Mixed Dal Adai ( Mixed Lentils Pancake)

In todays fast life with work,home and kids ,we overlook our food intake and hardly manage to balance the required amount of fruits,vegetables,protiens ,fats and carbs in our diet. we all think of cutting calories without eating right. somehow getting all the essential vitamins and minerals in our diet is very crucial to keep up a good healthy lifestyle. I think Mixed dal adai once a  week could make some difference as it contains 4 different kinds of lentils,4-5 different mixed vegetables and packs in a great flavor for all the picky eaters.

Mixed Dal Adai ( Mixed Lentils Pancake)

Ingredients

Whole Masoor Dal ( pink lentils) 1/2cup
Channa dal                                  1/4cup
whole moong dal                          2tbsp
Whole black urad dal                   2tbsp
Rajma /blackeyed peas(either one) 2tbsp
long grain rice                              1cup
whole dry red chillies                    7-8
grated mixed vegetables, i have used red cabbage,red peppers, onions and carrot 1cup
currry leaves a few leaves
salt to taste
oil to fry the pancakes.

Method
Soak the rice and dals seperately for approximately 2hrs. grind them with red chillies and mix well the salt to taste. keep this batter aside for 4-6hrs.
now befor making the pancakes add the grated vegetables and curry leaves,adjust the seasoning if required and pour on a hot griddle(tawa) to make thick pancakes (dosas). flip to the otherside and cook until they turn out golden and crisp.
serve hot with any chutney or side.or even refer to tomato plum chutney from the earlier posts,its an ideal combination with a sweet and sour tangy taste.

Once a upon an Avacado!

Whats an avacado? Whenever I used to grocery shop for vegetables and fruits I used to wonder  about this wonder fruit,being said that I had never tasted it before. Then I  had "Guacomole ", its a dip made out of avacados with garlic,onions,jalapenos ,cilantro and tomatoes. I found the taste very nice and made me want to make an Indianised version of it. Then my research about avacados became more and I was amazed at the amount of good nutritional values that this rich yet funny looking fruit had.
Avocados have a decadent, creamy texture that adds a delicate flavor to many foods. This delicious fruit also packs a nutrient punch, by contributing nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to one's diet. Wow... isn't it... for someone who insists on having Indian food almost everyday like my husband.. I had to try and come up with a recipe that he also could appreciate and enjoy the goodness of this fruit.
To know more about avacados please visit http://www.avocado.org/press/nutrition/nutrition-facts
Thus was born Avacado Chutney!

Avacado Chutney

Ingredients

Ripe *avacados -2

Juice of 1lemon

green chillies 5-6

urad dal 2tbsps

salt for taste

for the tempering

mustard seeds 1/2tsp

curry leaves 3-4

asfotedia /hing powder just a pinch

Method

Avacados have a  center pit which ,so carefully with a sharp knife make a cut around the avacados and twist it gently to cut into two halves. with the knife slamm on the pit and twist and remove ,the pit/seed is not edible so discard it. now with a spoon scoop out the meaty flesh of the avacados and keep aside. Avacados like many vegetables or fruits  tend to oxidise and become black or brown in color,so to keep it vibrant green color intact immediately mix in the lemon juice with it.

next heat up some oil and fry the urad dal and green chillies until golden brown. the dal gives the chutney a nice nutty flavor along with some body to the chutney adding to the creamy buttery texture of the avacados. mash the avacados with a back of a spoon and season with salt. grind the dal and chillies and mix well with the mashed avacados. finally temper in some oil the mustard seeds ,curry leaves and hing. mix well and a very delicious,appetizing,nutritional chutney is ready. serve with rice,rotis,breads or dosas.

More information on Avacados.

**avocado = alligator pear = midshipman's butter

Pronunciation: AV-uh-KAD-oh
Rich and creamy avocados are quite versatile. You can dice them into salads, stuff them with fillings, or mash them to make guacamole or sandwich spreads. Their only big drawback is that they're also high in calories and fat, though the fat is mostly monounsaturated, which isn't as bad as other kinds. Since they bruise easily, grocers want customers to buy them while they're still hard and then take them home to ripen at room temperature for a few days. They’ll ripen more quickly if you put them in a paper bag along with an apple or banana. They're ripe when they yield to a gentle squeeze.
To open an avocado, just cut it in half lengthwise around the seed, twist the two halves apart, and then pop the seed out with a spoon or knife. Avocados darken soon after being cut, so serve them right away or sprinkle them with lemon or lime juice to slow the discoloration. Don't ever refrigerate, freeze, or cook avocados.

Varieties: The Hass = California avocado is available year-round and has a rich flavor and creamy texture. This is the best variety for guacamole, but it turns a bit mushy in salads. The skin turns almost black when the avocado is ripe—this, unfortunately, can camouflage bad bruises. The Pinkerton peels easily and has excellent flavor. The Reed is a large, round avocado that slips easily from the peel, and has very good flavor and texture. It will stay firm even when ripe, so it's great in salads, but not a good choice if you're making guacamole. The Fuerte = Florida avocado is in season from late fall through spring. It's not quite as buttery as the Hass avocado, but its flavor is excellent. The bacon avocado is a sweet, smooth-skinned variety that shows up in the middle of winter, but isn’t as flavorful as other avocados. Mexican avocados are small and have shiny black edible skins.

Showing Ripe Avacados( avacados turn brownish black when ripe and they are slightly soft to touch)

below: the cut avacados with its center pit

Paneer Mattar (cottage cheese with green peas)

This must be one of the most popular Punjabi Indian recipe that everyone knows ,and probably each of us would have our own recipe for this . But I like it to be simple yet delicious ,and using simple ingredients and simple technique will not over power the creamy taste of the Paneer and the sweetness of the green peas. The combination of these two tastes with the delicate hint of sweetness from the honey  is what makes this curry so very tasty and popular .Using Frozen green peas is a good idea ,as they are picked at the best of the season and flash frozen to keep the freshness and sweetness intact.So this is how I make it...

Paneer Mattar

Ingredients

Paneer or Cottage cheese ( cubed) 1cup
Green Peas      1cup
Tomato Puree 1/2 cup
Dry masala: Chilli powder 1tbsp ,corrainader powder 1tbsp,tumeric a pinch, garam masala 1tsp
salt to taste
garlic minced 2-3 cloves
Onions minced 1/4 cup
cashews soaked in water and grinded  into thick paste 1/4cup
Heavy cream 2tbsp
Kasoori Methi (optional ) for garnish
Honey 1tbsp
Ghee 1tbsp
oil 2tbsp


Method

Heat Oil and add the onions and fry until they are slighty pink,Meanwhile mix the Dry masalas and the garlic with the tomato puree. Now pour this mixture into the fried onions and cook until the oil leaves the side of the pan. In a fry pan heat some ghee and fry the paneer cubes until they r slightly golden brown and without breaking them,add the fried panner into the tomato base along with the green peas.Season with salt & adjust the consitency of the gravy by adding some water. Next add the honey,cashew paste and the kasoori methi. mix well and keep in the flame just for a 1min.
turn off the flame and add the heavy cream and garnish with corriander and serve with your choice of bread or Rice as an accompliment.

Sweet & Sour Plum Tomato Chutney

What is it about chutneys that its so versatile? I keep thinking and there are endless options ,using fruits and vegetables. I must say while chatting with my friend I got the inspiration for this chutney,so thanks  to her it was one of the fingerlicking lipsmaking good chutney I have ever made!
I used some tomatoes and Red Ripe plums for this,offseasonal for plums,but i guess the slight sour taste from the plums actually enhanced the whole chutney.

Sweet & Sour Plum Tomato Chutney

Ingredients
Tomatoes chopped 2cups
plums pitted and chopped (with skin) 2cups
sugar 1/2 cup
white vinegar 2tbsps
salt to taste
chilli powder 2tbsps
oil 2tsp
mustard seeds 1/4tsp
whole red chilles 1-2

Method

Heat some oil,add the mustard and chillies. once they splutter add in the tomatoes and plums. cover and cook until they are mushy.
Now stir in the vinegar,salt,sugar,chillipowder.cook until all the excess water is evaporated and it becomes like a jelly consistency.
turn off the flame and serve.
I like this with any meal as a side,or even as a dip for chips.

Cheesy Jeera Rice

Sometimes it becomes neccessary to jazz up the regular old recipe a little bit to make it appetizing and attarctive, and it actually works. Being tired of the same old jeera(cumin) rice as a side to all the currys I try a various options in Rice. This time it was just some colorful pepper that I hallowed and seasoned and grilled before fillin it with rice ,the sweetness of the red pepper actually enhances the rice and make it very fragrant too.This worked out very well,and since we had company over for lunch,I like being creative and artistic and it was very well apreciated.

Cheesy Jeera Rice

Ingredeints:

Basmati Rice  1cup

whole spices  Cumin Seeds -1/2tsp

                      cloves  2-3

                      cinnamon stick 1

                      whole black peppercons 2-3

butter 1tbsp

olive oil 2tbsp

salt

grated cheese 2tbsp

halved  hallowed pepper of ur choice

corriander leaves for garnish

Method

Heat oil in a pan,add the whole spices one by one.as they release their aroma,add in the rice.coat the oil.the rice will become well coated ,now add 2 cups of water ,salt to taste and the butter and cover and cook until the water is all evoparated and rice is plumpy and cooked. use a fork to fluff the rice.

Now heat the broiler or a grill pan and grill the pepper and season the inside with some salt and pepper.

The pepper should still hold their shape while slight cooked.

now fill the rice in the pepper and top with grated cheese.

grill/broil the rice until the cheese is melted abt 2-3mins

serve as a side side to any curry of ur choice.