Bitter gourd with lentil

Ingredients:
100gm bittergourd,
100gm lentil (Tuver dal)
2-big size tomatoes
8-9 green chillies
3-tbsp oil
1-tbsp red chilli powder
1\2-tbsp turmeric powder
1-tbsp garam masala
1-tbsp mustard seeds
1-tbsp cumin seeds
1\2-tbsp asafoetida (hing)
3 tbsp lemon juice+2 tbsp sugar or jaggery(optional)
Salt to taste.

Method:
Step 1: Soak the Tuver dal for one hour.

Step 2: After that microwave for 4 minutes on high. So it’s become soft but not like smooth dal and Keep aside.Step 3: Peel and cut the bitter gourd into long slices. Remove the seeds.
Step 4: Soak into slated water for 1\2 hour so we reduce the bitterness.
Step 5: After that drain the extra water from the bitter gourd and put over the tissue paper.

Step 6: Cut the tomatoes into medium size pieces and keep aside.

Step 6: Heat the oil into a pan and add mustarded seeds, cumin seeds and hing.

Step 7: Add small green chilles and fry for one minute.

Step 8: After that add bitter gourd dry long slice in it.

Step 9: Cook into medium flame for 5 minutes and add turmeric powder.

Step 10: When bitter gourd slices become crispy then add red chilli powder and salt in it.
Step 11: After that add cook tuver dal in it and mix it. Cook into low flame for 3 minutes.

Step 12: Add chopped tomatoes and gram masala in it.

Step 13: Cook on medium flame until all tomato mix with curry very well.
Step 14: Turn off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

Step 15: Serve with hot roti and ripe banana pieces.

Note: If you like then also add lemon juice and sugar for taste. Also you reduce the bitterness with lemon juice and sugar. Mix the lemon juice and sugar before the one minute of turn off the flame.


Love can bring a smile & a smile can take you another mile.:)




Sending the Bitter Gourd with lentils to Pooja from My Creative Ideas for her VOW: Bitter Gourd

Idli,Sambhar and Chutney

Idli
For making fluffy soft idlis you need:
4 cups idli rice
1 cup split urad dal
1\2 cup Fenugreek (methi) seeds

Soak:
* Wash and soak the urad dal, idli rice and fenugreek seeds separately in water for at least 6 hours.
To Grind:
* Drain the extra water from fenugreek seeds, rice, urad dal and mix all together.


* Grind this material in mixer with adding minimum water.


* Make a smooth batter and add salt. The final batter should not be too thick or too watery.


To make idlis:
* Allow the batter to ferment for at least 12 hours.

Preparation:
Step 1: Heat 1 cup of water in idli cooker.
Step 2: Add the 3 tablespoons of batter in each of the idli plate and put it in idli cooker. Close the idli cooker with lid.


Step 3: Cool for about 10-12 minutes. Let stand for 1 minute and unmould.


Step 4: Serve hot with chutney of your choice and sambhar.



Cooking Tip:
* Well fermented flour will give really fluffy and soft idli’s.
* If you live in US or any cold country, try keeping the flour in a conventional oven and keep the light on inside the oven.
* Fenugreek seeds is good for health so I add this in batter.

Sambhar

Ingredients for sambhar masala:
2 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
6 curry leaves
1\2 tbsp asafetida powder
1 tbsp urad dal
4 cloves
2 small pieces of cinnamon

Method for the sambhar masala:

Step 1: Roast all the ingredients individually in a pan.

Step 2: Grind them together in a grinder.

Step 3: Make smooth powder. If you made more than you required than you store it in an air-tight container and use it when required. I was always made fresh smabhar masala for nice aroma.

Ingredients for sambhar:
1\2 cup chopped white gourd
1\2 cup chopped carrot
2 big size drumstick (diced)
1 big size finely chopped onion
2 cups tuvar dal
3 tbsp sambhar masala
Few curry leaves
1\2 tbsp cumin seeds
1\2 tbsp mustard seeds
1\2 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp red chilli powder
A pinch of hing
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnish.

Method for the Sambhar:

Step 1: Wash the tuvar dal. Cook it in cooker with sufficent water. Grind with grinder.

Step 2: Boil the vegetables and add salt to taste.
Step 3: Drain extra water form cook vegetables.

Step 4: Heat the oil in another pan and crackle mustard seeds. Then add cumin seeds and a pinch of hing.

Step 5: Add finely chopped onion in it and fry for few minutes.

Step 6: Now add the vegetables in it and cook for one minute.

Step 7: Pour the tuvar dal and add turmeric powder, red chilli powder in it.

Step 8: Add sambhar masala and simmer over medium flame for 15 minutes.

Step 9: Turn off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with Idli and dosa.

Tips:
* To ensure that the smabhar tastes fresh, do not use sambhar masala that is over two month-old.
* If you prefer your smbhar strong, then add a pinch of clove powder to tuvar dla while soaking it.
* If the smabhar is too thick, dilute milk in water and add it to the smabhar.
* If you add more water while cook the tuvar dal then can be reused to cook vegetable this will help retain the flavor and nutrition of the sambhar.

Idli Chutney

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh/frozen coconut

½ cup dalia (Pottu Kadali/ fried gram dhal)

4 green chilis

Salt to taste

For seasoning:

2 tbsp oil

1/2 tbsp mustard seeds

1/2 tbsp urad dal

3-4 curry leaves

Method:
Step 1: Grind coconut, ½ cup dalia, salt and chilies to a smooth paste adding required amount of water.

Step 2: Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they start popping, add urad dal.

Step 3: When dal turns slightly brownish, add curry leaves. Fry for a little while. Pour this seasoning over chutney.

Step 4: Mix well and serve with hot dosa or idli.

Dal Dhokli
For the dhokli:
1-cup wheat flour,
1-tbsp red chilli powder,
1\2-tbsp turmeric powder,
1-tbsp sesame seeds,
1-tbsp oil,
Salt to taste.
Method:
Step 1: Mix all ingredients for dhokli and add water for making smooth dough like Roti.
Step 2: Make a small lemon size balls.
Step 3: Roll out this ball with roller up to medium size roti or chapti.

Step 4: Cut this into small squares pieces.

Step 5: Do same thing with other 3-balls and prepare the dhokli and keep aside.

For the dal:
1-cup toor dal(Tuver dal),
2-medium size onions (optional),
1-big size potato,
1-cup of Guvar(Vetch) (optional),
1\4-cup roasted peanuts (optional),
6-7 curry leaves,
1-tbsp mustard seeds,
1-tbsp cumin seeds,
1-big size lemon,
1-tbsp ginger paste,
1-tbsp garam masala,
Jaggery (optional),
2-tbsp oil,
Salt to taste,
Coriander leaves for Garnish.
Method:
Step 1: Finely chopped onions and potato.

Step 2: Wash the toor dal and pressure cook for three whistles. When it cool mash with hand blender.Step 3: Heat the oil in pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds. Cook till the seeds starts to splutter after that add curry leaves.Step 4: Then add ginger paste, roasted peanuts and chopped guvar (vetch) and cook for 5-minutes. (If you like tomato then also add finely chopped tomato in it.)Step 5: After that add chopped potatoes and onion in it. Cook until they are golden brown.

Step 6: Then add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and salt (for better color i add red chilli powder and turmeric powder before add dal).

Step 7: Add cooked dal along with one cup water if needed.

Step 8: Cook dal for 5 to 7 minutes so all vegetables cook very well and become soft.

Step 9: When dal become boiled then add prepared dhokli’s, jaggery, lemon juice and garam masala in it.Step 10: When the dhokli’s start floating on the surface of the dal, it’s a sign that it’s cooked through.Step 11: Turn off the flame and garnished with coriander leaves.

Step 12: Serve hot. This is a one-meal dish and does not require anything else. If you like then also serve with Rice also.