Dal Makhni

There is place in Hyderabad called " Angeethi " (Near city Centre) where you get the yummiest Dal Makhni .. I shifted residence to an all girls PG and they introduced me to this place !.I tried making it at home and it came out well :)

Here's how I made it..
What you need to do the previous night before going to bed :

Urad Dal: 1/2 cup [The whole ones with black skin]
Red Kidney Beans/Rajma: 1/2 cup

• Soak the two overnight.

When you are ready to start cooking the next day :

• Pressure Cook with salt, 2 crushed garlic pods, half a sliced onion, 1 teaspoon of grated ginger, a tiny pinch of turmeric and a teaspoon of red chilli powder.
• This takes about 20-30 minutes to cook.
• The dals must be soft and mashed.

Then ...

• Heat a pan with some oil and 2 tablespoons of butter ( is essential for the yumminess ! ), throw in some cumin seeds.
• Add 4 pods of garlic and 1 inch piece of ginger, chopped. Fry for a minute.
• Now add one medium onion- chopped.
• Cook until onions are browned.
• Add a teaspoon of ground garam masala and red chilli powder.
• Add 2 chopped tomatoes.
• Cook until the oil leaves the side.
• Add this to the dal mix and stir well.
• Add 2 tablespoons of cream and mix.
• Leave this on a low flame for about 20 minutes.

Let it simmer away and you have some yummy dal!

When you serve, add a teaspoon of butter and a drop of cream. It is awesome with Naan's , phulka's or even, all by itself :)

Sindhi KadiI

This tangy curry is traditionally made by the Sindhi community from Northern India. Serve it with a long-grained, fragrant rice like Basmati. Since it's full of vegetables and made with tomatoes and gram flour, it's also nutritious.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Toor/ Tuvar Daal (split yellow pigeon peas)
• 8-10 large tomatoes sliced thick
• 3 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 2 green chillies slit lengthwise
• 1/4 tsp asafetida powder
• 3 tbsps bengal gram flour (besan)
• 1 tsp red chilli powder (optional)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 cup baby okra (whole or with tops and tails trimmed)
• 1 cup beans cut into 2" pieces
• 1 cup carrot cut into thick slices
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

• Soak the Toor/ Tuvar Daal in hot water for 1 hour.
• Boil the Daal in a pressure cooker with water and the tomatoes till done. To do this, once you have closed the pressure cooker cook on a high flame till you hear the first whistle (pressure release). Now reduce the flame to a simmer and cook till you hear 2 more whistles. Turn off the fire.
• Whisk the Daal and add hot water (if necessary) till you get a smooth, soup-like consistency.
• Heat the oil in a pan on a medium flame. Add the cumin and fenugreek seeds, green chillies and asafetida. Cook till the spluttering stops.
• Now add the gram flour. Cook till the raw aroma of the gram flour is gone - it will turn pale brown.
• Now add the red chilli powder and turmeric powder and turn off the flame.
• Add this mix to the Daal. Season with salt to taste.
• Add the vegetables and cook till done.
• Serve piping hot with a long-grained, fragrant rice like Basmati and Poppadums (papad).

Healthy yogurt drink - Buttermilk ;)

Ingredients:

Yogurt 1/2 cup

Green chillies chopped finely 1/4 tsp

Ginger crushed 1/4 - 1/2 tsp

Cilantro chopped finely 1/2 tsp

Water 2 cups

Salt to taste

Method :

In a blender, blend all the ingredients for about a minute.

Strain and serve cool after lunch or dinner.

Tip: Add roasted cumin seeds and curry leaves.You can reduce or add more amount of chilli according to your taste.

Punjabi Kadi

Ingredients :

• 2 cups dahi/Yogurt/ curd
• 2 tbsps besan/ gram flour
• 1/2 onion cut vertically
• 3 garlic cloves chopped finely
• 2 tbsp garlic chopped finely
• 1 tbsp kasoori methi
• 2-3 red chilies
• 8-10 curry leaves
• 1 tbsp jeera
• 1/2 tspn methi seeds
• haldi
• salt according to taste

Method:

1. Heat a tbsp of oil, (traditionally ghee is used) add jeera, methi seeds, ginger, garlic , kasoori methi, haldi, r.chilies and curry leaves
2. Add finely cut onions and saute till these turn translucent
3. In a separate bowl mix yogurt, besan and chili powder with water to make it a consistency of thick lassi
4. Add the above mixture to sauteed onions add salt and mix well
5. Allow to boil till about 5 minutes or you see big bubbles

Serve hot with puhlka/roti's very delicious and nutritious too !