Lentil Kebab

Back again with a starter recipe.  An easy recipe with a few ingredients but loads of flavour a touch of mint adds a good amount of freshness to the kebabs too.  It so happened that I had a lot of split red/pink/orange lentils in my pantry which was bought a while back.  Also known as de-husked brown lentils. Also called as masoor dal.  These lentils apart from being packed with flavour are also healthy as I haven't deep fried them.  A wonderful kebab which can be served when you have guests over or enjoy it with your family.  So let's get on with the process of making these kebabs.

Ingredients:

Split red lentils/masoor dal	1 cup
Onions	2 medium or 1 big
Garlic	4 cloves
Fresh mint leaves	20 leaves (a small bunch)
Bread crumbs	5 tbsps
Salt	1 tsp or As per preference
Green Cardamom powder	1/2 tsp
Nutmeg powder	1/2 tsp
Cumin powder (roasted)	1/2 tsp
Green chillies	1 finely chopped
Cornflour	2 tbsps
Oil/ghee	To shallow fry
Oil	2 tbsps to sauté

METHOD:

1.       Wash the lentils well and soak it in water.  The water level should be at least 2 inches above the lentils.  Soak the lentil for half an hour. 
2.       While the lentils are soaking, finely chop the onions and garlic.  Pick the mint leaves wash and finely chop the mint leaves and green chilly too.
3.         Heat oil in a pan, add garlic stir, and add the green chillies.  Stir again.  Taking care not to burn the garlic or chillies.  Add in the onions and sauté well.  The onions should turn soft and pinkish.
4.       Drain the lentils and add them to the pan and stir well, so that they get coated with the onions mixture.  About 3 minutes.
5.       Add about 2 cups of water stir and cover.  Let the lentils cook till soft and mushy.  Stir in between and check for the water (in-case water gets absorbed add a little more water and let the dal cook well).  Switch off the flame after the lentils have cooked till they are soft and all the liquid is absorbed.
6.       Mash the lentil well.  Let it cool.  Add in the bread crumbs, salt, mint leaves and the spice powder and mix well.
7.       Divide the mixture into small balls and flatten them, so as to get the shape of a tikki/kebab.
8.       Coat these with corn-flour and set aside.
9.       Heat a griddle and smear it with oil/ghee.  Lay them on the hot griddle and shallow fry them until golden brown on each side.  All this should be done on a medium flame.
10.   Serve hot with chutney of your choice.

NOTES:

1.       I have shallow fried them, alternatively you could deep fry them.  Deep frying them will give a much crisper texture.
2.       I have used dried bread crumbs.  I just toasted the bread and made them into crumbs.
3.       You could add more chillies, if you would like to add a little more bite to it.
4.       I have added 5 tbsps of bread crumbs.  You could add a tbsp more if you find the mixture too soft.

Aloo tuk Chaat

Hello!!!  Today am posting a recipe that is loaded with flavours.  A nice sweet, tangy and spicy starter.  It is a dish that I had eaten ages ago at a restaurant.  I have tried to recreate the dish, with what I could gather from the taste that this wonderful dish had.  Nice starter to serve your family or when you have guests over.  As the name goes it is aloo (potato) preparation.  So here goes my take on the aloo tuk chaat.  Yum is the word that comes to my mind when I make this.

INGREDIENTS:

Small/baby potatoes	10 nos
Onion	1 medium (finely chopped)
Green chillies	1 big or 2 small
Ginger	1 inch (finely chopped)
Tamarind & date chutney	1/4 cup
Water	1/8 cup
Salt	1 tsp
Coriander & cumin powder	1/2 tsp
Chilli powder	1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves	A few to garnish
Oil	2 tbsp (To sauté the potato)
Oil	2 tbsp

METHOD:

1.       Wash the potatoes well under running water.  Blanch the potatoes until almost cooked.

2.       While they are getting blanched, chop the onions, green chillies and ginger very fine.

3.       Once the potatoes are done, give each potato a very light mash with your finger or thumb.  (Do not peel.  Leave the skin on the potato)

4.       In a pan take about 2 tbsp of oil and let it heat up.  On a medium flame sauté the potatoes until they get a light golden brown colour.  Remove them on a kitchen towel or kitchen paper.

5.       In the same pan add another 2 tbsp oil.  Add the finely chopped onions, (leaving about a tbsp of onions to garnish).  Sauté for a second and add the ginger and green chillies.  Sauté again for a second (do not sauté for more than the time mentioned.  The onions, ginger and chillies should maintain their texture and crunch).

6.       Add in the date and tamarind chutney.  Mix well.  Add water and once you see small bubbles forming at the sides add in the potatoes and mix well, so as to coat the potatoes with the tamarind and onion mixture.

7.       Let it heat up for just about five minutes.  Switch off the flame.

8.       Garnish with coriander leaves and finely chopped onions that we had saved up.  Serve hot and enjoy.

NOTES:

1.       I have blanched the potatoes till they almost cooked and shallow fried them/sautéed them in 2 tbsp of oil.  You could blanch them for about 10 minutes and then deep fry them till golden and crisp.

2.       I think it's alright not to worry about the calories once in a while, if so, then go ahead and fry the potatoes.  The taste of the dish will be just great.

All in all, a great starter to have when you have guests over or just to treat your family….  Don’t forget to let me know how you all liked this easy peasy dish.

Green Gram Dal Dosa

 

Back after a long time, with a healthy dosa recipe.  I know some might say its pessarattu.  Yes you can call it so, but each and every one has a different way of making their pessarattu batter.  I prefer to call it a healthy green gram dal dosa.  A dosa which is very famous in Andhra cuisine.  But, like I said every household has their own variation of making one.  Some use rice along with the green gram dal or some make it with only green gram dal.  This dosa does not have urad dal/ black gram dal.  Of course there are a few ingredients that go while grinding the batter, that make this dosa a very flavourful one.  A great way to begin your day with this dosa.  You can also have it as an evening snack though.  There are times when we skip our usual dinner for this healthy option.  So let's check out the ingredients and procedure to make this one.

INGREDIENTS:

Green gram lentil/whole moong dal	1 cup
Ginger	1 inch
Green chillies	2 nos
Coriander leaves	2  tbsp
Cumin seeds	1/2 tsp
Water	To grind about 1/2 cup
Semolina/sooji/rawa	1/2 cup
Salt	1 tsp or as per preference

METHOD:

1.       Soak the green gram dal for 4 hours.

2.       Drain the water and transfer the green gram dal to a mixer and grind it along with ginger, green chillies, cumin seeds, coriander leaves and very little water (about 1/2 a cup).

3.       Add the semolina and mix well taking care no lumps are formed.  Add another 1/4 cup water.  The batter should fall off easily of the ladle.  The batter shouldn't be very runny.   Add salt and mix well.

4.       Heat a tawa/griddle, lower the flame to medium.   Add a little oil and pour the dosa batter on the tawa.  Pour a little oil on the sides.  Once it is cooked or get a golden colour on one side, (this should take about 3 minutes) flip the dosa.  Let it roast/fry for 2 minutes.

5.       Serve hot with the chutney of your choice.

NOTES:

1.       This dosa batter does not need fermentation.

2.       You could use soak rice separately for 2-3 hours and grind it along with the green gram dal and use it instead of semolina/sooji.