Hosting JFI for July

Hi all,
I have been out of sight of late ... my parents are in town and I was meeting them after 7 long years, so everything else took a backseat.
I will be hosting the JFI event (the brain child of the wonderful Indira) for the month of July. Keep checking my blog for the JFI ingredient. I will be posting about it in the 1st week of June. Happy participating :)

Amaranth Dal

Ever since I saw this recipe at Indira's blog, I have been craving it. To my delight I found fresh Amaranth leaves yesterday at the Indian grocery store. Aah ! the dal was such a delight - the combination of the nutty Tur dal, creamy Amaranth leaves, tangy tomato and tamarind and the heat of the green chillies - my taste buds were ecstatic :) This easy and delightful recipe will now be a regular feature in our home. Thanks Indira :)
(Original recipe here)

1 cup Tur Dal
4 cups chopped Amaranth leaves and tender stalks
4 green chillies, finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 tsp tamarind concentrate
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 1/2 cups water
Salt to taste

For the Tadka
1/4 tsp each minced garlic, curry leaves, cumin seeds, mustard seeds
2 tsp ghee

In a pressure cooker, cook Tur dal + Amaranth leaves + green chillies + onion + tomato + tamarind + turmeric powder + salt with 2 1/2 cups water , for 2 whistles. Remove from heat and keep aside. When the dal cooker cools down, coarsely mash the dal.
In a small pan, heat ghee and add all the tadka ingredients. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the tadka to the Dal. Mix well and simmer on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Serve hot with rice and a bowl of yogurt. Enjoy !!

This is my entry to the RCI Event : Andhra Pradesh, hosted this month by Latha @ Masala Magic.

Methi Tindora

For someone who wasn't much of a Tindora fan, I have been cooking this tiny little gherkin with unfailing regularity. Methi-Tindora is a easy dish, and the addition of Kasoori Methi takes it to another level.

1 packet frozen Tindora (about 400 gms)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 fat clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp Kasoori Methi, soaked in 1/4 cup warm water
1/4 tsp each of turmeric powder and cumin powder
1/2 tsp each of red chilli powder and coriander powder
Salt to taste
Oil

Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds + minced garlic and cook for a minute. Now add the Tindora, and cook uncovered for about 5-7 minutes. Now add all the spices (chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder) and salt. Mix well and cook for another 5 minutes. Drain the Kasoori Methi and add to the Tindora. Mix well and cook for a minute or two. Serve hot with Roti or Rice. Enjoy !!

Zucchini Dal

It has been so hot here lately that I haven't had much inclination toiling in a hot kitchen to bring lunch / dinner to the table. Living off sandwiches for a while, bot K and i were craving some good old Indian food. I had a couple of zucchinis in the fridge ... and this dal was created. No masalas (spices) were used and the taste was awesome. Try it out for yourselves.

2 medium sized zucchinis, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
1 cup chana dal
1 small onion, chopped
1 beefsteak or 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
3 green chillies, slit lengthwise
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp ghee
Salt to taste
2 cups water
Chopped coriander / cilantro leaves, to garnish

In a pressure cooker, add dal + tomato + onion + green chillies + 2 cups water + salt. Cook for 2 whistles, remove from heat and keep aside. When the cooker cools down, remove the cover and mix the dal - zucchini once. Put the cooker without the cover on low heat and let simmer.
In a small pan, heat 2 tsp ghee. Add the cumin seeds and chopped garlic. When the garlic begins to turn brown add the tadka to the dal. Mix well, add the chopped cilantro and serve hot with plain rice. Enjoy !

Image courtesy : Food Network

Asha's Lahori Chole

So named, because this recipe is courtesy Asha. She had used fennel powder in this Chole recipe and that caught my interest. I haven't yet seen any "Chole" dish that uses powdered fennel. True to her words, this dish was remarkable - so much so that K wanted third and fourth helpings :). Thanks Asha, for this wonderful recipe.
I did not have ginger and cardamom, but nevertheless, the taste was spectacular. The tangy Pomegranate powder complimented the fresh, minty taste of the fennel.

1 cup dry garbanzo beans, soaked overnight in warm water. Drain and keep aside
2 medium beefsteak tomatoes, chopped
1 potato, peeled and cubed
2 red onions, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp freshly ground fennel powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 1/2 tsp anar dana (pomegranate) powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
Chopped coriander leaves, to garnish

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the onions. Cook till the onions begin to turn brown. Add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the chopped tomato + turmeric powder + red chilli powder + salt and cook till the tomato is cooked and oil separates.
Now add the garbanzo beans + cubed potato + 1 1/2 cup water. Cook till 3 whistles. Remove from heat and keep aside.
When the cooker has cooled, remove cover and with the back of a wooden spatula, mash a handful of the garbanzo beans. Add the anar dana powder + fennel powder + garam masala powder. Mix well and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with Naan and Raita. Enjoy !!

Saag Lobia

I love Black Eyes Peas. No, not the band, but the beans :) A rich cream color with a black spot, like someone has put a "tikka" to ward off the evil eye :) On my last trip to the Farmer's market I had picked up a bunch of Spinach. This Spinach - Lobia combo was a feast for the palate.

1 cup black eyes peas, soaked overnight in warm water
1 bunch spinach, cleaned and chopped coarsely
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1" ginger, grated
3 green chillies, chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
Salt to taste
Oil

In a pressure cooker, add spinach + beans + 2 cups water + turmeric powder. Cook for 2 whistles, remove from heat and let the cooker cool down.

Meanwhile, in a pan, heat oil and add the cumin seeds. When they begin to sizzle, add the the chopped onion. When onion begins to turn pink add the garlic + ginger + chopped green chillies. Cook for a couple of minutes, then add the chopped tomato + cumin powder + coriander powder + salt. Cook till the oil separates and the tomatoes are cooked.

Add the cooked Spinach-Bean to the pan and mix well. Cook on medium low heat for 10 minutes till all the flavors have blended. Serve hot with Naan / Rice. Enjoy!!