Senagapappu vada / Chana daal vada

Usually the vada process is bit lengthy, but this chanadaal vada is bit quick as we just need to soak the daal for just 1 hour and the texture is not sticky when compared to urad daal, so it is easy to blend it. The flavour is irresistible.

Ingredients:

Chana daal - 1 cup

Salt

Ginger & Green Chilli paste - 1 tbsp

Onion - 1 chopped into small pieces

Chopped Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp

Method:

Soak the chana dal for not more than 80 minutes. Drain and blend coarsely.

Transfer the mixture into a bowl, add the green chillies, ginger, onion, coriander and salt and mix well.

Divide the mixture into equal portions and shape each portion into 1/2" thick small round flat balls.

Heat the oil in a kadhai and deep fry them till crisp and golden colour.

Serve hot with chutney

Daalcha

This is a vegetarian version of Daalcha which brings a completely new scrumptious flavour in lentils. Lentils are cooked along with egg plant and tomato and sauted in cashew nuts masala. You can substitute vegetables with meet as well.

Daalcha

I learned this recipe from my sister-in-law during my last visit to India.

Ingredients:

Toor daal – 1 cup
Brinjal / egg plant – small variety – 4
Milk – ¼ cup
Cashew nuts – 4-5
Tomato – 2
Onion – 2 (Cut 1 into chunks and 1 into thin slices)
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Chilli powder – 2 tsp
Green chilli – 3 slit length wise
Garam masala – ½ tsp
Tamarind – ½ lemon size

Method:

Wash and soak toor daal in 2 cups of water
Cut 1 tomato and egg plants into large chunks and add to the daal.
Add ¼ tsp of turmeric and boil them till soft.

Daal, Egg plant and tomato

Heat a pan. Add milk, cashews, onion and tomato chunks and cook until the milk gets evaporated.

Grind everything into smooth paste.

Heat apan, add 2 tbsp of oil. Add thinly sliced onion, green chilli and ginger garlic paste. Fry
everything. Add coriander powder, chilli powder and garam masala. To this add the ground paste
and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the mixture to the cooked daal. Add tamarind water and bring it to boil.

A nice companion for pilau rice.

Glades

A nice and warm peach coloured glades occupied a cosy corner in my hall...

Pav Bhaji

The most simple recipe to make the full meals with packed nutrients. A famous North Indian street food which tickles our taste buds with the mouth watering ingredients.

For the Pav

12 pieces of Pav bread

For the Bhaji

Ingredients:

Mixed vegetables (Potato. Cauliflower, Green pea, Carrot, capsicum etc) chopped – 4 – 5 cups

Onion – 1 large, chopped into small pieces

Tomatoes – 3 large chopped

Kaala namak (black salt) – ½ tsp

Pav Bhaji masala – 1 tbsp

Chilli powder – 1 tsp

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp

Salt

Butter – 2 tbsp

Oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

Boil all the vegetables till they are soft. Drain out and preserve the excess water.

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Then, add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté till the onion softens.

Add the tomatoes and simmer till the oil separates.

Add the chilli powder, pav bhaji masala, black salt and salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the boiled vegetables

Mash them thoroughly using a masher and add ½ cup of water or the preserved vegetable stock and cook until the moisture is well absorbed.

For the pav

Slice each pav, apply a little butter to each side.

Heat a large tava and cook the pav on both sides till the pieces are lightly browned.

Serve the hot bhaji on individual plates and top with the onion and coriander.

Serve with the hot pav and lemon wedges.

Tip:

You can sprinkle the pav bhaji masala or any chat masala on top of the bread and then fry them till crisp. This  intensifies the flavour.