I got this recipe from an online cookbook, & I dont really remember the source. I made this ages & I really really loved it. I saw it in the drafts just yesterday, & I wonder why I never made it again. ( Don't you think there are too many 'I's out there ?? )

This comes in handy when there are absolutely no fancy vegetables in the pantry & you just have some basics stocked up.

You Will Need:

• 3-4 large ripe tomatoes
• 1 cup yogurt
• 2 medium sized onions - chopped
• 1/2 cup peanuts - roasted
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• Salt as per taste
• 2 tsp oil
• Cilantro for garnish

Method:

• In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, turmeric & salt.
• Make tiny slits on the tomatoes & marinate for about 30 mins.
• Meanwhile, gring roasted peanuts & poppy seeds in a fine paste adding a dash of water.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add chopped onions & saute until pink. To this, add the tomatoes from the marinade & cook until tender.
• Now, add the yogurt mixture & cook until the gravy thickens.
• To this, add the peanuts-poppy seeds paste, Garam Masala & mix well.

Garnish with chopped Cilantro & serve HOT .. Enjoi !!!

Eat it with rice or Phulkas, or serve with some Jeera Rice. Either way, you will love it.

NOTE: Next time, I will add some green peas along. I think, they will add a nice bite.

The other day, I was all by myself & I made this super easy Pasta Salad for lunch. This one is packed with nutrition & is very filling.

I am quite fond of penne pasta, but you can pretty much use whichever you like. I used wholewheat pasta, so the fibre part is taken care of. Next time, I might use tri-color shell pasta to add more color.

You Will Need:

• 1 1/2 cups Penne Pasta - I used wholewheat pasta
• 8-10 cherry tomatoes - halved
• 1/4 cup cauliflower florets
• 1/4 cup broccoli florets
• 1 carrot - julienned
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 cup cheese
• Salt as per taste
• 2 tsp olive oil
• Chopped cilantro - for garnish

How To:

• Cook pasta as per package instructions. Drain & set aside
• Blanch the vegetables till cooked yet firm.
• Heat oilve oil in a pan, roast the blanched vegetables for about 3 minutes. Throw in grated cheese & toss to coat
• Add cooked pasta & mix well. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve warm & Enjoi !!!

I always always associate Corn on the Cob or Bhutta in typical Bambaiyya language with some very warm childhood memories.

There are a zillion times when we friends have ran down the street to have our Bhutta on a gloomy monsoon evening & the Bhuttawallah ( Corn on the Cob Vendor ) was always round the corner, roasting corn cobs on a charcoal grill.

If you cannot find a Bhuttawallah in your neck of woods, Make them at home. This is really as simple as it can get.

As I don't have a charcoal grill at home, I steamed the corn cobs & roasted them directly over the stove top.

You Will Need:

• 2 Corn Cobs
• Kosher Salt
• Lemon - sliced into quarters
• Black Pepper Powder
• Red Chilli Powder ( Optional )

How To:

• Peel back the husks & remove the excess corn silk
• Steam the corn cobs in the microwave or on stove top for about 5-6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, Mix together kosher salt & red chilli powder in a small bowl. If red chilli powder is too HOT for your taste, replace with Black pepper powder. I added about 1/2 a tsp of black pepper powder. Set aside.
• Once done, Pat dry & Grill the corn cobs over medium heat for 10-12 mins. Keep turning them frequently.
• I roasted the corn cobs over the stove top. This is very quick & it gets done in about 3-4 minutes.
• When some of the kernels are browned, dip a quarter of the lemon slice into the salt & pepper mixture, apply it evenly on the corn cobs

Eat while it is still warm & relive your childhood memories. Enjoi !!!

NOTE: You could even oven roast the corn cobs or roast them over a griddle.

As a kid, I never ate much of Tindora, all thanks to the belief that eating Tindora made one's brain less sharper. I was anyways not so good at mathematics, so I never let my mum get this home. Now, that I have finished the studying phase, I get this more often.

Tindora paired with cashews make a real good curry. Anything that has cashews has to taste great, right? This is a specialty of the Mangalore region in Karnataka & We just love Mangalore cuisine.

You Will Need:

• 2 cups Tindora - washed & quartered lengthwise
• 1 cup cashews
• 3-4 green chillies - finely chopped
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• A handful of curry leaves
• 1 tbsp grated coconut - fresh (More if you prefer)
• 2 tsp peanut oil
  
• Salt as per taste

• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, splutter mustard seeds & add curry leaves
• Add chopped tindora & fry for a couple of minutes
• To this, add cashewnuts & half a tsp of salt & saute till tindora is completely cooked. Do Not over cook the vegetable as it tendsto get mushy.
• Check for salt & add grated coconut & mix well

The cashews add a lovely rich taste to this otherwise usual curry. Make this for your guests, they will love it. Do not make, if you are on a Diet :)

Have Fun :)

• 4 carrots - peeled & diced
• 3 green chillies
• 2 tsp tamarind extract
  
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• A handful of curry leaves
• Salt as per taste
• 1 tsp vegetable oil

• Parboil the diced carrots & let them cool.
• grind it coarsely along with salt & tamarind extract
• Temper with mustrad seeds, green chillies & curry leaves

Now, this recipe is from a dear friend Rajini. She is an excellent cook & each time I visit her, she always has something new to offer. And, I love discussing recipes with her. The recipe for this pulao came about during one such discussion.

• 1 cup Basmati/Long grained rice
• 2 packed cups - chopped fenugreek/methi leaves
• 2 onions - chopped into long strips
• 1/2 cup green peas - fresh/frozen
• 2 green chillies - slit lengthwise
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp roasted cashewnuts
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp saunf/fennel seeds
• Salt as per taste
• 1 1/2 tbsp desi ghee/oil

Method:

• Clean rice in several changes of water, drain & set aside for 10 mins. Heat a tsp of ghee in a pan, gently roast the rice for a couple of minutes. Pressure cook the rice with 1 1/2 cups of water, such that each grain is separate. Once cooked, set aside to let it cool completely.
• Before chopping, soak methi leaves in water. add a tsp of salt & a pinch of sugar. Squeeze the water out after about 5 mins & proceed to chop. This gets rid of the bitter taste.
• Heat oil/desi ghee in a heavy bottomed pan, splutter cumin & fennel seeds, add slit green chillies, ginger garlic paste & fry for 20 secs.
• Add chopped onions & fry until it turns pink. Add chopped methi leaves, red chilli powder & saute until cooked.
• Add rice, slat as per taste & garam masala. Mix gently on medium flame. Take care to set that the grains do not break.
• Add lemon juice & garnish with roasted cashewnuts

Serve HOT with onion raita .. Enjoi !!!

This pulao was indeed very different. I loved the fresh flavor of methi leaves. It has subtle flavors & makes a nice homely one pot meal. Thanks Rajini for the recipe. We really did enjoy this.

I love love chickpeas. They are an excellent source of proteins. Apart from Choley, which all of us relish, Moroccan Chickpea Stew is one dish, which is a regular at home.

Just the other day, after a hearty meal of chickpea stew & bread, I had some leftover soaked chickpeas on hand. I normally make a quick salad with the leftover ones. But, I was in the mood for something more flavorful ..

And, Curried Chickpeas was made the subsequent day for lunch

You Will Need:

• 1 cup chickpeas - soaked overnight
• 1 onion - finely chopped
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 clove garlic - finely chopped
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• Salt as per taste

Method:

• Pressure cook chickpeas with halt a tsp of salt with 4 cups of water. Drain the cooked chickpeas & set aside. Reserve the cooking liquid
• In a large saucepan, melt butter over nedium heat. Add cumin seeds, chopped garlic, ginger & saute for 10 secs.
• Add chopped onions, turmeric & saute till onions turn pink
• Add cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder & mix well
• Add cooked chickpeas, 1/2 cup of cooking liquid & salt as per taste. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover with a lid & let it cook on medium heat & simmer for 15 minutes until the chickpeas are fully cookied but not mushy.
• Add Garam Masala & mix well

Serve as a side dish with Rice/Roti .. Enjoi !!!

The dish was full was flavors yet not very overpowering. We had it with Rice & Dal & these curried chickpeas was a perfect accompaniment.

• 1 1/2 cups rice ( I used Sona Masuri ) - leftover will be fine
• 1 cup diced bell peppers (I used Green, Red, & Yellow)
• 4 green chillies - chopped
• A handful of curry leaves
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• Salt as per taste
• Juice of half a lemon
• 2 tbsp oil
• 3 tbsp grated coconut - fresh/frozen

Method:

• Cook rice such that each grain is separate. Set aside & let it cool completely
• Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Splutter mustard seeds, green chillies & curry leaves
• Add diced bell peppers & a tsp of salt. Saute for about a minute. Close the lid & let it cook. Keep mixing in between to avoid the bell peppers from getting burnt.
• When the bell peppers are well cooked & firm, add frozen green peas & mix well & let it cook for a couple of minutes.
• Mix in cooked rice, grated coconut & lemon juice.
• Check for salt & mix well
• Serve with yogurt .. Enjoy !!!

I made this really long ago, & we really loved the flavors. I have been meaning to make this one again, but somehow I never got around doing it. Hopefully I should be making this again, real soon.

If you have leftover rice, give your regular lemon rice a miss, & try this one.

NOTE: If you are using fresh green peas, add them right in the beginning as it takes longer to cook than the frozen ones.

Akki Rotti is a unique speciality of Karnataka. It is in many ways very similar to Thalipeeth form Maharashtra.

I was wanting to post this one ever since I started with this blog. Akki Rotti is made so often at home, infact it is a very common dish at most homes in Kannada households. But I somehow never got around photographing it.

There are quite a few variations to the usual plain Akki Rotti. You could use a medley of grated vegetables, finely chopped spinach/fenugreek or methi leaves/dill leaves or even flat beans.

• 1 cup rice flour ( a medium sized cup will yield about 4 rottis )
• 1/2 cup finely chopped methi/fenugreek leaves/Menthya Soppu
• 4 green chillies - chopped finely
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp grated coconut - fresh/frozen ( The more you add, the tastier it gets )
• Salt as per taste
• Oil

Method:

In a large bowl,mix all ingredients except oil.

Add enough water to make a soft dough. The dough should be softer than a chapati dough but shouldn't be very watery. It should be form enough to make a medium sized ball out of it.

Grease a iron Kadhai /Tava with a tsp of oil.

Take a meduim sized ball, Pat it into the greased tava. The thinner you pat, the crispier it gets. Pour a tsp of oil around the center & the edges.

Cover the tava /kadhai with a lid. After about 3 mins, check with a spatula if the bottom of the rotti has turned slightly brownish. Let it cook for another minute if you want a crispier rotti.

Remove once done. Serve with pickle, chutney powder, butter or some yogurt. Enjoi ...

You Will Need:

• 1 cup Black Eyes Peas/Lobia/Dudhi/Alsande Kaalu (soaked overnight or atleast for 4-5 hrs)
• 1 cup Bottle Gourd/Lauki/Sorekai - ( peeled, cored & cubed into 1 inch cubes )
• 2 onions - finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes - finely chopped
• 2 green chillies - slit lengthwise
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• A sprig of curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
• 2 tbsp oil
• Salt as per taste

Method:

• Pressure cook black eyed peas or cook on stove top until tender & set aside
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan & splutter mustard seeds, green chillies, curry leaves & turmeric.
• Add chopped onions & saute until it turns pink
• Add chopped tomatoes & red chilli powder & saute for 5 minutes.
• To this, add bottle gourd cubes & mix well. Add about 1/2 a cup of water & a tsp of salt. Cover with a lid & let it cook on medium flame. Keep stirring in between. When bottle goured cubes are fully cooked ( this should take about 12-15 mins ), Add cooked black eyed beans & Mix well
• Check for salt. Add Garam Masala & mix well

Serve HOT with warm Phulkas or even steamed Rice. Enjoi !!!

I had these with Rotis & Yogurt & It really was an awesome meal. Makes a perfect weeknight dinner.

I might even try a simple sprouted Stir Fry with this some time. Watch this space for more ...

You Will Need:

• 1 litre Milk
• 1/2 cup Condensed milk
• 12-15 Almonds - soaked in warm water
• 12-15 Cashewnuts - soaked in warm water
• 1 Mango - finely chopped
• 1 Apple - finely chopped
• A handful of seedless Grapes - finely chopped
• 3 ripe Bananas - finely chopped
• A handful of Pomegranate
• A pinch of Saffron - soaked in a tbsp of warm milk
• 5 tbsp sugar - More if you are fond of sweets
• 1/2 tsp of green cardamom powder

Method:

• Grind soaked almonds & cashews using very little milk into a smooth paste & set aside
• In a heavy bottomed vessel, bring milk to a boil. Add condensed milk & sugar & keep stirring continuously over low heat.
• Add the cashew-almond paste & simmer the mixture for about 10-15 minutes. The mixture would have a nice creamy consistency by now.
• Turn off the stove & let it cool for a while. Add chopped fruits & Cardamom powder
• Garnish with saffron & almond silvers
• Chill for a whole before serving .. Enjoi

• 250g Green Beans - Tender & Fresh (trimmed)
• 200g Carrots ( julienned )
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp rosemary leaves - crushed
• 1 tsp thyme leaves - crushed
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• Salt as per taste

Method:

• In a large uncovered saucepan, Cook Beans & Carrots in salted boiling water on medium heat for about 6-8 mins or until tender crisp
• Drain excess water.
• Return Beans to the sauce pan, toss with olive oil, crushed rosemary & thyme leaves. Add black pepper powder. Stir over medium heat for a couple of minutes.
• Let it stand for about 5 minutes before serving

Transfer to a serving bowl & serve warm with HOT steamed rice or even Fried Rice. Enjoi !!!

We had this with Steamed Rice & flavored yogurt. This is what a simple meal really is.

• 4 sundried Kokum
• 3 tbsp grated coconut - fresh
• 2 green chillies -low to medium spiced
• 2 tsp grated ginger
• 5-6 peppercorns
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• A few curry leaves
• 2 broken dry red chillies
• Salt as per taste
• 1 tsp desi ghee

• Soak sundried kokum in warm water for about 20 minutes. Squeeze the juice out & discard dry skin.
• Grind together, grated coconut, green chillies, a tsp of cumin seeds, peppercorns & ginger into a smooth paste adding a tbsp of yogurt
• In a bowl, whisk together kokum juice, ground paste & yogurt. Add salt as per taste & temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies & curry leaves.

• 4 slices - white/whole wheat bread
• 1 tsp butter/desi ghee
• 4 tbsp grated onion
• 4 tbsp grated carrots
• 4 tbsp grated green bell pepper
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• Salt as per taste
• 2 green chillies
• A pinch of sugar
• 1 tsp mustard seeds

Method:

• Heat ghee/butter in a wok, Sizzle mustard seeds & green chillies. Add a pinch of turmeric & sugar. Add grated onions. Allow them to brown.
• Add grated carrots & bell pepper & saute until completely cooked.
• Add salt as per taste & mix well.
• Toast the bread sliced with a tsp of ghee/butter until crisp
• Spread the curry evenly on toasted bread

Serve warm. Enjoi !!!

• 1 cup rice - ( I used Basmati )
• 1 cup cabbage - grated
• 1 red onion - finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chickpeas (If available)
• 4 green chillies - finely chopped
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• Salt as per taste
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• Cilantro for garnish
• 2 tsp oil

• If using chickpeas, soak them in water overnight or atleast for 5 -6 hrs & pressure cook them using 1 1/2 cups of water with a pinch of salt. Drain excess water & set aside.
• Pressure cook rice & set aside to cool completely.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, Allow mustard seeds to splutter.
• Add green chillies & ginger & allow them to sizzle for about 15 seconds
• Add chopped onions & saute until they turn pink. Add grated cabbage & add a few tbsps of water & close the lid. Let it cook on low flame fao about 10 minutes. keep saueting in between.
• Once cabbage is fully cooked, add cooled rice & salt as per taste. ( Make sure the rice is cooled completely. Else, the dish will turn mushy. Leftovers will do wonders. )
• Add lemon juice & Mix well & heat it up on a low flame for 5 minutes
• Garnish with chopped cilantro

There is really nothing new about this recipe, its really really simple to make, with some basic stuff. I added a bit of dried rosemary for that nice hint of herbs.

• 1 cup Baby Corn - Quartered & cut into thin strips
• 1 cup Carrots - Cut into thin strips
• 2 potatoes - cut into thin strips
• 1 cup green peas - fresh/frozen
• 4 -5 chopped green chillies - low to medium spiced
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 tsp oil
• Salt as per taste
  

Method:

• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add mustard seeds & allow it to pop & splutter. Add chopped green chillies & saute for about 20 secs
• Add carrots & potatoes & saute for a couple of minutes. Sprinkle some water & add a little bit of salt & close the lid. Keep sauteing in between to avoid them from getting burnt.
• When the carrots & potatoes are half done, add baby corn, Add a tsp of oil & close the lid again & keep sauteeing in between.
• When the vegetables are almost cooked & firm, add green peas & let it cook.
• Add dried rosemary & check for salt. & mix well

Serve with HOT rotis or fried rice .. Enjoi !!!

We loved biting into those crunchy baby corn. The tender carrots & green peas were quite a contrast & added a nice bite. Next time, I might even add some french beans to this. We had this with some warm rotis & enjoyed a simple meal.

NOTE:

• Replace green chillies with red chilli powder & add a hint of Garam Masala instead of dried rosemary
• Make sure that the vegetables are not overcooked & mushy. They taste good when they are crunchy & firm

• 1 cup Buttermilk - Made from 4 parts water & 1 part yogurt
• 2 dry red chillies - Broken ( I used Byadagi)
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp crushed cumin seeds
• A pinch of Asafoetida/Hing
• A handful of Curry leaves
• Salt as per taste

Method:

1. Mix together all the ingredients mentioned above.
2. Adjust salt as per taste & Mix well
3. Serve Cold
4. You could even chill it in earthrn pots for that added taste.

Enjoi !!!

NOTE: You could even use green chillies instead of red chillies for a slightly different taste.

• 2 raw mangoes - peeled & cubed
• 1 tsp grated jaggery
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• A pinch of asafoetida
• 4-5 curry leaves
• 2 dry red chillies - broken
• Salt as per taste
• 1 tsp oil

Method:

• Pressure cook mango cubes until soft. Mash well & set aside
• Add water & mashed mango & bring it to a Rasam like consistency.
• Add 1 tsp grated jaggery & salt as per taste & bring it to a boil
• Temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, red chillies & asafoetida

Serve HOT with steamed rice. Enjoi !!!

NOTE:

• Add a few tsps of lemon juice after boiling, if the mangoes are not sour enough.
• This tastes so good on its own, thyat you can even have it as a soup.

• 1 1/2 cups chickpeas/chana - soaked overnight or atleast for 5-6 hours
• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 4 Green cardamoms
• 2 cloves
• 1 inch stick of cinnamon
• 2 tea bags ( use only Orange Pekoe )
• 1 tsp dry mango powder/amchur powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• A small piece of ginger - grated
• 4 green chillies - slit lengthwise
• 1 tbsp desi ghee/clarified butter
• Salt as per taste
• Onions & cilantro for garnish

Method:

• Pressure cook chickpeas in 3 cups of water along with tea bags, cinnamon stick, cardamoms, cloves & a pinch of salt. Once cooked, discard tea bags & whole spices, drain excess water & set aside
• Dry roast Pomegranate seeds & cumin seeds & make a fine powder
• Heat desi ghee in a wok, add green chillies, grated ginger & saute. Add coriander powder & garam masala. Add ground pomegranate-cumin seeds mixture & saute for a few seconds
• Pour this evenly over cooked chickpeas. Heat this mixture until smoky & excess water had evaporated. Keep mixing in between
• Transfer to a serving bowl & garnish with onion rings & cilantro

Serve with any Roti/Rice Dish of your choice. Enjoi !!!

What I really loved about this is that lovely tangy taste from Dry Mango Powder. The absence of onions, tomatoes & garlic was a welcome change. We had our with some Jeera Rice & we loved it completely.

Bisi Bele Baath is a signature dish of the Kannadigas, BBB is undoubtedly my favorite amongst all karnataka dishes. For, its quite simple to make, it has a rich flavour to tickle your taste buds & is very very healthy.

The recipe out here is more common in the Bangalore-Mysore regions of Karnataka. You will probably find most households around this region, preparing BBB in this way more or less.

I learnt this from my Grand Mom who in turn learnt it from her Grand Mom, so this one is a family recipe & a very authentic one at that.

Here it is,

You Will Need:

• 1/2 cup Toor Dal
• 1/2 cup Rice ( I used Sona Masuri )
• 2 tomatoes - chopped
• 1 cup french beans - chopped
• 1 potato - cubed
• 1 carrot - cubed
• 1 green bell pepper - cubed
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• A handful of double beans ( optional)
• A handful of green peas - fresh/frozen
• A few curry leaves
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• A pinch of asafoetida/Hing
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp oil
• 3 tsp desi ghee
• Salt as per taste
• 5-6 cashewnuts

To grind:

• 2 tbsp grated coconut - fresh/frozen
• 10 - 12 dry red chillies ( I used Byadagi )
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 inch stick of cinnamon
• 6 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 2 tsp poppy seeds
• 1 tsp dagad phool/rock flower/Kallu Hoovu
• A small lemon sized ball of tamarind soaked in water

Method:

• Pressure cook toor dal until completely cooked & set aside
• Meanwhile, roast all the ingredients mentioned in the 'to-grind' list except coconut & tamarind, with a tsp of oil until fragrant. Grind along with grated coconut & tamarind into a smooth paste.
• Take a pressure cooker, Add cooked toor dal. Along with it, add carrots, beans & potatoes & double beans. bring it to a boil.
• To this mixture, add the ground paste & bring it to a boil again. Add a tsp of ghee at this point to avoid the bottom of the cooker from getting burnt. Keep stirring at regular intervals. Boil this mixture on low flame for about 5 minutes.
• Wash rice in several changes of water & add it to the boiling mixture, give it a gentle stir.
• Add the remaining vegetables & add about 3 cups of water. Adjust salt as per taste. Add 2 tsp of ghee/oil & close the lid & let it cook completely.
• Once the cooker releases pressure, open the lid. Temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves, cashewnuts, turmeric & asafoetida.

Mix well & serve HOT with a dollop of ghee on top & Raita . . . Enjoi !!!

NOTE:

• The consistency of BBB should be rather watery. Once complelely cooked, if you find the dish slightly thick, add some water & boil the mixture. This dish is very forgiving that way.
• The whole idea of cooking toor dal twice is to prevent the dish from getting hard once it cools down. But if you ensure that the dal is twice cooked, the baath will retain its watery consistency
• DO NOT add onions while making BBB. I often find a lot of people adding onions to this dish. Addition of onions gives this dish 'a sambar' like taste, since the ingredients used in sambar are more or less same. So remember, NO onions.
• Replace Tamarind with 3 tsp of lime juice for a slightly different taste.

I was never such a big fan of Chana Dal. I barely experiment with it. I had Chana Dal Tadka for the first time at an Indian restaurant in Paris.

While we were holidaying in Paris, we were starved beyond words, & were craving for some authentic Indian stuff. For how long can you eat Croissants & Baguettes afterall? When, we found a nice little Indian restaurant & I just couldn't wait to lay my hands on some lovely Rice & Dal Tadka. The restaurant had limited options for the vegetarians & they only served only chana dal. I had no choice but to opt for it & thought I wasn't going to like it one bit.

When the waiter served, Dal Tadka, It looked really bland & had no traces of either onions or tomatoes or any other seasoning.
(I gave him a stare as though I am the Czarina of Indian Cuisine, implying that one can't just whip up something in an alien country & serve it as authentic Indian Stuff. )

But I was sooo terribly wrong. The dal tasted great & had an amazing texture. It was actually more than perfect. Yes, I ate one of the best Dal Tadkas in Paris. And, I knew that I was going to recreate this at home some day.

We got together to guessing what all might have gone into the Dal & I think we got most of it.

Here's how it was made,

You Will Need:

• 1 1/2 cups Chana Dal
• 1 red onion - chopped
• 2 tomatoes - chopped
• 2 green chillies
• 2 green cardamoms
• 2 cloves
• A small stick of cinnamon
• A handful of cashewnuts
• A small piece of ginger
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 dry red chilli - broken
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• cilantro for garnish
• 2 tsp oil
• 1 tsp desi ghee

Method:

• Soak chana dal in water for about 15 minutes & pressure cook the dal until completely cooked. See to it that the dal does not get mushy & retains its shape
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan & add slit green chillies, cardamoms, cloves & cinnamon. Saute for about 20 seconds.
• Add chopped onions & saute till they turn transpatent. Add turmeric, red chilli powder & tomatoes & cook until oil separates & tomatoes turn pulpy
• Switch off the stove & allow it to cool. Once cool, grind this along with ginger & cashewnuts.
• Heat oil in a pan & add cooked chana dal & the ground paste & bring it to a boil. Add water to get the desired consistency. Add salt as per taste.
• Temper with cumin seeds & broken red chilli. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro.

Serve Hot with Rotis/Rice. Enjoy !!!

This one was really close to the one we had in Paris & enjoyed it quite a bit. The spices were mild & cashews added their bit of sweetness & gave a nice creamy consistency to the dal. I loved the texture & taste of chana dal too.

All the credit goes to Shankar for patiently listening to me on how to got about the whole thing & creating some lovely comfort food.

Hope you guys are going to try this too.

NOTE: While grinding the ingredients, we let a few rustic pieces of onions & tomatoes remain, since we like biting into tiny bits of veggies. But you could grind it into a smooth paste as well.