Mug Ni Fotrawali Dal ( For Bati )

The recipe for this dal is a family favorite. I make this dal at least once a week and we enjoy it with roti and vegetables. Most Rajasthani make punchkuti dal with bati (see recipe for Bati), but in my family we make this dal with bati. My friends also prefer this dal with bati. Whenever I invite them over for dal-bati, they insist that I should make mug ni fotrawali dal, not punchkuti dal. So enjoy a favorite of my family and friends!!!

Soaking time: 30 minutes
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serving: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup split green moong dal with skin (wash and soak)
• 1/4 cup split yellow moong dal
• 1-1/2 teaspoon red chille powder
• 1 teaspoon dhana-jeera powder
• 3 to 4 pieces kokum (washed and soaked)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 slit green chillis
• 5 to 6 curry leaves
• 4 teaspoon ghee plus 1 additional teaspoon ghee
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 to 3 dry red chilli
• Pinch of asafoetida 
• 5 cups of water (approx.)
• Salt to taste
• 1-1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

Directions:

1. Mix both types of dal in a bowl and wash and soak for 30 minutes. Drain the water, add salt, turmeric powder, dhana-jeera powder, 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder, curry leaves, kokum, slit green chilli and 1 teaspoon ghee. Mix it well and keep aside.
2. In a pot, boil 5 cups of water on a stove. Add dal mixture once boiling. Stir occasionally.
3. Cook and simmer until the dal is tender.
4. Mix the dal with an Indian mixer made of wood called RAI (see image below) in India. Dal and water should be of similar consistency. The consistency of dal depends on individual preference (not too thin or too thick).
5. For tempering, heat ghee in a laddle, add mustard seeds and as they crackle, add cumin seeds and hing/asafoetida. 
6. Add dry red chilli and chilli powder and pour the tempering into the dal mixture. Stir and turn off the stove.
7. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with bati, roti or rice.

Note:

Add extra water, if required. In this dal, if you add garlic-ginger dressing (Rotla Dressing) it will be tastier. For rotla dressing, check the recipe on my blog.

Mug ni fhotrawali dal

Add all spices

Mix it

Boil the water and add the mixtures

Photo of a RAI

South Indian Sambar

This South Indian staple requires no introduction. It's traditionally prepared and balanced with staple dishes such as idli, medu vada, dosa and uttapam among others. The recipe is quite tasty and the cooking aroma will make your mouth water. At heart, it is a medley of vegetables, which makes it easy to eat and relatively healthy.

Soaking Time: 20 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients for Sambar Powder:

• 6 to 7 dry red chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper seeds
• 1 1/4 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 8 to 9 fenugreek seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons toovar dal (yellow pigeon peas)
• 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 6 to 7 dry curry leaves
• 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds

Ingredients for Sambar:

• 3/4 cup toovar dal
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup carrots, diced and steamed 
• 7 to 8 drumsticks, steamed 
• 1/4 cup green capsicum, diced
• 1/4 cup red capsicum, diced
• 1/2 cup dudhi (calabash), diced and steamed 
• 1/4 cup squash/zucchini, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon urad dal
• 1/4 teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• Pinch of asafoetida 
• 2 to 3 dry red chilies
• 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 6 to 7 curry leaves
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 tablespoons green coriander leaves
• Salt to taste
• 4 cups water (depending on how thick you want the sambar)

Directions:

1. First, for the powder, roast all the ingredients noted above except hing and turmeric powder. Do not burn any of the spices as you roast them. After a few minutes, add hing and turmeric powder and let it all cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, grind them together in a mixer to make the sambar powder.  (You may also use store-bought sambar powder, if you are short on time)
2. Wash the toovar dal thoroughly and soak for 20 minutes before draining. Combine the washed dal and 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 4 whistles. Allow the steam to escape before opening the cooker. Keep the dal aside.
3. In a large pan/pot, heat the oil and add jeera, mustard seeds, urad dal, dry red chilies, curry leaves and asafoetida/hing.
4. Once they are well fried, add tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. Mix well and close the lid for a couple of minutes until the tomato becomes soft and boiled.
5. Add capsicum, zucchini, all of the steamed vegetables, the toovar dal paste and mix well.
6. Cook on low flame, add tamarind paste and water. Mix it well until everything is boiled.
7. Once boiled, add 2 teaspoons of the sambar powder prepared earlier, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 10 to 15 minutes. (You may keep the extra sambar powder in your refrigerator for next time)
8. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and the sambar is ready to serve.

Sambar

Sambar powder

Urad ni Dal

As you’ve been reading the blog for a few months now, I hope you have found happiness in these home cooked food recipes. When we eat a traditional Indian meal at home with roti, a vegetable dish (shaak), and rice, we always have a bowl of dal (lentils) as well. The dal recipe below, Urad Dal, is comprised of mild spices with a ghee tempering. It goes well with Bajra Rotla during the cold winter months. Enjoy!

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup split black beans (urad ni dal)
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 3 to 4 pieces of kokum (washed and soaked)
• 2 to 3 green chillies (cut it in half)
• 3 to 4 curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 3/4 teaspoon dhana jeera powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• Pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh green coriander leaves to garnish
• 4 cups of water (approximately)

Directions:

1. First, wash and drain the dal.
2. On a medium flame, in a pot or pan, boil the pre-soaked dal in 4 cups of water.
3. Stir occasionally for 15 minutes or so until the dal is tender
4. Add salt, turmeric powder, kokum, green chili, chana, jeera powder and curry leaves
5. Stir and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes
6. On a separate low flame, heat ghee in a ladle for tempering. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. As they crackle, add hing and onion. Sauté the onion until it gets light brown. Then, add ginger and garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Finally, add red chili powder.
7. Pour the tempering into the dal and mix well. Simmer for another 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with bajra rotla or roti.

Note:

For Jains, you may omit the onion, garlic and ginger.

Yellow Split Moong Dal

In a traditional Indian meal, the entree is accompanied by bread (roti, naan, etc), rice and a lentil, which is also known as dal. This light and easy dal that goes with any meal is comprised of yellow moong. I typically pair it with jada rotla or chaptiwala rotla. I make this dal at least once a week and the recipe, while it requires some prep time, is easy to follow.

Soaking Time: 30 minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4


Ingredients:

• 1 cup yellow split moong dal (washed and soaked for at least 30 minutes in warm water)
• Approx. 8 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon ghee or oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds/ rai
• Pinch of asafoetida/hing
• 2 medium green chilies (vertically slit)
• 1/2 plum tomatoes (diced)
• 6 pieces of Kokum (optional, washed and soaked)
• 2 dehydrated red chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• Fresh green coriander leaves, chopped
• 5 to 6 curry leaves
• fresh squeeze lemon juice
• salt to taste

Directions:

1. Boil the water in a pot and add the dal (stir occasionally and remove the frothy residue/scum)
2. Cook until tender and then  fully blend with a Indian mixer made of wood called RAI in India. Dal and water should be one, (see the picture of  RAI below)
3. Consistency of dal depends on individual preference (not too thin or too thick)
4. Add salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, slit green chilies, curry leaves and kokum
5. Cook for five to six minutes and then turn off the stove
6. Heat the ghee in a ladle on a low heat
7. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds to the ghee. As the seeds crackle, add dehydrated red chili, hing and diced tomatoes. Sauté for a few seconds and then add red chili powder.
8. Pour mix into the dal and stir
9. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves
10. Add lemon juice as per your taste
11. Serve hot with chaptiwala rotla or with any Indian vegetable, rice, or roti

Wooden RAI (hand mixer)

Dal Makhani

Dal makhani, when translated literally means buttered lentils, has a very rich and creamy texture. It is made from whole urad dal (black lentil), rajma (kidney beans), butter, and cream. Though dal makhani is not a type of dal that you eat on everyday basis, it is extremely flavorful and best with fresh hot naan or rice. It requires a bit of advance preparation followed by 90 minutes cooking so it's best made with ample time. Dal makhani is a favorite of my husband (Ashok) and elder son (Ravi).

Soaking time: 8 to 9 hours
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole black urad dal (black lentil), soaked  
• 1/4 cup rajma (red kidney beans), soaked 
• 2 medium onions, chopped 
• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped 
• 4 inch ginger, chopped 
• 1 tablespoon ginger, shredded for garnish 
• 8 cloves garlic, chopped 
• 4 green chilies, cut into half 
• 7 to 8 pieces of limdo (curry leaves)  
• 1/4 cup heavy cream 
• 6 tablespoons butter 
• 2 teaspoons red chili powder  
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 
• 1-1/2 teaspoon garam masala 
• 2 tablespoons oil 
• 1/4 cup green coriander leaves, chopped 
• Salt to taste 

Directions:

1. Put the black urad dal, rajma and approximately 6 cups of water in a pressure cooker and soak for 8-9 hours.
2. In the same pressure cooker with dal, rajma and water already within, add the chopped tomatoes, curry leaves, green chills, half of the ginger, half of the garlic and red chili powder. Cook the dal under pressure for 8 to 10 whistles. Let it cool prior to opening the pressure cooker.
3. In a pan, heat oil and butter on a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds. When the seeds change color, add the chopped onion and sauté until golden brown.
4. Add the remaining ginger and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add garam masala and salt. Pour the mixture into the pressure cooker.
5. Lower the heat and cook the dal without any whistles for 45 minutes. When the pressure is off, open the cooker.
6. Add fresh cream and stir. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves and shredded ginger.
8. Serve hot with naan, roti, paratha or rice.