Dal Tadka

Dal Tadka, where dal means lentils and tadka means tempering.  As you would have guessed by now, dals are cooked in turmeric and mild spices and tempered with ghee just before serving.  Traditionally tuvar dal or tuvar dal combined with other dals are used for preparing this gravy, but here i used black urad dal for a change.

Ingredients required

• 1/2 cup black urad dal, soaked overnight
• Pinch of hing
• 1 tsp chilli powder(Optional)
• 4 tsp of finely chopped onions
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp haldi
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp of chopped ginger/ginger juvellies

For tadka/temper

• 3 tsp ghee
• 1 tsp rai
• 1/2 tsp ghee
• 3 tsp of chopped garlic
• 4-5 curry leaves
• 3-4 broken red chillies

Method

Pressure cook soaked dal with ginger, haldi/turmeric, chilli and garam masala, hing and onions.  Temper all ingredients one by one in a separate pan.  Adjust salt in cooked dal, and add temper to cooked dal just before serving.

Enjoy with paranthas!!

Kovaikkai podi saadham

Kovaikkai podi sadham is healthy and also tempting rice, goes too special on rainy days.

Ingredients required

• One cup cooked rice
• Half cup chopped kovaikkai
• Salt, to taste

To temper

• 3 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp rai/mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp jeera
• 6-7 curry leaves
• 2-3 red chillies broken into half

For podi/powder

• 4 tsp chana dal
• 1 tsp jeera
• 1 tsp peppercorn
• 2 tsp broken urad dal
• 1/2 tsp sombu
• 1/2 tsp dhanya whole
• 2 dry red chilly(optional)
• Handful of curry leaves

Method

In a kadaai, dry roast all ingredients given under podi and powder it

In a separate pan, add 3 tsp oil and saute kovaikkai pieces till they are cooked and turn golden brown, keep aside

In a pan, heat oil, add ingredients for tempering one by one.

This is followed by adding sauted kovaikkai, and prepared podi

 Mix podi with kovaikkai well.  Add cooked rice and mix well.  Adjust salt, and serve hot with pappad or omlette

Nothing can be more nutritious than this!!!!!!

Garlic chutney

Garlic, as known by all is rich in antioxidant properties and heals many diseases.  This chutney of garlic is combined with dal and can be served with idly/dosa.

Ingredients required

• 1 cup of garlic
• 2 tsp of chana dal
• 2 tsp of urad dal
• 3-4 red chilly
• 1/2 tsp of hing
• 3-4 small tamarind pieces

Method

In a kadaai, dry roast garlic till raw smell goes away

In a separate pan, add oil followed by hing,chana dal, urad dal, red chillies.  Roast till dals turn golden brown

Blend both together with tamarind pieces and salt. 

I served it with kancheepuram idly