Life Without Alu?: Moonger dal (Yellow Lentils soup)

Showing posts with label Moonger dal (Yellow Lentils soup). Show all posts

Wednesday, 5 December 2018

Moong Dal ka Halwa (Indian Yellow Lentils Dessert)

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

Moong Dal ka Halwa is a popular dessert all over Northern India. This rustic sweet dessert is not only delectable but healthy as well. You may not like Moong Dal because of its sweet bland taste but you will absolutely love this Halwa. Moong Dal does not taste much but when you add a good amount of Ghee and nuts in it, it becomes this fragrant, delicious dessert which nobody can deny. Now this process requires some time and effort but the result is so sweet and rich that you wont mind doing that extra labor. I prepared this dessert a few days back for the Lakshmi Puja and I was glad to see everyone enjoying it a lot. I guess we eat a lot of Bengali sweets here (in Kansas City) but almost never a typical North Indian dessert. It was so delicious that Debarshi and I greedily finished the leftover Halwa. I am telling you, if you want to enjoy something new and nutritious this winter, you must give this a try.

I have not eaten Moong Dal ka Halwa in the last few years. However, it used to be one of my absolute favorites while living in Delhi. I had a sweet shop right in front of my apartment and every weekend, I used to go there and sample different sweets (remember I used to be really chubby back then). Delhi gets quite cold in winter months and since this Halwa is served hot, it makes you feel warm and comforted.

Now this Halwa will take a lot of time to cook through. It is mainly because we will be starting with a paste of moong dal which has to be dried, fried, cooked in milk and then dried and fried again. Because of all these steps, it is bound to take some extra time. However, I assure you, once it is ready, it will be worth every bit of your precious time.

The best part, if you are already working in the kitchen then it will give you the perfect opportunity to prepare this Halwa. You don’t need a lot of effort, just some time. Since Moong dal tastes sweet it makes for a perfect base for preparing this Halwa. It is flavored with cardamom powder, Ghee and lots of nuts. I think it is astonishing how by adding fat and frying, we can convert a bland dal paste to something as mouth watering as this.

In Northern India, you can find this Halwa in almost all the sweet shops. During winter months, it is not unusual to see even the street vendors selling this dessert. However, personally if I can prepare something at home from scratch I prefer to do so. It gives me a confidence that whatever I am eating or sharing with my family or friends is pure. I always choose organic and fresh ingredients and of course home cooked meals do not have preservatives in them. So, I would encourage you to try this at home yourself. Make it a weekend project!

Winters is not the ideal time to loose weight because of all the holidays and good food. Therefore, I would recommend you to try this now. This Halwa is so rich it is almost a sin to enjoy it alone. I am sure you have friends or family who love Indian desserts so whenever you do prepare this, share!

Make sure to serve this delicious Halwa as the star of the show. Start with some yummy hot Parathas or your special curry. This Halwa is utterly irresistible and with every bite, you will crave for more. By serving this as the final course, you will be sure not to over eat a lot. If you have guests coming over, I would definitely recommend you to give this a try. Believe me you are sure to get some standing ovations!

If the Halwa looks like it might need a little bit more ghee, then add it! This is supposed to be rich and its texture should look beautifully fried. If the color is pale, then it needs to cook more.

Also, do use a good non stick pan so that you can keep frying the Halwa without worrying about it sticking on the bottom.

Homemade desserts are the best!

Ingredients:

Moong Dal – ½ cup, split husked yellow, washed
Ghee – ½ cup + 2-3 tablespoons
Sugar – ½ cup + 2 tablespoons
Cardamom Powder - 1/8 teaspoon
Milk – ½ cup
Water - 1 ½ cups
Cashews - ¼ cup
Raisins – ¼ cup

Tip: Use Mortar Pestle to ground the Cardamom.

Preparation:

Plan this step ahead: Soak the Moong Dal in enough water overnight.
Drain the Moong Dal. Transfer to your grinder (Nutri Bullet) cup. Add ¼ (do not add more than 1/3 cup) of water.
Make a smooth paste.

Directions:

Heat a non stick pan over medium high heat.
Add the Ghee in it. As soon as it melts add the Moong Dal paste in it. Stir well.
Reduce the heat to medium – medium low and keep stirring occasionally. Continue this step till you can no longer smell the raw aroma of the dal. Keep stirring and cooking.
The dal will soon start changing its texture from pale to lumpy. Break the lumps with a spatula and continue cooking. The dal at this stage will be very dry.
Now heat a pot on medium heat. Add the Milk, water and Sugar in it.
Stir occasionally till the sugar dissolves.

The moong dal should be at a granular consistency before you add the hot milk blend. It should give a fried aroma and the color should turn to a light golden. You will also notice the Ghee getting separated.

Notice the change in color and texture.
Now bring the milk blend to a boil then add it to the fried dal.
The dal will sizzle, so be careful while adding the liquid.

Now stir it well. Turn down the heat to low and continue cooking. Stir it occasionally.
Keep cooking till all the liquid is absorbed in the dal.
Now add the Cardamom Powder and nuts.

Continue cooking till the mixture once again looks fried and you can see the Ghee getting separated.
Moong Dal ka Halwa is ready! Serve it hot.

Some more recipes with Moong Dal (Yellow Lentils):

Recommended Reading (some more Indian desserts):

Debjani Moitra

I am a daughter, wife and now a mom! I love cooking and baking and the idea behind this blog is simple. To share all those food recipes I know. Our mom's and grandma's are excellent cooks right? We love the food prepared by them, it's as if their cooking makes our DNA. So, why cook and remember only special gourmet recipes? Life Without Alu? is a celebration of their lives and their love for us by the one medium they knew best - Food! and of course no food is complete without the starch - the star of the show - Potatoes!

Wednesday, 14 November 2018

Arhar Dal (Toor Dal or Split Yellow Pigeon Peas Soup)

Photo courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

Recipe courtesy: Mamma

Arhar Dal also known as Toor Dal (in Hindi) or Split (Yellow) Pigeon Pea is one of the most common Dals in Indian homes. I think the reason is, the ease of preparation. You don’t need a ton of ingredients to prepare this dal and yet it tastes divine. Dal, Bhat and Bhaja is one of my favorite comfort foods and this dal literally takes two whistles to cook. You can also make a delicious dal fry by adding onion, tomatoes, cilantro, ginger and garlic in it. However, most of the times, I just boil the dal and temper it later with some ghee, cumin seeds and green chili. Debarshi often requests a different temper which also includes some minced garlic. You can prepare it either way, depending on your mood. You can also just add a dollop of ghee in the boiled dal and have it with some rice or fresh roti. You can also have it like a soup. See, the possibilities are endless.

My mom always prepares a different type of dal everyday. She says that every dal differs in its nutrition and hence it is recommended to keep them on rotation. Plus, every dal tastes different and the way you temper it also alters its flavor. Growing up, I never really thought about all the planning that goes in the preparation of a well balanced meal. Now when I think about it, I can’t help but smile for all those times when I threw a tantrum just because of dal! I was not a picky eater but Arhar dal was my favorite and that is what I wanted everyday. Having a meal together is an important tradition in most of the families. It is a time for everyone to sit together and share things. Hence, my mom would always tell us to keep quiet and eat whatever was served on the plate. I never really thanked her for teaching us this valuable lesson. However, once I moved to Delhi and had to cook my own meals, I thoroughly missed those family dinners. Then I would get bored of eating the same dal everyday and most of all the discussion, the fun and the laughter. I have maintained this tradition in our home as well. Debarshi and I always eat our meals together. We talk and share whatever we did throughout the day. Now, I may not cook a different dal everyday but I do know all the amazing recipes and I do prepare them often.

Now let’s come back to Arhar dal. This dal is also used to prepare Sambar (lentils with vegetables served with fritters) so you can just get one bag of dal and prepare it in different ways. For the busy weeks, I always boil a big batch of dal in the cooker. Then I divide it into 3-4 portions and temper/ fry it as I feel like. I think this recipe is easy and quick and perfect for the weeknight dinners. You can freeze the leftover dal and thaw it later as per your need. For those of my friends who don’t have a pressure cooker at home, please make sure to cook the dal very well before consuming. It doesn’t matter much if you overcook the dal but you should definitely check that it is not undercooked. Just mash the dal lightly with a rubber spatula/ spoon and if it gets mashed easily then it is cooked.

The best part is, you can enjoy this dal as a simple comfort menu or convert it to a multi course meal. Just start the meal with some Saag, followed by dal and some Bhaja or torkari (Alu Bhindi or Alu Posto), then serve the fish or meat course and finally Payesh. We Bengalis usually cook this multi course meal for special occasions but I am going to share with you my little secret. You see, I almost always have leftovers. Over the years I have learned to serve those leftovers as a planned meal. So, if I have some Bhaja or torkari and some meat or fish leftovers from my weeknight dinners then I can very well serve a full multi course meal on weekends! All I have to do is cook some fresh dal and rice and serve with fresh crisp salad.

Now if I have convinced you to give this dal a try then you must be wondering where can you buy it. You can find Arhar dal in almost all Indian stores and often in the Asian or oriental aisles of other grocery shops. I would urge you to give this dal a try and then post in the comments how it turned out.

Ingredients:

Arhar Dal (Toor Dal or Split Yellow Pigeon Peas) - ½ cup
Water – 2 cups
Salt – ½ teaspoon
Turmeric Powder – ½ teaspoon
Oil – 1 teaspoon

For tempering:

Green Chilies - 1-2, slit in halves
Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
Ghee – 1 tablespoon
Garlic – ½ teaspoon, minced (optional)

Let’s cook the dal:

Wash the dal well.
Add the dal in the pressure cooker along with the Salt, Turmeric powder, and Oil.
Add the water in it and mix well.
Close the cooker and put it on medium heat. Make sure to put the whistle and rubber on the lid and close it properly.
When the cooker whistles for 2-3 times, turn off the heat and let it cool down.
Once the pressure drops and the lid opens, start the tempering process.

Directions to temper the Dal:

Indian cooking often involves tempering hence my mom has given me a special temper pan. It’s a small pan about the size of a cup. It has a sturdy handle and a flat base which makes it easier to place on the stove top. Now, if you have even a slightest doubt that the pan will not stay put on the stove top, it will be best to hold the handle till it heats up and the spices sizzle. You can get the temper pan from Amazon.com using the keyword - Tadka pan.

Add the Ghee, Green Chilies, Cumin seeds and Garlic (if using) in the pan and heat it over medium high heat.
Once the seeds start popping (the garlic will start changing color to golden red, do not burn it), turn off the heat.
Carefully pour it in the cooked Dal and cover immediately (sometimes the hot spices make the water in the dal jump).
Bring the dal to a boil.
Serve hot with steamed rice or Roti and torkari.

Tip: If you don’t have a temper pan, use a small cooking pot for this step.

Recommended Reading:

Debjani Moitra

Thursday, 21 June 2018

Sweet Masoor Dal (Red Lentils Bengali style)

I prepared this delicious Masoor Dal (Red Lentils) for our lunch today. I have prepared this dal several times using a different recipe and never quite took a liking to it. However, this recipe is quick to prepare and delicious to eat and tastes every bit Bengali (maybe because of its sweet taste). Now if you want you can definitely skip the sugar but then it may lose its authentic taste. We had it with some steamed rice, papad, Mach Bhaja and Kopir torkari and I enjoyed every bite of it.

Ingredients:

Masoor dal (Red Lentils) – ½ cup
Salt – ½ teaspoon
Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
Sugar - 1 tablespoon
Mustard Oil - 1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon (for tempering)
Onion – ½ cup, julienned
Whole Dry Red Chilies – 2-3
Black Nigella Seeds – ½ teaspoon

Directions to cook the dal:

Wash the dal and add it in the pressure cooker along with the Salt, Turmeric powder, Sugar and Mustard Oil (1 teaspoon).
Add 2 cups of water in it and mix well.
Close the cooker and put it on a medium heat. Make sure you put the whistle and rubber on the lid and close it properly.
When the cooker whistles for 2-3 times, turn off the heat and let it cool down.
Once the pressure drops and the lid opens, start the tempering process.

Directions to temper the Dal:

Heat a wok over high heat.
Add the Mustard Oil (1 tablespoon) along with the Whole Dry Red Chilies and Black Nigella Seeds in it.
Once you get the aroma of the spices, lower the heat and carefully add the Onion in it.
Fry till the Onion slices are golden brown in color.
Add the dal in it (carefully and slowly).
Increase the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Make sure the consistency is not too thick. If it is, add a cup of lukewarm water and adjust the Salt. It should be slightly sweet (which will also cut down the heat of the dry chilies).
Turn off the heat and serve the dal hot with Steamed Rice, Alu Bhaja, Mach Bhaja or any torkari of your choice.

Recommended Reading:

Debjani Moitra

Wednesday, 28 February 2018

Urad Dal Bengali Style (Biulir dal/ White Lentils Soup)

Urad dal is a quintessential Bengali Dal and is regularly prepared in many families and for very good reasons. You see Urad Dal or as we call it, Biulir dal like all the other lentils is rich in fiber, protein, minerals and vitamins while still being low in calories. Dal, Bhat and Bhaja is a common lunch menu in most Bengali families and it is amazing how a bowl of dal makes us feel full and satisfied. Dals also help improve heart, digestive and immune functions and are filled with many other health benefits.

I think Dals are the most inexpensive and easiest dishes to cook on an everyday basis. Every dal is usually prepared in the same way (in a pressure cooker) however, there are certain tricks which help in creating a delicious flavor. It may be dry roasting the dal or the tempering step. Do you remember, when I shared the Moonger dal (Yellow Lentils soup) recipe? I specifically mentioned dry roasting the lentils before cooking them and the same trick applies here. By dry roasting first, you will develop a beautiful flavor in the dal, skip this step and you will have a slimy and slippery texture in the cooked dal which personally I don’t like!

Urad dal is tempered with a paste of ginger and fennel seeds which creates a sweet aroma in it. It goes very well with Alu Posto (Potatoes with poppy seeds paste) and steamed rice. As I have mentioned before, a usual weekday lunch in a Bengali home is prepared with simple ingredients and this dal is a part of that lunch menu and if do you like it, you will find it irresistible not to prepare it again. Kids specially love this sweet dal because of its aromatic fragrance. Easy to prepare and delicious to eat. Thanks to Debarshi I have started tinkering with recipes like this which brings back all those happy family moments. Now whenever you decide to try this dal, don’t forget to serve it with Alu Posto and rice. Believe me by preparing the entire lunch menu you will have a better understanding as to why Bengalis love this combination so much.

Bon Appetit!

Ingredients:

White Lentils (Urad or Biulir dal) - ½ cup
Water – 2 ½ cups
Salt – ½ teaspoon
Turmeric Powder – ½ teaspoon
Oil – 1 teaspoon

For tempering:

Green Chilies - 1-2, slit in halves
Asafoetida - ½ teaspoon
Fennel Seeds – 2 ½ tablespoons
Ginger – 1-inch piece
Mustard Oil – 2 teaspoons

Let’s do some preparations first:

Grind the Fennel Seeds and Ginger with a little water to make a paste. You can use your Nutri bullet for this step (extractor blade).
Heat a skillet or wok on medium high heat.
Add the dry Urad dal in it and dry roast it till you get a nice roasted smell and it changes to a yellowish color.
Turn off the heat and add a cup of water in it.

Let’s cook the dal:

Add the dal in the pressure cooker along with the Salt, Turmeric powder, and Oil.
Add the water in it and mix well.
Close the cooker and put it on medium heat. Make sure you put the whistle and rubber on the lid and close it properly.
When the cooker whistles for 2-3 times, turn off the heat and let it cool down.
Once the pressure drops and the lid opens, start the tempering process.

Directions to temper the Dal:

Heat a wok over high heat and add the Mustard Oil in it.
Wait for about 30 seconds then reduce the heat to medium and add the Green Chilies, Asafoetida, Fennel Seeds and Ginger paste in it.
Fry the mixture for a while, you will start getting a fragrance of the cooked spices. Lower the heat and carefully add the dal in it.
Increase the heat to high, mix well and bring it to a boil. Make sure the consistency is not too thick. If it is, add a cup of lukewarm water and adjust the Salt.
Turn off the heat and serve the dal hot with Steamed Rice, Alu Posto (Potatoes with Poppy seeds) or Bhaja (deep fried vegetables).

Tips:

You can wash the dal after dry roasting it. Use a sieve.
You can find the White Lentils (Urad dal) along with all the spices at your local Indian store.

Recommended Reading:

Debjani Moitra

Tuesday, 17 October 2017

Chaler Payesh (Bengali style Rice Pudding)

Photo courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

I think I have learnt at least a hundred recipes since I got married. When I think of my life and my eating habits 4-5 years back, I can’t stop smiling. Pressure cooker was my best friend and everyday I used to cook a quick bland curry with some rice or roti and never worry about the taste. Desserts were always store bought unless I was visiting my parents when my mom would prepare something special for me. Never thought that I would prepare something from scratch and it would actually taste good! However, with time and patience I have learned and mastered some of the most amazing recipes and I intend to share all of them with you.

The feeling of being away from home strikes us most when we are craving for something special and that consists mostly of the foods prepared by our moms and I am sure that we all share the same feeling. The style of cooking that we grow up with, in a way becomes a part of our DNA. Don’t you agree? I guess, that’s why we have the phrase, ‘from mom’s kitchen.’ A dish prepared by her just feels special and makes us feel so warm and loved. When our mom’s cook (or used to cook, for those who have faced the ultimate loss) for us, every bite is like reliving childhood and reminds us of all those happy memories we shared as a family. I usually satisfy my cravings by taking the recipe from my mom and recreating it as best as I can. Debarshi however, makes special requests whenever he misses his mom’s cooking and that is how I learnt this amazing recipe.

Chaler Payesh or Bengali style rice pudding is a traditional Bengali must have dessert for all special occasions like birthdays, Durga Poojo and Lokhi Poojo. In fact, in many families including mine, we have separate utensils for preparing Payesh. This helps in two ways, first, since it is offered as a prosad using a different utensil ensures purity in preparation, second, a dedicated pan for dessert preparation means no hints of oil, onion or garlic. However, this is totally optional and you can very well use a regular pan or wok, just make sure to wash it a few times thoroughly to remove any hint of food previously cooked in it.

So, what are the rules for preparing this mouthwatering dessert? Well, only one and that is, be patient. Preparing Payesh is pretty much straight forward, boil the milk, add the rice, sugar and nuts and it’s ready! but hold on, this may sound quick but it isn’t. The biggest factor to consider while making Payesh is time. Payesh is cooked over low heat which gradually thickens the milk without burning. Now you cannot proceed with the recipe until the milk reduces to almost two third of its original volume and you have to stir occasionally which means you have to be around the gas oven all the time so what do I do? I use that time to cook and prepare other dishes (remember I always prepare Payesh on special occasions which means I have a lot of other cooking to do as well). That way, my time is utilized in other things while the milk thickens and develops a beautiful heavy texture. When the time comes, I add the rice, nuts and sugar and it’s ready!

My final tip, don’t be overwhelmed by the time required to prepare this dessert, follow the recipe as it is. Small steps like crushing the cardamoms, slicing the almonds and using ghee are important and should not be skipped because they play an important role in the flavor of this delish dessert. Give it ample time and attention and you will be able to enjoy and share a beautiful bowl of this decadent pudding.

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice – 1/3 cup
Whole Milk - 1 gallon
Sugar – 9 tablespoons
Ghee (Clarified Butter) – 1 tablespoon
Green Cardamom - 8 pods, crushed or powdered, skins removed
Raisins – ¼ cup (or ½ cup)
Almonds or Pecans – ¼ cup, sliced or broken into small pieces
Bay leaf – 2, small

Let’s do some preparations first:

Wash the rice.
Drain it well then transfer to a small bowl.
Add the Ghee and bay leaves to the rice and mix. Keep this aside.

Directions:

Heat a big pan or wok over medium high heat. Slowly and carefully pour the milk into it.
Keep the heat on medium for the first 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally then turn it down to medium low.
Keep boiling the milk till it is reduced to 2/3 of its original volume (Tip: This simply means that the milk will be more than half but less than its original volume). Stir, stir, stir.
Now add the rice along with the bay leaves and ghee to the milk. Stir to mix.
Allow it to cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally then mash a grain of rice to check if it’s slightly tender. If it isn’t keep cooking and stirring.
Add sugar when the rice is slightly tender.
After 10-15 minutes, add the crushed Green Cardamom, Raisins and sliced Almonds. Keep stirring and cooking. Any thick milk should be cleaned off the sides and mixed in the Payesh itself so keep stirring and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan.
Check after 10-15 minutes, the rice should be cooked well by now but it should not be mushy and should hold its shape. The addition of the nuts will slightly deepen the color of the milk. The Payesh should have a thick consistency now (the milk at this time is almost reduced to half of its original volume).
Remove from heat and cool before serving.

Tips:

Use mortar pestle to crush the cardamom pods.
Use a big wok or pot to boil the milk. It should be properly washed before adding the milk and use a clean wooden or rubber spatula to stir the milk.
Do not use reduce calorie (1% or 2%) milk.
Payesh is a task of patience. The milk should be allowed to boil and reduce on a low heat. After you add the nuts the color of the milk will darken a bit.