MOONG DHAL SUNDAL

INGREDIENTS : 

For Moong Dhal :

For Tempering & Seasoning :

METHOD : 

To Cook Moong Dhal in Pressure Cooker :

• Dry Roast the Moong Dhal on a low flame until fragrant for about 3-5 Minutes.
• Clean and wash the dhal until the water runs clear.
• Add 11/2 Cups of Water to the dhal along with Turmeric Powder, Ghee and Salt.
• Pressure cook the dhal for a whistle on a high flame.
• Switch off the flame and allow to pressure to release. 
• Allow it to cool and fluff up the dhal.

To Cook Moong Dhal in a Sauce Pan : 

• Dry Roast the Moong Dhal on a low flame until fragrant for about 3-5 Minutes.
• Clean and wash the dhal until the water runs clear.
• Add about 2 Cups of Water and allow it to boil.
• Add the dhal along with Turmeric Powder, Ghee and Salt in the boiling water.
• Cover the lid and cook on medium flame for about 5-8 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Cook until it is soft, but the dhal should be separate and not mushy
• Switch off the flame and drain any excess water.
• Can use this water used to cook the dhal to prepare Rasam.

For Moong Dhal Sundal :

• Heat Oil in a pan, splutter Mustard Seeds, Dry Red Chillies and Curry Leaves. 
• Saute finely chopped Onions and Green Chilies until onions turn translucent.
• Add cooked Moong Dhal and give a quick stir. 
• Sprinkle grated Coconut along with a pinch of Sugar and mix well.
• Leave the Moong Dhal Sundal on a low flame for about a minute.
• Serve Moong Dhal Sundal along with Rice and any Curry/Rasam of your choice. Goes well with Chapathis too.

NOTES :

• For more details on How to cook Beans, Lentils and Pulses, click here ... 
• Adding butter or ghee while cooking dhal will speed up the process and also adds a nice flavour to the dhal.
• According to Ayurveda, Moong Dhal should be cooked with ghee (or other oil) to antidote its dry and astringent qualities.
• Moong Dhal should not be overcooked for this Sundal.
• Can avoid adding Onions while cooking Moong Dhal Sundal for Naivedyam/Prasadham.
• Adjust the number of Green Chillies and Dry Red Chillies to your spice preference.
• Adding Sugar and grated Coconuts are totally optional.

NOTES :

HONEY CANDY/THEN MITTAI

• Soft and Juicy Then Mittai, 
• Flavour filled Thengai(Coconut) Burfi, 
• Nutritious Kadalai(Groundnut) Mittai, 
• Rock hard Kammarakkat Mittai, 
• Soury Pulippu/Orange Mittai, 
• Handmade Kai Murukku, 
• South Indian Mixture, 
• Colourful roll of Poppins, 
• Crispy Balls of Pori Urundai, 
• Crystallised Sooda(Mint) Mittai.  

HONEY CANDY/THEN MITTAI

INGREDIENTS :

For Honey Candy/Then Mittai Batter :

For Sugar Syrup :

METHOD :

For Sugar Syrup : 

• Add Sugar and enough water to immerse the sugar in a large pan.
• Allow it to boil until it reaches just less than one string consistency.
• Boil the sugar syrup for just 5-6 Minutes.
• Switch off the flame and Add 2-3 Drops of lemon juice finally.
• Leave this sugar syrup aside.
• Adding lemon juice to the sugar syrup prevents the syrup from crystallizing.

For Honey Candy/Then Mittai :

• Soak Idli Rice, Urad Dhal and Sago Pearls for about 4 Hours.
• Then Grind the soaked ingredients in a Wet Grinder/Mixer Grinder into a smooth batter.
• Use 1/4 of Water along with a pinch of Salt to Grind the ingredients. 
• Remove the batter from the Grinder.
• Add Soda-bi-carbonate and Food colouring to the batter and mix well.
• Meanwhile heat Oil in a Deep Pan on a medium-high flame.
• Once the oil is hot reduce the flame.
• Dip your hands in water and make small balls out of the batter.
• Directly drop the batter balls into the hot oil.
• Fry them on a very low flame until both the sides are well cooked or until the sizzling sound stops.
• Immediately add the fried Honey Candy/Then Mittai into Hot Sugar Syrup.
• Follow the suit for the rest of the batter. 
• Mix the Honey Candy/Then Mittai in hot Sugar Syrup until each candy is well coated.
• Let it soak for about 20-30 Minutes.
• Once soaked allow the Honey Candy/Then Mittai to dry on a plate.
• If preferred, sprinkle some powdered Sugar over Honey Candy/Then Mittai.
• Stays good for a week at room temperature.

HONEY CANDY/THEN MITTAI

NOTES :

• Use 1/4 Cup minus 1 Tbspn of Urad Dhal(Black Gram Dhal) for the batter.
• Adding Sago Pearls gives slightly transparent and Juicy Honey Candy/Then Mittais.
• No need to ferment the batter.
• Fry the Honey Candy/Then Mittais immediately once the batter is ready.
• Fry them on a very low flame, otherwise, you may not get the desired texture.
• Let the Honey Candy/Then Mittai and Sugar Syrup be hot while mixing them together.
• Heat the Sugar Syrup at intervals while adding the fried Honey Candy/Then Mittais.
• Allow it to soak for at least 20-30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:

For Filling :

METHOD: 

• Slightly pound and mix all the ingredients mentioned under 'For Filling', and keep them aside.
• Boil the Potatoes until they turn soft.
• Mash the Potatoes without any lumps.(Can grate the Boiled Potatoes or mash them with a Potato Masher).
• Add finely chopped Onions, Green Chilies and Coriander Leaves to the mashed Potatoes.
• Add Salt, Chaat Masala, Roasted Cumin Powder and Dried Mango Powder to the above.
• Add half the amount of Bread Crumbs to the Potato and Mix well.
• Divide the Potato Mix into equal portions.
• Apply a little Oil to your hands and take a portion of the potato mixture into your hands. 
• Place a teaspoon of the Filling mixture inside each Potato Tikki and roll it into a ball and flatten it out gently.
• Follow the suit for the rest of the Portions.
• Pour out the remaining bread crumbs on a flat plate.
• Dip and roll the flattened Potato Tikkis until it is coated evenly on all the sides.. 
• Heat Oil in a Pan on medium heat and deep/shallow fry the Potato Tikkis.
• Flip them once and fry until they turn crispy and golden brown colour on both the sides.
  Serve hot/cold with Dates-Tamarind Chutney/Green Chutney.
• Garnish it with finely chopped Raw Onions, Coriander and Mint Leaves.
• For Aloo Dahi Chaat top it up Thick Curd/Yogurt along with Dates-Tamarind Chutney & Green Chutney.

NOTES:

• Can prepare the Aloo Tikkis without the fillings too.
• Can add All-Purpose Flour/Corn Flour instead of Bread Crumbs.  All works well as a binding agent.
• Dipping the Potato Patties in Bread Crumbs yields crispy Aloo Tikkis. But it is truly optional.
• For more crispier Aloo Tikkis try Double Frying the Patties. Fry once, allow it to cool down and then fry them again over a medium-high flame.
• Can Deep Fry/Shallow Fry Aloo Tikkis.

CHANA DAL MASALA

Bengal Gram Dal/Chana Dal

METHOD:

• Clean, Wash and Soak Bengal Gram Dhal in ample of water for about 20-30 Minutes.
• Discard the water used for soaking the Dhal.
• Add  3 Cups of water and cook the Bengal Gram Dhal until soft.
• Heat Oil in a pan, splutter Cumin seeds on a very low flame.
• Immediately add Asafoetida powder and give a quick stir.
• Saute finely chopped Onions, along with Garlic cloves, Ginger and Green Chillies, until onions, turn translucent.
• Add Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder, Garam Masala Powder and fry on a low flame until the raw flavour goes.
• Add finely chopped Tomatoes and cook until tomatoes turn soft and oil separates from the mix.
• Add Kasuri Methi to the above Masala and mix well.
• Pour in the cooked Bengal Gram Dhal to the masala along with a dash of Salt and Amchoor Powder.
• Add water if necessary at this stage.
• Leave the Chana Dal Masala on a low flame until you get the desired consistency.
• Garnish Chan Dal Masala with finely chopped Coriander Leaves and serve hot with a drizzle of Ghee.
• Goes well with Chapatis, Rotis, Parathas, Naans, Kulchas and Pulkas and with rice dishes like Steamed Basmati Rice, Jeera Rice etc.,

 NOTES :

• Can use any variety of Dhal and prepare the same recipe.
• Soaking Bengal Gram Dhal makes cooking faster. 
• If using Tuvar Dhal or Bengal Gram Dhal soak them before cooking. 
• Adding butter or ghee while cooking dhal will speed up the process and also adds a nice flavour to the dhal.
• Do not add salt while cooking dhal, once the dhal is cooked add salt and mix well before tempering.
• Do not splutter cumin seeds and asafoetida powder in high flame this will burn them and will give a bitter taste to the dish.

SAMBAL FRIED RICE

HOW TO MAKE SAMBAL FRIED RICE

INGREDIENTS :

For Sambal Paste :

For Fried Rice :

To Garnish :

METHOD :

For Sambal :

• Soak the Dried Red Chillies in hot water for 20-30 minutes until they are soft.
• Dry roast the Shrimp paste until fragrant.
• Grind all the ingredients mentioned under 'For Sambal Paste' into a smooth paste and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and saute the ground paste on a high flame for about 10 minutes or until all moisture evaporates.
• If the mix is a bit dry, add some more oil and saute them on a low flame for another 5-10 minutes or until oil separate from the mix.
• Add tamarind extract and boil it for another 5 minutes on a low flame.
• Add salt and palm sugar and mix well.
• At this stage, the sambal should be fragrant, if not saute it for some more time.

For more Recipes with SAMBAL, Click here...

FOR SAMBAL FRIED RICE : 

For a detailed recipe of how to cook Jasmine / Fragrant Rice, click here...

• Cook the fragrant rice as per instruction and allow it cool.
• Heat 2 Tspn of Oil in a large pan, fry or scramble the Eggs. 
• Remove it from the pan and keep it aside.
• Cut Lemon Grass Stalk into small pieces, use just the white part of it.
• Can Grind the Lemon Grass along with the Sambal ingredients, or just bruise them and add it while sauteing.
• Peel, devein and wash the Prawns/Shrimps.  Keep them aside.
• Heat Oil in a pan/wok, Saute finely chopped Onions, Garlic and Bird's eye chillies until onions turn translucent.
• Add Sambal Paste and fry this on a high flame for 2-3 minutes.
• Pour in Light Soy Sauce and give a quick stir.
• Add Prawns/Shrimps, finely diced Carrots along with a dash of Salt and a pinch of Sugar.
• Allow it to cook on a high flame for few minutes. 
• Add cooked Fragrant Rice.
• Drizzle Rice Wine Vinegar over the rice.
• Mix it well until every grain is well coated with the Sauces and Sambal.
• Stir in finely shredded Cabbage and Scrambled Eggs to the rice. 
• Fry the rice on a high flame for few minutes or until the rice is dry. 
• Switch off the flame. 
• Garnish Sambal Fried Rice with finely chopped Spring Onions/Chives.
• Serve Sambal Fried Rice hot with any dips, sauces or side dishes of your choice.

• I used the long- wrinkled variety which is less spicy. To reduce the spiciness can snip off the soaked dry chillies into two and de-seed them.
• Adjust the number of Chillies to suit your spice level.
• Blend the shallots coarsely.
• Grind the paste with less water to avoid splattering while sauteing the Sambal in high flame.
• Can add Sugar instead of Palm sugar.
• Any fragrant long-grained rice variety can be used for the recipe.
• Use a day old cooked rice for best results. Obviously, keep them refrigerated.
• Can add any vegetable of your choice in this Fried Rice.
• Can also Chicken Pieces, Fish or any other Seafood. 
• Can fry the Eggs and use them as a side dish or scramble them up and mix along with the fried rice.