal, Hing, Fennel seeds in a blender and grind to a smooth paste, then add the soaked rice+tapioca and grind with water to the consistency of  dosa batter
Blending raw banana first prevents the formation of lumps.

Mix the finely chopped onion,cilantro and add salt as per taste (ref: last image)
Heat the iron griddle, apply oil and pour the batter using ladle gently spread the batter using the curved end of the laddle as a flat circle, dont worry if the shape is exactly not a circle

Pour a table spoon of oil and let it cook until the edges appear golden brown in color.
Once the color changes flip it and cook on the other side

Serve with any chutney or sambhar and enjoy!!!!!

Thanks
VP