Vegetable Moong Dal Fry

One of the easiest and healthiest side dish that can be made in a jiffy. This can also be given to kids if you reduce the amount of spice being added as this is full of proteins.

You can have this for both rice as well as Roti/Chapati and Naan. This is OPOS - One pot one shot cooking and hence it is really easy and convenient for me to make this after I return from office. This has goodness of all vegetables as well:) I often make this at home when I am in loss of time or feel extremely bored.

Let's quickly jump into the recipe.

                               

Serves: 4 - 5

Ingredients

1. Moong Dal - 1.5 cups
2. Water - 3 cups
3. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
4. Green Chili - 1
5. Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
6. Garam Masala - 1 tsp
7. Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
8. Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
9. Cumin Seeds - 2 tsp
10. Ghee/Oil - 1 tbsp
11. Bay Leaf - 1
12. Kasuri Methi - 1 tsp
13. Coriander leaves for garnishing

Vegetables - Anything of your choice

• Cauliflower florets - 5
• Carrot - 1 (chopped)
• Capsicum - 1/2 (Chopped)
• Baby corn - 4 (round)
• Tomato - 2 Big (chopped)
• Onion - 1 Big

Method

1. Take a cooker, add ghee and jeera. Once the cumin seeds splutter, add onions, chili and Bay leaf. Saute well until onions turns translucent.

                               

2. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for about a min.

3. Add all other veggies along with all the "powders".

                               

4. Add moong dal and water along with salt.

                                   

5. Stir the contents well and pressure cook for about 4 whistles.

6. Let the pressure settle on its own. Open the cooker. Add some crushed kasuri methi leaves.

7. Give a Nice mix. If required, adjust water and salt according to the consistency needed.

                               

8. Serve hot garnished with coriander and tasty Veg Dal Fry is ready in a jiffy. :)

Srilankan Yellow Rice (Kaha Bath)

I learnt this flavourful recipe from my baking teacher - Shyamala Mam who is a sri lankan settled here. She is an amazing cook and a home baker with a rich experience of over 36 years. It was so nice of her to share this authentic sri lankan recipe with me. You can find the original recipe posted on her Page. Any day, Rice has always been my favorite main course and I you can find a lot of rice varieties on my page.

This is a non spicy yet flavourful, aromatic rice cooked with coconut milk and butter and garnished with loads of kaju and kishmish. Coconut milk has been a very important ingredient in all of the sri lankan cuisine recipes. I have always found a similarity in the cuisines of all coastal regions - be it Goa, Kerala or Sri Lanka- Coconut Milk is just inevitable. :):)

The original recipe uses Pandan Leaf which is grown in Sri Lanka. However, I don't think one can get it here in India and hence I have skipped it. Any spicy accompaniment from GB'S Gravy Bowl goes well with mild aromatic Rice. The Golden Color of the rice comes from our Golden Spice - Turmeric :) You can wither use samba or Basmati Rice. I have used Basmati Rice for the preparation. Curry leaf is another important ingredient in this recipe. In the picture, I have added it in the start itself. I suggest you to add the curry leaves during garnishing so that the flavour is fresh and the curry leaf is crisp.

Let's now jump to the recipe.

 

Ingredients

1. Basmati Rice/Samba Rice - 1.5 cups
2. Coconut Milk(Thick) - 1.5 cups
3. Water - 1.5 cups
4. Ceylon Cinnamon - 1 inch Piece
5. Bay Leaf - 2
6. Cardamom-2
7. Cloves-2
8. Onions - 2 medium (thinly sliced)
9. Butter - 2 tbsp
10. Garlic Pods - 4 (chopped)
11. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
12. Salt to taste

Garnishing

1. Butter - 1.5 tbsp
2. Cashews - 2 tbsp
3. Raisins - 2 tbsp
4. Curry Leaves - 10

Method

1. Wash nicely and soak the basmati Rice for about 20 mins.

2. In a pan, add butter, cinnamon, cardamom,cloves.bay leaf, garlic. Saute well.

3. Add Onions and saute until brown.

4. Add coconut milk, water, salt and turmeric and bring it to boil.

5. Add the basmati rice,mix well, cover the pan and simmer until the rice is done.

6. In a separate pan, add butter and roast cashews, raisins and curry leaves until crisp and golden brown.

7. Garnish the rice well and serve hot with your favourite accompaniment.