This is yet another creation of Biji ammai – simple, quick and yummy. What set it apart from the normal lentil preparation is the usage of Zucchini. If you don’t have Zucchini you can use pumpkin instead! Don’f forget to give me a feedback post you cook

Gram daal / chana daal (lentil) – 1 cup

Zucchini – 2-3 numbers

Cumin powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

1. Soak gram dal for 1 hour
2. Cook the dal with sufficient water without closing the vessel. Howver, dal should not get fully cooked.
3. Add chopped Zucchini and cook
4. Add cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric, salt and cook
5. Serve with Indian bread (chapatti) or rice

Till next time…Happy cooking!

Thanks ammai ….meet Ms.Biji Gopi Ram

photo credit: aNantaB

I was kinda tired of my husband (Q) telling me how yummy is the daal that his aunt (Mini ammai)  makes. So I made it a point to get the dal recipe from Mini ammai when we visited her and now I get the compliments from Q for the same dal…am I smart or am I smart?  …. here, have a look at teh recipe…its damn simple! I am sure you will love it. You will let me know, wont you?

Toor dal – 1 cup
Turmeric powder – 1 pinch
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Asafoetida – 1 pinch
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Urad daal (white lentils) – 1 tsp
Tomato – 1 medium (finely chopped)
Green chilli – 1 (slit length wise)
Coriander leaves – for garnish (finely chopped)
Oil – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

1.    Pressure cook / boil dal with green chilli, turmeric and cumin seeds and keep aside
2.    Add tomato to above and boil
3.    Take oil in a small pan and mustard seeds when warm and wait for it to splutter
4.    Add urad daal and asafoetida to the pan and when daal turn light brown, tip it in the daal
5.    Add salt
6.    Garnish generously with coriander leaves
7.    Serve with rice or chapatti (Indian bread)

Till tomorrow….. happy cooking!

click here for North Indian style dal recipe…

and herez one big thanks to Mini Ammai for the recipe

photo credit: ritwikdey

Our friend Dr.Vinod is a fan of this dal. May be also because he was brought up in the north and now gets to eat Kerala food more often? Reason might be anything, but this dal recipe just rocks. Try it out!

Toor dal – 1 cup
Turmeric powder – 1 pinch
Onion – 1 medium (finely chopped)
Green chilli – 1 (slit length wise)
Ginger-Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Asafoetida – 1 pinch
Tomato – 1 medium (finely chopped)
Oil – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves – for garnish (finely chopped)

1.    Pressure cook / boil dal with turmeric and keep aside
2.    In a pan take oil and add cumin seeds when warm
3.    Add asafoetida, onions, ginger-garlic paste and green chilli and sauté well
4.    When onions turn light brown add tomatoes and sauté
5.    When oil separates, take pan off gas
6.    Add the above to the boiled dal
7.    Add salt to taste
8.    Garnish with coriander leaves
9.    Serve with rice or chapatti (Indian bread)

Another variant could be that you boil ginger-garlic paste, chopped onions, tomatoes and green chilli (slit length wise) along with dal. For tempering, take oil in a pan add Cumin, Fennel, Asafoetida and 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes and add this to the cooked dal. Sprinkle garam masala and garnish with coriander!

Till tomorrow….. happy cooking!…….hey don’t forget to post your feedback. I will be waiting!

click here for South Indian dal recipe..