Indian Food Images Thali Menu Calori Chart Picture Photography Item Meme Photos Dishes: Dal Indian Food Indian Food Images Thali Menu Calori Chart Picture Photography Item Meme Photos Dishes

Saturday 31 January 2015

Dal Indian Food Indian Food Images Thali Menu Calori Chart Picture Photography Item Meme Photos Dishes

Dal Indian Food Biography

Source:- Google.com.pk

Dal Tadka, a North Indian dal recipe, is a Dhaba style favorite food of mine. I have a lot of warm childhood memories associated with Dhaba style food with all its smoky flavors. On many a road trip, our standard mid day vegetarian meal consisted of hot pulka, dal tadka, aloo gobi sabzi, paneer curry, dahi, lassi and salad. We always try to find an authentic Punjabi dhaba (typically run by a Punjabi) present along the highway route where the food is usually cooked over wood fire.
indian dal recipe
Dal Tadka
I have numerous dal recipes on my blog and wonder why it took me so long to post the recipe of Dal Tadka which happens to be a favorite of mine. Dal Tadka aka Tadka Dal or Dal Tarka is a healthy, hearty, beautifully textured, smoky flavored Indian dal dish that is revered by many a Dhaba food connoisseur. The aroma that emanates the home while preparing the tadka for the dal dish is something one needs to experience as I cannot explain in words the sizzle and mingle of Indian spices in hot oil or desi ghee. Truly intoxicating.
North indian dal recipe
Dal Tadka with Palak Lachcha Paratha
I have prepared Dal Tadka using three types of Indian lentils – tur dal (red gram), chana dal (Bengal gram) and moong dal (yellow dal). You can use just tur dal or any two lentils like masoor dal or yellow moong dal, if you do not have all the three types of lentils on hand. I have used desi ghee (clarified butter) for tempering which gives a rustic flavor to the dal. You can use oil for a vegan version which will taste just as good. Authentic Dal Tadka recipe does not call for the use of curry leaves but I like the flavor of curry leaves and hence I threw in a few leaves in the tempering.
Dal Tadka goes best with hot pulkas, chapati, naan and jeera pulao. I served Dal Tadka with Palak Lachcha Paratha which made for a fantastic combination.
Dal Tadka Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Main Ingredients: tur dal
Ingredients
Tur dal - 1/4 cup (kandi pappu/red gram da)
Moong dal - 1/4 cup (pesara pappu/yellow lentils)
Channa dal - 2 tbsps (bengal gram/senaga pappu) (soak for 15 mts in water)
Green chilies - 2, slit length wise
Ginger, finely minced
Haldi - 1/4 tsp (pasupu/turmeric pwd)
Coriander seeds - 1/2 tsp (crushed) (optional)
Tomato - 1, finely chopped
Ghee - 1 1/2 tsps (or oil for a vegan version)
For tempering/poppu/tadka:
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Hing - large pinch (asafoetida/inguva)
Dry red chilies - 1 or 2, tear and de-seed
Green chili - 1, slit
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves (optional)
Ghee - 1 1/2 tsps (or cooking oil)
Method
In a pressure cooker, add 2 cups of water and add the three lentils/dals, green chilies, ginger, hing and turmeric pwd and pressure cook upto 3 whistles. If cooking over stove top, cook till the dals are almost cooked. Mash the dals lightly.
Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel, add crushed coriander seeds and stir fry for few secs. Add the chopped tomato and saute for 4 mts.
Add the pressure cooked dal along with salt and mix. Add a large cup of water and cook on slow to medium flame for 10 mts without lid or till you get the consistency of your choice.
Remove onto a serving bowl and keep aside while you prepare the tempering.
Heat ghee in a small pan, add the cumin seeds and as they splutter, add hing, red chilies, green chili, red chili powder and curry leaves and saute for a few secs. Turn off heat and pour this over the dal.
Serve with rotis or jeera pulao or white rice.
Tips
A variation - saute a chopped onion before sauteing the tomatoes.
Amchur powder and garam masala powder can be added to the tempering. Add a pinch of each.
Dal Tadka can be prepared using just Tur dal OR Yellow moong dal.
There are numerous version of Dal Tadka. The one above is a regular in our home.
Curry leaves are an optional ingredient.
Gujarati Dal Recipe
I like to try out different types of dal recipes especially from regional Indian cuisines. There are numerous easy to cook recipes that we are not aware of and I try to unearth a few culinary gems and add them to my repertoire. One such classic is Gujarati dal recipe that is a super hit at home. Most Gujarati food recipes call for the addition of jaggery or sugar and you will find a hint of sweetness in their everyday meals. I love Gujarati vegetarian food especially the dhokla, everyday shaak (subji/kuralu) and dal.
gujarati dal recipe
Our lunch ~ Phulka, Gujarati dal, Bhindi fry, curd, slices of raw tomato
Gujarati Dal is a refreshing change from the usual everyday dal. The flavors are complex, khati meeti – tangy and sweet with a hint of spice. Love how the flavors mingle to bring out a winner of a recipe and make for a fantastic side with phulkas. You can serve it with rice as well and let me tell you that it is finger licking good. :
Gujarati Dal Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 5
Main Ingredients: tur dal jaggery
Ingredients
Tur dal - 1/2 cup (kandi pappu/split pigeon peas)
Peanuts - fistful, raw
Tomato - 1, medium, finely chopped
Jaggery - 1 tbsp to 1 1/2 tbsps, grated
Green chilis - 2, slit
Ginger - 1", finely minced
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 to 1 1/2 tbsps or 1/2 tsp amchur powder or 2 pieces of dried kokum or 3/4 tbsp tamarind paste
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander leaves to garnish
For poppu/tempering/tadka:
Oil - 1 tbsp OR ghee
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp (methi/menthulu)
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Dry red chilis - 1 or 2, tear, de-seed
Cinnnamon stick - 1"
Bay leaf - 1
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Method
Wash tur dal, add one cup water to the dal and pressure cook upto 4 whistles. Once the pressure eases, transfer the dal to a deep vessel and mash it with a masher.
To the mashed dal, add 3 cups of water, raw peanuts, turmeric powder, red chili powder, minced ginger, green chilies, chopped tomatoes, jaggery and salt to taste and simmer for 12-15 mts on low medium flame. Keep stirring in between.
Heat oil or ghee in a small pan. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, red chilis, bay leaf, cinnamon stick. asafoetida and curry leaves and saute for a few seconds till the fenugreek seeds turns red and the cumin turns brown. Turn off flame.
Pour the tempering into the simmering dal and mix. Add lemon juice and mix. Taste the dal. It should have spicy tangy and sweet flavors. Adjust red chili powder, lemon juice and jaggery accordingly. Turn off flame
Remove to a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with roti or rice.
Tips
Dried dates are also used to sweeten the dal in place of jaggery.
You can add 1/2 tsp of cumin-coriander powder.
2 cloves and a star anise can be added at the time of tempering.
Do not cook the dal after adding the lemon juice.
If adding tamarind paste or kokum, add them after the dal simmers for 5 mts.
Ensure the dal is completely mashed before proceeding to prepare the dal. Add enough water to the mashed dal. This is not a thick dal but slightly thinner in consistency.
For a tangy flavor, add more lemon juice and adjust jaggery according to your preference.
There are a few other versions where 2 to 3 types of dal like chana dal and split green gram are also added along with tuvar dal.