Mustard Greens Dhal

“How’s life???” asked a friend of mine. I had tons to write back all on the bright side though, but never knew where to start and how to end so I just wrote back “Life took a swift change from Gaga’s Alejandro to Itsy Bitsy Spider”. I wonder when the last time I ever heard Alejandro – Gaga and Boom Boom Pow – BEP was in the past 5 months. But singing Hush lil baby, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Five lil Monkey’s to the lil one gives loads of joy than anything else. My lil buddy gapes at me open mouthed when I sing to him and that’s what is keeping me off blogging and moreover there isn’t pretty much anything fancy cooking happening too.

Now that I am just getting used to his timing and the household chores all by myself gradually, yet I felt marooned when Mom left me a few days back. Hoping to come in terms with my demanding lil brat who never lets me sit with the laptop even for a few moments… Now without much ado, to the recipe.



Ingredients:

Toor Dhal – 1 cup
Mustard Greens – few stalks
Onion – 1 medium
Tomato – 1 small
Green Chilly – 2
Red Chili Powder – 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder – ½ tbsp
Salt to taste
Water

Tempering:

Poppu Ball – a pinch
Sesame Oil – 2 tsp
Asafetida – a pinch
Curry Leaves – a few

Garnishing:

Coriander Leaves

Method:

1. Heat Oil in a pressure cooker and add the Poppu (Talimpu, which I shall post later) and let the color change. Throw in the Curry Leaves, Asafetida fry till aromatic.
2. Add the chopped Onion, G.Chilly and cook till Onions become transparent. Dice the Tomatoes and mix in along with Turmeric Powder and Red Chili Powder, meanwhile wash the Toor Dhal until water runs clear and set aside.
3. Chop the Mustard Greens (including the Stalks) and cook with the Onions then pour 3-4 cups of Water and bring it to a boil add the Toor Dhal cover and put on the weight.
4. Wait until 5 whistles, when the pressure is released open and adjust Salt. Garnish with Coriander Leaves.

Serve with: Rice, a dollop of Ghee and Pickle or Pappad

Lemon Rasam

Life with an infant is cherishable everyday "chinna" comes up with something new, he finds something new in every detail. And his endless laughs and giggles keep me occupied. Well thats all the reason I have and for some reason I dint wanna keep that from blogging. Hopefully when Chinna starts walking he is not gonna give me anytime for any chores so I am utilizing all his nap times for the time being.

About the Kaaya Podi, my previous post, I gotta lotta mails have answered a few while I write to the rest of the mails too. Glad that you guys found it informative and useful. I will make sure that I post more such posts in the future.

Rasam is a comfort food, there are n number of ways to make Rasam and almost every family has their own way of preparing it. Lemon Rasam is a very flavorful and aromatic rasam. If had with brown rice make sure its a lil sour and hot.



Ingredients:

Lemon - 1 small sized
Water - 4-5 cups (depending on the sourness of the Lemon)
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Green Chilly - 1 no.
Salt to taste
Sugar a pinch (optional)

Tempering:

Sesame Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves a few
Pearl Onion - 2 nos.
Red Chilly - 1 no.
Asafoetida a pinch
Garlic - 2 pods



Garnishing:

Coriander Leaves

Method:

1. Wash the Lemon, cut it remove the seeds and squeeze the juice including the pulp.
2. Throw in the Salt, Tumeric Powder, Chilly Powder and mix with Water. Slit the Green Chilly and slighly crush in Lemon Water.
3. Heat a pan pour Oil, when hot put the Mustard Seeds. When they pop add the Cumin Seeds, Curry Leaves, Red Chilly, Garlic, crushed Pearl Onion and Asafoetida.
4. When aromatic pour the prepared Lemon Water. When it boils check for sourness if very sour add a pinch of Sugar.
5. Garnish with Coriander Leaves.

Serve with: Hot rice and a dollop of Ghee.

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Sig Siv's interesting blog for a $100 giveaway or to win a cookbook.

Also head to Kiran's blog to see an interesting giveaway.