DALS DISHES

Ingredients:1 cup black urad dal (split black lentils with skin) 1/2 cup Bengal gram dal (chana dal) 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder (haldi) 1 onion, sliced 2 cloves 1 stick cinnamon 2 whole red chilies 2 tsps ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp. green chilies, finely chopped 1 tsp. chili powder 2 tbsps ghee Salt to taste 2 tbsps chopped coriander & ginger, cut into thin strips (juliennes) for garnishing

Dal Banjari

Method: Clean and wash the dals together. Pressure cook with the turmeric powder, salt and 3 cups of water for 4 to 5 whistles or until the dal is cooked. Heat the ghee in a pan, add the onion, cloves, cinnamon, red chilies and saut� till onion turns golden brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, chili powder and saut� for 2 minutes. Add this to the cooked dal and boil for 4 to 5 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with the coriander and ginger strips. Serves 4 to 6 Preparation time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:2 lbs Swiss chard 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/4 tsp turmeric 1 tsp coriander powder 1 large onion, chopped 3 garlic flakes, minced 1 fresh red chili 1 tsp ground black pepper 1 cup red lentils, soaked for 30 minutes 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup dal stock 1 can peeled tomatoes Salt to taste Sufficient tomato puree to thicken

Swiss Chard Dal

Method: Cut the Swiss chard into �" pieces and boil them with little water. To this, add chopped green chilies, garlic and the onions. When the onions get tender, add pepper powder, cumin seeds, turmeric and coriander powder. Simmer with a lid on for 10 minutes. Add water and dal stock, red lentils and simmer for a couple of minutes more. Now add canned tomatoes and simmer until the lentils get soft. Later add tomato puree to thicken and salt. Cook until the dal gets thickened. Serve with plain rice or fried rice. Ingredients:1 small bunch fresh spinach, finely chopped 1/2 cup moong dal 1 tsp rasam powder 1 tbsp grated coconut 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp ghee or butter Spinach Kootu Method: Grind the rasam powder & grated coconut to a smooth paste and keep aside. Mix spinach and moong dal together in a vessel and pressure cook for 10 minutes. After 15-20 minutes take out the spinach from cooker. Heat ghee in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the cumin seeds and fry for a minute. Add the cooked spinach & dal mixture to the mustard seeds mixture. Add salt, a pinch of turmeric powder, ground paste and bring to a boil. Serve hot with plain rice and pappad. Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 15-20 minutes Ingredients:150g eggplants 150g onions 100g tamarind, soaked in hot water 5 green chilies 1 tsp chili powder 1 bunch of curry and coriander leaves 50g jaggery Salt to taste Pachhi Pulusu Method: Apply oil to the eggplants outside and burn on flame until the outer layer gets black. Remove the outer layer and mash the eggplant. To this, add tamarind water, chopped onions and green chilies, chili powder, salt, jaggery, curry and cilantro leaves and mix well. Serve with pulagam or hot plain rice with ghee or butter on it. Ingredients:300 gms chana dal (garbanzos) 1/4 tsp mustard seeds 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds 1/4 tsp onion seeds 1/4 tsp ani seeds 5 whole red chilies 2 bay leaves 1 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp sugar 1/2 cup fresh coconut sliced into 2 cms long pieces 2 tbsp raisins 4 tbsp oil Salt to taste Sweet & Sour Chana Dal Method: Soak the dal for 4 hours in water. Pressure cook till soft. Add turmeric, salt, sugar and keep aside. Heat oil. Add mustard seeds, fenugreek, aniseeds, broken red chilies, onion seeds, bay leaves, coconut pieces and raisins. Fry gently till golden. Pour the cooked dal into the fried masala. Add enough water to cook and make into a thick gravy. Simmer and serve with 'loochies' or 'puris'. Serves: 6 Preparation time: 1 hour Ingredients:200g eggplants 20g garlic 5 green chilies 30g tamarind, soaked in hot water 3 red chilies Few mustard and cumin seeds 2 tbsp oil 1 bunch of curry and coriander leaves 1/4 tsp turmeric Salt to taste Vankaaya Chaaru Method: Make long stripes on eggplants with a knife and stuff with garlic flakes and green chilies. Apply oil to the eggplants and burn on flame for few minutes. Remove the outer layer and mash the eggplants. To this, add tamarind water, remaining green chilies, salt, cilantro, turmeric and mix well. Heat oil in a pan, fry red chilies, mustard and cumin seeds, curry leaves and add to the above mixture. Boil the mixture on low heat for some time and serve.