Daal Baati

The cooking challenge for the month of January is "Daal Baati". It is hosted by Srivalli of "Spicing Your Life" It is a popular dish from Rajasthan. Usually Daal Baati is served with churma, rice, mint chutney, raw mango chutney, green salad with onion and fresh buttermilk. This recipe is adapted from "Mharo Rajasthan's" recipes.

Baati:

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
Besan (Chick Pea Flour) - 1/4 cup
Sooji (Semolina) - 1 tbsp
Ghee (Clarified Butter) - 1/2 cup (melted to mix in the dough)
Saunf (Fennel Seeds) - 2 tsp crushed coarsely
Ajwain (Carom Seeds) - 2 tsp crushed coarsely
Salt - as per taste
Ghee - 4 to 5 tsp to brush the baatis before putting them in oven and afterwards before eating

Method:
1. Mix the wheat flour, besan, sooji, ghee, sauf, ajwain, salt and little water. Knead well to make a stiff dough.
2. Make lemon size balls and flaaten it and press in the middle.
3. Brush baatis with ghee.
4. Heat the oven to 350 degree F.
5. Place baatis on a baking tray and bake for about 20 minutes till they are golden brown.
6. Take it out of the oven and brush with ghee.

Panchmel Daal: (5 lentils)

Ingredients:

Toor Dal - 1/4 cup
Moong Dal - 1/4 cup
Masoor Dal - 1/4 cup
Chana Dal - 1/4 cup
Green Whole Moong Dal - 1/4 cup (washed and soaked for 8 hours)
Onion (Finely Chopped) - 1 cup
Tomatoes (Finely Chopped) - 1 cup
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt - Per taste
Oil - 1 tsp

For Seasoning:

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera(Cumin Seeds) - 1 tsp
Green Chillies - 2-3 split
Ginger - 1 inch piece crushed
Garlic - 5-6 cloves crushed
Ghee - 2 tsp
Cilantro - 1/2 cup finely chopped (for garnishing)

Method:

1. Take a pan and add chopped onions and let them fry till translucent.
2. Add chopped tomatoes and cook. Add all dry masalas and sauté for 2 min.
3. Meanwhile cook the daals in cooker for about 12 minutes.
4. Add the cooked daals to the onion tomato mixture and add water to the desired consistency.
5. Take a tsp of ghee and make a seasoning with mustard seeds, jeera, green chillies, ginger, garlic and add to the daal.
6. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Gujarati Dal for Indian Cooking Challenge

The India Cooking Challenge is hosted by Srivalli of Spicing your life.  The challenge for January is Gujarati Dal.  This is an authentic Gujarati recipe from the Cookbook Sukham Ayu.  I enjoyed making this dish and it was a perfect accompaniment with rotis.

Ingredients:

Toor dal - ½ cup
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Tamarind paste - 1 tblsp

Jaggery 1-3 tsp
Hard dry dates (optional) 4, halved
Drumstick 4-5 pieces cut into 2 inch pieces
Yam 4-5 pieces, 1 inch cubes
Groundnuts 1 tbsp
Green chillies 2 sliced
Ginger chopped -1 inch piece
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Cumin powder -1 tsp
Garam masala powder- ¼ tsp
Coriander leaves to garnish
salt to taste

Seasoning:

Ghee - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Fenugreek seeds - ¼ tsp
Cumin seeds - ½ tsp
Dried Red chillies - 2
Asafoetida powder  - ¼ tsp
Curry leaves 5-6

Method:

1.  Wash and toor dhal. Pressure-cook in 2 cups water along with turmeric to a soft consistency. Churn well.

2.  Steam the drum stick, dates, yam and peanuts.
3.  Pour the churned dhal into a thick bottomed pan and add all the ingredients except garam masala, coriander leaves and seasoning.
4.  Add 1 cup water and allow to simmer over low flame for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. In a pan, heat ghee for seasoning. Pop the mustard and then add the fenugreek seeds. Reduce flame and with the browning of the fenugreek, add cumin, red chillies, asafoetida powder and curry leaves.

6. Pour this tempering into the simmering dal. Allow to boil for another 5 minutes. Switch off flame and garnish with garam masala and fresh coriander leaves. 

Serve fresh with steamed rice and Roti.

Punjabi Kadi Pakoras for Indian Cooking Challenge

The monthly cooking challenge is hosted by Srivalli of Spicing your life.  The challenge for September was "Punjabi Kadi Pakoras" and the recipe was adapted from Simran of Bombay Foodie. This was an interesting challenge and a special treat for my daughters.  We loved this fried dumpling soaked in a yogurt based gravy.  Thanks Srivalli!

   

Ingredients:

For Pakoras:

Besan - 1/2 cup
Onions - 1 medium
Salt to taste
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Water to mix
Oil for Deep frying

For Kadi:

Yogurt - 1 cup
Besan - 1/3 cup
Water - 3 - 4 cups
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds- 1 tsp
Ajwain/Carom Seeds- 1 tsp
Methi /Fenugreek seeds- 1 tsp
Onion -1 large sliced
Turmeric powder a pinch
Salt to taste
Red Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Amchur powder - 1 tsp

Method:

For the Pakoras

1.  Slice onions finely. In a bowl, take besan, add salt, red chili powder.
2.  Make a batter with water to get a semi thick consistency.
3.  Heat a pan with oil. When it is hot, dip onions in the batter and gently drop into the hot oil.
4.  Deep fry until crispy.
5.  Drain and keep aside.

For the Kadhi

1.  Make a paste with yogurt and besan, then mix with water to make a very thin batter.

2.  Heat a tbsp of oil.  Make a seasoning of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, carom seeds and methi.
3.  Add onion slices and fry till light brown.

4.  Pour in the yogurt/besan batter, add turmeric powder, salt and red chilli powder.
5.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for at least half an hour. Keep stirring occasionally.
6.  When the gravy is thick, add the pakoras and bring it to a boil.
7. Add garam masala and amchur powder to the gravy just before removing from stove.