Dal from Haryana

Haryana is a state in northern India with Chandigarh as its capital. It is land-locked by Himachal Pradesh on the north, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi in the east, Rajasthan on the south–west and Punjab on the west.

Haryana means ‘The Abode of God’.  Hari means God (Hindu) and Ayana in sankrit means home.

Haryana is the birth place of ancient culture and civilization.  It is famous for its rich history including ancient city of Kurukshetra where the epic battle of Mahabharata took place. It is also believed, that this is the place where, Lord Krishna delivered the Bhagavad Gita to Arjun.  There are many historical forts and ancient temples in Haryana.

With industrialization and urbanization Haryana has emerged as one of powerful economic states of India.

Haryana has a vibrant cultural heritage.  Haryana has many festivals and Teej is one of the significant celebrations, marking the arrival of the monsoon season. Observed mainly by women, Teej festival is dedicated to Goddess Parvati and her union with Lord Shiva. It symbolizes the bond between husband and wife-marital bliss and harmony. 

On this day, both the married and unmarried women wear their best traditional attires and accessories, get henna done on their hands.  They sing songs, dance and also swing on tree branches. Largely a patriarchal society, the married women pray for the longevity and well-being of their husbands, while the unmarried women pray for husbands like Lord Shiva.  The festival is a joyous celebration of femininity, love and nature’s bounty.

Pulse farming in Haryana

Haryana is a significant producer of pulses in India.    It is a major producer of moong (green gram) and urad (black gram). Haryana grows substantial amount of chana and masoor (red lentil).   Pulse farming in Haryana is mainly concentrated in a few districts only.  The State Government has initiated various programs to promote pulse production, improve crop yields and increase farmers’ income in Haryana.

Food:

Haryana’s food habits are simple, wholesome and flavorful that reflect its agricultural roots and cultural heritage.

Wheat and rice are staple crops of Haryana.  Haryana is famous for its dairy products and has a rich diverse cuisine.

Today we are going to cook Haryanvi dal.  It is also known as ‘Hariyali Dal’. This is a popular dal dish and cooked in every Haryana household.  It is made with three or four different lentils and grams.  The dish is simple but flavorful and often served with roti, rice or naan. It is a true representation of the state’s culinary simplicity and elegance. It is cooked on special occasions and festivals.

Haryanvi Dal

The combination of the four dal masoor, moong, chana and toor dal gives a different flavor to the dish.  It is a delicious and comforting dish.  The spices and herbs make the dish flavorful. It has a mild and creamy texture. 

You need:

For the dal:

50 gm masoor dal

50 gm moong dal

50 gm chana dal

50 gm toor dal

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp salt

1st tempering:

1 tbsp refined oil

1 medium size chopped tomato

1 medium size chopped onion

1 tsp finely chopped ginger,

1 tsp of finely chopped garlic

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander powder

2 finely chopped green chilies 1 tbsp curd

2nd tempering:

2 tsp ghee (clarified butter) 

½ tsp of black mustard seeds

2 green chilies

A few curry leaves

Method:

  1. Mix the four dals together.
  2. Wash and soak it for 20-25 minutes. Soaking helps in reducing the time to cook.

3. Place the dal in the pressure cooker along with the salt and turmeric powder. 

4. Add 1 or 1 ½ cups of water and place the cooker on the stove. 

5. After the first whistle, lower the heat to its minimum and cook the dal for 1 minute. 

6. Switch off the heat and allow the cooker to cool down on its own. 

7. Take out the dal from the cooker.

8. Peel the onion, ginger and garlic. 

9. Chop them finely.  Wash tomato and chop finely. 

10. Wash the chili, remove the stem and finely chop as in the picture.

11. For the 1st tempering: Heat the oil in a heavy pan and lower the heat.

12. Add the chopped onion.  Saute for few seconds, add the garlic, ginger and the chili.  Stir fry for a few more seconds. 

13. Add the cumin seeds and fry till the aroma of the cumin seeds come out. 

14. Add the chopped tomatoes and sprinkle little salt over it and fry for a minute.

15. Add the coriander powder.  Fry for another minute or so until the tomato becomes mushy and the coriander flavor comes out. 

16. Add the dal and mix well. 

17. Bring it to boil.

18. Beat the curd well and add to the dal. 

19. Stir well and bring it to boil and switch off the heat.

For the 2nd tempering:

20. Cut the chilies into halves as in the picture.

21. Heat the ghee and lower the heat. 

22. Add the mustard seeds and allow to splutter. 

23. Add chilies and curry leaves, saute just for few second and pour over the dal. 

24. Mix the spice well. 

Haryanvi dal is ready to be served with steam rice or roti.

Happy Cooking !

Coming up next………. Dal from Himachal Pradesh.

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Dal from Delhi

Delhi is the capital city of India. It is nestled between the states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.  Haryana sharing its southern, western and northern borders and Uttar Pradesh sharing the eastern border.   The city is strategically situated in the National Capital Region (NCR), making it a hub of political, cultural and economic activity.

Delhi, was Indraprastha in epic Mahabharat, the town where the Pandavas lived. It has witnessed the rise and fall of many empires such as the Sultanate, the Slave Dynasty, the Mughals and the British Raj.  Central Delhi was built as the capital by the British Raj.

Delhi hosts the Republic Day of India, on 26 January every year, as in the rest of the country, to commemorate the adaption of the constitution of India and transition to a republic, with a parade that begins from Rashtrapati Bhawan after the President of India, unfurls the national flag, followed by a 21gun salute and then the national anthem.  The parade marches through Kartavya Path (Rajpath) to the India Gate.

The main attraction of the Republic Day is the parade.  The parade features marching of the military and displaying the country’s military power. Tableaux from various states of India displays their cultural heritage. India traditionally invites foreign dignitaries to grace the occasion.

The parade also features children who are recipients of the National Bravery Award and ends with a beating retreat ceremony.

Pulse farming in Delhi

Pulse farming is done only in a few rural areas of Delhi.  In spite of limited of space, scarcity of water and cold climate, the Delhi farmers are doing quite well. Delhi’s contribution of pulses to India’s over-all production is relatively very small. But Delhi plays an important part in trading pulses within the country. 

Delhi farmers primarily grow moong (green gram), urad (black gram) Toor (red gram) and chana (chickpea).

Food:

Delhi being a cosmopolitan city, has a diverse range of food habits, a reflection of the rich history, cultural diversity and love for food. The cuisine is largely influenced   by that of the Mughal’s.   Delhi is also known as The Food Capital of India.

Today, we are going to cook Dal Makhani.  Dal Makhani evolved in Moti Mahal restaurant, Delhi.  The two persons, both from Punjab, credited for the recipe were Kundan Lal Gujral and Kundan Lal Jaggi. Sometimes, Dal Makhani is also referred to as ‘The King of Dal.’

Dal Makhani

Dal Makhani is a hearty comforting dish of the North Indian cuisine. The dal dish is infused with the warmth of spices like cumin, garam masala and red chili powder and finished with a table spoon of cream that adds a velvety texture to the dish. The dish is truly an indulgent experience.   Try it out.  We loved it.

You need:

For the dal

¾ cup urad dal (black lentils)

¼ cup rajma (kidney beans)

½ inch piece of ginger

½ tsp of salt

For tempering:

1 medium size onion

2 cloves of garlic

½ inch piece of ginger

1 green chili

2 medium size tomatoes

½ tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp garam masala

½ tsp red chili powder

salt to taste

20 gm butter

1 tbsp cream

Method:

  1. Wash and soak the two dals together or separately overnight.
  2. Rinse them together and drain out the water.

3. Peel and wash the ginger, garlic and onion and finely chop them.

4. Wash and chop the chili and the tomatoes.

5. Place the dal in the pressure cooker. 

6. Add ½ the chopped ginger and ½ tsp of salt and 2 cups of water. 

7. Close the cooker and place it over heat.  After the first whistle, lower the heat to minimum and cook the dal for 2-3 minutes. 

8. Switch off the heat and allow the cooker to cool down by itself.

9. Heat butter in a pan. 

10. Add the finely chopped ginger, garlic, and then the cumin seeds and stir-fry for few seconds.

11. Add onion and chopped chili and fry for few seconds until the onion turns lightly brown. 

12. Add the chopped tomatoes and red chili powder and cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy.

13. Add the cooked dal and 1 cup of warm water. 

14. Mix well and simmer for about 10 minutes until the gravy thickens.

15. Add the cream and garam masala and mix well.  

16. Bring it to a boil and switch it off.  Dal Makhani is ready to be served.

17. Garnish with cream and serve with rice or roti.  Enjoy your delicious Dal Makhani.

Happy cooking !

Coming up next ……………………Dal from Haryana.

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Dal from Chandigarh

Chandigarh is a city and Union Territory in northern India, nestled between the borders of the Punjab and Haryana. Chandigarh is the capital of both the states.

The word Chandi-garh has derived from the name of the temple, Chandi Mandir.  Chandi is the name of the goddess of powder and garh means fort.

Chandigarh, is one of the earliest planned cities of India. It was designed by the French modernist architect, Le Corbusier.  It is a unique city with modern architecture, natural beauty and cultural richness.  The city has many parks and gardens including a large lake known as Sukhna lake and wetlands which attract migratory birds.

The Rose Garden of Chandigarh is a must-visit place for tourists. The garden is also known as Zakir Hussain Rose Garden which is located in Sector 16 of Chandigarh.

This Rose Garden is the largest rose garden in whole of Asia.  The garden landscapes over 1600 varieties of roses.   There are variety of other plants and trees including some medicinal herbs as well.  The atmosphere of the garden is peaceful and serene.

The roses bloom mostly during February to April.   Every year during February, the Rose festival is held for 3 days for the people to come and enjoy the spectacular blooms of the rose.   

The garden also hosts many cultural events and festivals throughout the year.

Pulse farming in Chandigarh

Chandigarh has a subtropical climate with hot summers and cool winters, which is suitable for growing pulses.  However, Chandigarh is a city and urban areas do not have large areas for farming.

Food

Chandigarh food habits reflect its cultural diversity, love for tradition cuisine and openness to new culinary experiences.  Punjab being so close has a strong influence of Punjabi food. 

Although there are various dining options, the people prefer traditional and healthy home-cook food with families.

Let us cook chole today, from a very old recipe.  Chole-Bhatura a complete meal which includes 2 items in it. Chole is a dish cooked with chickpea (gram) and Bhatura is the deep-fried bread(wheat) to eat with it.

Chole-Bhatura is must-try when visiting Chandigarh.

A traditional Chole recipe

The chole is cooked to perfection, retaining a soft yet firm texture of the chickpea (Kabuli chana), blending beautifully with the spices and the tamarind giving a spicy and tangy flavor. Sprinkling of coriander leaves (cilantro) has added a richness and freshness to the dish. 

You need:

125 gm chickpea (Kabuli chana)

1 medium size potato

1 medium size onion

3 green chilis

¼ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp garam masala

1 tbsp tamarind pulp

1 tbsp refined oil

Salt to taste

A few sprigs of coriander leaves

Method:

  1. Wash and soak the chickpeas (Kabuli chana) overnight.

2. Peel and wash the onion and potato. 

3. Chop them finely as in the picture. 

4. Wash and remove the stems of the green chilies and keep them aside.

5. Wash and finely chop the coriander leaves.

6. Wash and finely chop a green chili.  Keep aside.

7. Wash the chickpeas once more and place them in the pressure cooker along with the potatoes and 2 chilies.  Add ½ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of turmeric powder. 

8. Add 2 cups of water, close the lid and place the cooker over heat.

9. After the first whistle, lower the heat to its minimum and cook for 2-3 minutes. 

10. Switch off the heat and allow the cooker to cool down by itself.

11. Heat a pan with 1 tbsp of refined oil and add the chopped onion.

12. Add the chopped green chili and saute for few seconds. 

13. Add 1 tsp of cumin seeds and fry till you get the aroma of the cumin seeds.

14. Add 1 tsp of garam masala and stir. 

15. Add 1 tbsp of the tamarind pulp and mix them well. 

16. Add the cooked chick peas and mix well.

17. Add about 1 cup of warm water and cook for about 4-5 minutes. 

18. Add little warm water to keep to your required consistency. 

18. Add the chopped coriander leaves and serve hot. 

The dish will definitely pair beautifully with the crispy Bhatura, and with steamed basmati rice as well. 

Happy Cooking!

Coming up next ………………Dal from Delhi

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Dal from Northern India

The northern region is the largest area in India, comprising of five states – Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Jamu & Kashmir and three Union Territories, Delhi (capital of India), Chandigarh and Ladakh.

The sacred rivers, Ganga and Yamuna, flow through the region and so does the Indus river. The Indian Himalaya ranges, the Thar Desert (known as the Indian desert) and the Indo Gangetic plain dominate the natural beauty of Northern India and are attractive for tourists.  They have many architectural sights too.

Some of the Himalayan ranges stand as natural barriers between India and China beautifying and as well as protecting the country.

The northern region shares its international borders with Pakistan in the West.  Afghanistan in the North and China in the north as well as in the east.

The Indian states, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh in the east and Gujarat in the South.

Pulse farming in northern region.

Pulse farming in the northern zone of India is a impotant agricultural activity.  Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana the leading pulse producing states in this region.

Main pulse crops are chickpea (gram) black gram (urad), lentil (masoor) pea (mater). Punjab and Haryana produce wheat and rice in abundance beside pulses.

These three states, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana are known as the “Food bowl”of India.   Punjab and Haryana being the largest producer of wheat, are together known as the “Breadbasket”of India.

As always, the recipes of dal will be tried out alphabetically starting with Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jamu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab and Rajasthan.

Coming up next ……… Dal from Chandigarh.

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Dal from Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh, is to the north of central India. Lucknow is its capital.  It has been always a very versatile region. It has been ruled by various kings like Guptas, Mauryans, Kushans and Mughal emperors. There are several temples and places of pilgrimage along with the iconic Taj Mahal – which is one of the seven wonders of the world located in Agra.

There are many festivals, but Diwali is special to Uttar Pradesh.  Diwali is celebrated throughout the country to honor the day of Ram’s return after defeating King Ravana. People light diyas (candle) and burst fire crackers, to light up the whole country, symbolizing the spiritual victory of “light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance”.

But for the people of Uttar Pradesh, it is a very special day.  It is Ram returning home – to Ayodhya. Ayodhya is a small city situated on the banks of the holy river Saryu in Uttar Pradesh. Diwali festival falls normally between the month of October or November.

Uttar Pradesh shares international border with Nepal in the north.

It shares borders with the Indian states of Bihar and Jharkhand in the east.

Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh in the south.

Rajasthan, Delhi and Haryana in the west and Himachal Pradesh in the north.

Pulse farming in Uttar Pradesh.

Uttar Pradesh is an agricultural state.  It is the fourth largest Pulse producing state in India. It is blessed with the Gangetic valley which spread from west to east providing the state with extremely fertile alluvial soil.  The southern part of the state, falls on Deccan plateau with black fertile soil which is again good for pulses.  The state is aiming to increase the productions of Toor (pigeon pea), moong (green gram) and urad (black gram).

Food:

Rice and dal are their staple food.  They are one of the leading states in consuming dal.  An important observation of one of my friends from Uttar Pradesh is that Eastern Uttar Pradesh prefers more of rice and Toor dal while the Western, wheat and Urad dal. In yester years tempering was quite simple which would be just a pinch of asafoetida (hing), few cumin seeds and green chilies and everybody would say “there is nothing like grandma’s cooking”.

Uttar Pradesh has a fascinating culinary history of many different cultures who influenced their present cuisine.  The Mughal gave them the rich spicy, aromatic, and flavorful dishes.

Today, we will cook Lucknowi dal, which is also known as Sultani dal.  It is an authentic Nawabi dish that originated during the Mughal period.

Lucknowi Dal

It is a simple dal. Normally eaten with paratha or biryani.  The dal blended with cream and butter giving a smooth creamy texture and the spices added a unique aroma to the dish.  This dal dish should be added to your bucket list. 

You need:

For the dal

125 gm Toor dal,

1-2 green chilies (according to your taste)

½ tsp turmeric powder,

Salt to taste

1 tbsp of curd

1 tbsp of cream

¼ cup of milk

For tempering

1tbsp refined oil/ghee (clarified butter)

¼ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp red chili powder

½ tsp cumin seeds

1 dried red chili

1 tbs chopped ginger

1 tbsp chopped garlic

½ medium size onion

2 dried red chilies

1 cube cold butter (optional)

Method:

  1. Wash the dal 3-4 times, till the water is almost clear. 
  2. Soak the dal for about 4-5 minutes.

3. Wash and remove the stems from the chilies. 

4. Peel and wash the onion, ginger and garlic and finely chop them.

5. Place the dal in the pressure cooker. 

6. Add the green chili, salt and turmeric powder. 

7. Add a cup of water and cook till the first whistle, after which lower the heat to it minimum and cook further for 3 minutes. 

8. Allow the cooker to cool by itself.

9. When the pressure cooker cools down, open the lid and mash the dal well.

10. Beat up the curd and cream a little for easy mixing.

11. Place the cooker over heat and bring the dal to simmer.

12. Add the curd and mix well. 

13. Add the cream and mix well. 

14. Add the milk and stir in well. 

15. Allow it to simmer for few minutes stirring from time to time.

16. In the meantime, heat a pan with the oil (I am using refined oil) Ghee gives a better flavor. When it is hot lower the heat to its lowest.

17. Add the cumin seeds.  Stir fry for a few seconds. 

18. Add the dried red chilies and fry until they turn dark red.

19. Add the onion and saute for a while. 

20. Then add the ginger and garlic and fry till the mixture turns slightly golden brown.

21. Switch of the heat.

22. Add ¼ tsp of turmeric powder and ½ tsp of red chili powder and stir it well.

23. Keep 1 tbsp of the fried mixture for garnishing.

24. Add the remaining spices to the simmering dal. 

25. Switch off the heat and mix the spice thoroughly. 

26. Add a blob of cold butter. Stir into the dal until it melts completely.  This will give the dal a creamy taste.

27. Garnish the dal and serve hot.

Happy Cooking !

Coming up next …………………Dal from Northern India.

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Dal from Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand is a state in Northern India, on the southern slope of Himalayan range. Its capital is Dehradun.  The two major rivers, the Ganges and Yamuna, originate and flow through Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand is often referred to as the “Devbhumi” – Land of the Gods. The state is divided into two divisions, Garhwal and Kumaon.

Uttarakhand has festivals for every season and Kumbh Mela is one of their biggest and most popular festival. It is world’s largest religious human gathering. Millions of pilgrims take bath in the holy rivers and believe that a dip in the river will wash away their sins. UNESCO has recognised Kumbh Mela as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Uttarakhand shares international borders with Tibet in the north, and Nepal on east south.

Within India it shares boundaries with Uttar Pradesh on the south and south west, a small part touching Haryana in the west, and Himachal Pradesh on the north west.

Pulse farming in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand is a hilly agricultural state.  With all the limitations of a hilly region, farmers have been cultivating pulses ever since.  Uttarakhand is well known for their organic farming.

Major pulses grown in Uttarakhand include grams (green, black, horse), beans (kidney, moth, soya), Toor (pigeon pea), Chana (chick pea) and masoor (lentil).  Other crops such as rice and wheat are cultivated mostly for their own consumption.

Food:

Uttarakhand’s staple food are rice, dal, roti and vegetables.  Their cuisines are simple, healthy and flavourful.  They use very little spices and variety of organic pulses.  All their ingredients are locally grown, which makes a big difference in taste and flavour.

We are going to cook a traditional Pahari dal dish – Chainsoo which is also known as Chaunsa. The preparation of the dal was so much loved by the people for generations, that the dish  has become a traditional dish and served during festivals and ceremonies.

There are two ways of preparing this dal. First, soaking and then grinding the dal to a coarse paste; Second – dry-roasting and grinding to a coarse powder. The end results are almost same –  rich and creamy with a distinctive aroma. 

Chainsoo Dal

Chainsoo is a rich creamy and nutritious dal with a very unique taste and flavor.  It is the roasted dal that blended well with the spices giving a unique aroma.  We had it with steamed rice.  It was delicious.  The dal dish will go well with roti/bread as well.  Try it out or you will miss it.

You need:

100 gm whole urad dal

3-4 garlic

1 inch piece of ginger

1-2 green chili

2 tbsp mustard/ Refined oil

½ tsp whole cumin seeds

1 medium size onion

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp red chili powder

Salt to taste

1 tsp of coriander powder

A few sprigs of coriander leaves

Method:

  1. Clean and dry roast the dal on a pan over low heat until it gives off a slight aroma. 
  2. Allow it to cool. 
  3. Grind it into a coarse powder.

4. Peel and wash garlic, ginger and onion. 

5. Chop them finely.  Wash the chillies, remove the stem and chop them.

6. Grind the chillies, ginger and garlic and keep it aside.

7. Wash the coriander leaves and chop them finely.  Keep it aside.

8. Heat the oil in a pan. 

9. Lower the heat and add the cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds. 

10. Add the ginger-garlic mixture and stir fry for few seconds. 

11. Add the chopped onion and fry until lightly browned.

12. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder. 

13. Mix them well and fry for a few more seconds.

14. Add the roasted and ground dal to the fried spices and mix well. 

15. Add salt and 1 cup of warm water. 

16. Stir well and bring it to boil.

17. Cook the dal over medium heat.

18. Stir the dal from time to time so that it does not get stuck at the bottom of the pan. 

19. Keep adding warm water, little at a time whenever necessary, to keep the consistency of the dal.  It will take about 40 minutes for the dal to get cooked.

20. When it is done sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice.

Happy Cooking !

Coming up next …………..Dal from Uttar Pradesh.

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Dal from Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh is known as the Heart of India, due to its geographical location in the country.  It is also known as “Tiger State”, because the tiger population is highest in Madhya Pradesh. It is known for its historical monuments and cultures, besides the spiritual heritage of many religions. Bhopal is its capital.

Madhya Pradesh has three UNESCO world Heritage sites, beside the Pench National Park which inspired Rudyard Kipling to write ‘The Jungle Book’.  

Khajuraho is a popular heritage festival of Madhya Pradesh. This remarkable festival takes place during the month of February in front of the temple of Chitragupta and Viswanatha temple.  It is a week-long program in open air, organized by the Directorate of Culture of Madhya Pradesh.  Indians believe, the gods and goddesses were great lovers of dance and music, so every year this festival is observed not only to pay tribute to gods and goddesses but also to the great architect of this temple.

Madhya Pradesh is land-locked by Uttar Pradesh in the north.

Chhattisgarh in the east, Maharashtra in the south.

Gujarat and Rajasthan in the west.

Pulse farming in Madhya Pradesh.

Madhya Pradesh, is the second largest pulse producing state in India.  Earlier it was No.1 until Rajasthan surpassed them.  Their three main pulse productions are gram, Urad, and Toor.  They cultivate other pulses too, food grains and oilseeds for their own consumption.


Food:

The food habits of the people of Madhya Pradesh are interesting. Northern and Western part emphasise on wheat and meat, while the Eastern and Southern part on rice and fish as their staple diet.

We will be cooking a very easy but popular dal recipe with minimal ingredients called Dhanwani. The recipe is from a small village called Mandla in Madhya Pradesh. 

Dhanwani                  

Dhanwani is a delicious and unique dal dish from Madhya Pradesh.  The dal pakoras (dumplings) dunked in a slurry coriander dal.  The pakoras just adequately soaked melt in the mouth.  The gravy folds in smoothly into the steamed rice giving an awesome taste.

You need:

120 gm masoor dal

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp cumin seeds

1-2 green chilies (according to your taste)

1 inch piece of ginger

1 bunch of fresh coriander leaves

Salt to taste

1 tbsp of mustard oil/refined oil for tempering

Extra oil to deep-fry the pakodas (dumplings)

Method:

  1. Wash and soak the dal for 3-4 hrs.

2. In the meantime, wash the coriander leaves. 

3. Wash, peel and dice the ginger piece.

4. Grind the ginger in a grinder.

5. Chop the coriander leaves. 

6. Keep aside 1 tbsp of chopped coriander leaves for later use.

7. Grind the remaining coriander leaves together with the ginger to a very fine paste.  Add1 tbsp of water if needed and then keep it aside.

8. Wash the chilies and cut off the stems.  Make small slits on the broader side of the chilies and keep them aside. 

9. Wash the soaked dal lightly one more time and grind it in a grinder to a fine paste.

10. Take out the dal paste into a bowl. 

11. Add ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, and 1 tbsp of finely chopped coriander leaves. 

12. Beat it till light and fluffy.  If it is too thick you may add one or two tsp of water.

13. Keep 1 tbsp of the mixture aside for the gravy.

14. Use the remaining mixture for the pakoras.  Heat a pan with enough oil to deep fry the pakoras.

15. Scoop out 1 tsp of the dal mixture and place it in the oil. 

16. Make 3- 4 of them and fry until golden brown. 

17. Do the same with the remaining mixture.

18. Place the dal mixture which was kept aside for the gravy into the bowl and add 2 cups of water and mix it well.

19. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan. 

20. Add ½ tsp of cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds. 

21. Add the green chillies and stir fry a little. 

22. Pour the slurry dal mixture into the pan and allow it to boil for a minute or so. 

23. Add 3 tbsp of the coriander paste and mix well. 

24. Cook for another minute or so.

25. Add the pakoras to the dal and bring it to boil once and then switch off the heat. 

26. Dhanwani is ready to be served.

Happy Cooking !

Coming up next …………Dal from Uttarakhand.

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Dal from Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh is one of the 4 states of Central India.  Raipur is its capital. Chhattisgarh literally means ‘Thirty-Six Forts’. Chhattis means 36 and garh means fort. The state has beautiful scenic beauty and water falls. Chitrakot water falls is known as the ‘Niagara Falls of India’.   The state is a merger of both traditionalism and modernism.  Chhattisgarh is known for its lively and diverse culture. 

The people of Chhattisgarh have several festivals to celebrate throughout the year.  Pola is one of them.  Pola is celebrated to express their gratitude to bulls for their contribution in farming, which is the main source of livelihood.  Pola falls on a new moon day in the month of Shravan, that is usually in August.

During the Pola festival, people bathe their bulls and massage them with oil. Next, they decorate them with colorful shawls, flower garlands and bells.  Paint their horns with colors.  Bulls are given new ropes and reins and then paraded in the village. The villagers dress in their traditional attires and go singing and dancing along with the bulls.

Chhattisgarh is land-locked by Uttar Pradesh in the north. Jharkhand in the north east, Odisha in the east.

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are in the south. Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh are in the west.

Pulse farming in Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh is an agricultural state.  They cultivate pulses like, Urad (black gram) Bengal gram (chick peas), tur dal (pigeon pea), Moong dal (Green gram), Kulthi (Horse gram) for their own consumption.

Paddy is their principal crop. Chhattisgarh is known as the Rice bowl of Central India and produces almost 6% India’s total rice.

Food:

Rice, dal and vegetables are the staple food of Chhattisgarh.  They make roti (flat bread) with rice flour.  They ferment moong or urad dal flour with rice flour and make pancakes, which is very much like the dosa. 

We will be cooking Aamat dal.  Aamat means sour. Traditionally this dish is prepared with fresh bamboo shoots.

We will be using preserved bamboo shoots as the fresh ones are not available at the moment.  There will definitely be a difference in taste.    

 

Aamat Dal (Sour Dal)

The dish is delicious – little sour, little spicy, oil-less and full of vegetables making it a healthy and nourishing dish.  You may use vegetable of your choice.  We enjoyed the dish with steamed rice.  Please try it out once.  You will love it.

You need:

125 gm Bengal gram (chick peas)

2 tbsp of preserved bamboo shoots

5-6 French beans

2-3 small variety of brinjal

200 gm Gourd

1 tbsp of tamarind pulp

3-4 medium size garlic cloves,

Ginger 1inch piece

1 green chili

¼ tsp turmeric powder (optional)

1 tbsp rice

Few sprigs of coriander leaves.

Method:

  1. Wash and soak the Bengal gram (black chickpeas) overnight.

2. Wash the chick peas again. 

3. Heat water in a pan and bring it to boil. 

4. Add the bamboo shoots. 

5. Add the chick peas and ½ tsp of salt and stir well.

6. Cook over medium heat, till the chick peas are half cooked.  It will take about 40-45 minutes.

(If you pressure cook the chickpeas it will take about 8-10 minutes)

7. In the meantime, wash the vegetables – the bean, brinjal and the gourd and cut them as in the picture. 

8. Chop the green chilies, peel and chop the ginger and the garlic.

9. Grind the chilies, ginger and the garlic in the grinder and keep it aside.

10. Soak the rice for 2 hours prior to grinding. Grind the rice finely with little water and keep it aside.

11. When the Bengal gram is half cooked, add ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, the chopped vegetables and the ginger-garlic-chili paste and mix well. 

12. Cook over low heat until the vegetables get cooked.

13. Wash and chop the coriander leaves finely and keep it aside.

14. When vegetables are cooked, add the rice water and stir it. 

15. Add the tamarind pulp and mix it well. 

16. Adjust the salt and keep cooking over low heat for one or two minutes more. 

17. Add water if needed to bring the dal to your required consistency.

18. Switch off the heat and sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves.  Aamat is ready to be served with steamed rice.

Happy Cooking !

Coming up next ………. Dal from Madhya Pradesh

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Dal from Central India

According to Zonal Councils of India, the 4 states, – Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh form the Central Zone. The central zone has a varied topography.

The highest elevation of Uttarakhand is on the southern slope of the Himalaya ranges, from where the two mighty rivers- Ganga and Jamuna commence.

The Ganga and Jamuna join in Uttar Pradesh and flows from west to east forming the great Gangetic plain. 

Madhya Pradesh which is geographically at the center of India, has Uttar Pradesh on the north.  It has varied terrain of hills, plain, rivers and the Deccan Plateau.

Chhattisgarh is to the east of Madhya Pradesh sharing a small part of the Deccan Plateau.

Central Zone of India shares the international borders of China and Nepal in the North. 

It is bounded by Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha in the east.

Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra in the south.

Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi in the west and Himachal Pradesh in the north.

Pulse farming in Central Zone

Agriculture is the primary occupation for the people of central India. The two states, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are ranked as 2nd and 4th largest producers of Pulses in India.

The other two states Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand do grow pulse, just enough for their own consumption.

Food:

The staple food of central India is rice, wheat and dal. And their cuisines have a great influence of the neighboring countries and states.

As before, we will be cooking dal from each state in alphabetical order such as Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.

Coming up next ……… Dal from Chhattisgarh!

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Dal from West Bengal

West Bengal is in Eastern India.   It spans from the Himalayan range in the north to Bay of Bengal in the south. Its capital is Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta).  Calcutta was earlier the capital of British India. While the capital moved to New Delhi, Calcutta remained the capital of West Bengal.

Kolkata is well known for the grand colonial architectures such as the Victoria Memorial Hall. Fort William, Belur Math, Writer’s Building, Howrah Bridge etc. 

Kolkata’s “Durga puja’ has been included in the intangible cultural heritage list of UNESCO”.  It is one of the most popular traditional festivals for the Bengalis. The festival symbolises victory of good over evil as seen Durga’s victory over the demon Mahishasura. Families unite to pay homage to the divine feminine power during this festival. The festival normally falls during the period September -October.

West Bengal shares international borders with Bhutan in the north , Bangladesh in the east and Nepal in the west. Within India, the state is bordered by Sikkim in the north, Assam in the east, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar in the west and Bay of Bengal in the south.

Food:

Rice and fish are the staple and the most popular food of West Bengal. They love sweets too.  West Bengal is the place for food lovers. There are many delicious cuisines from West Bengal.

Chickpeas or Bengal gram is popular in West Bengal.  In fact, chickpeas got its name as Bengal gram from the British. During British Raj chickpeas was widely cultivated in Bengal.

We will cook Cholar Dal, one of the favourite dals of West Bengal. 

Cholar Dal

Cholar Dal is one of the favourite dals from Bengal.  Easy to cook and very little spice and oil are used.  The consistency of this dal is slightly thicker and sweetish in taste.  The nutty chana dal, roasted coconut bits and the sweet raisins gave a beautiful texture and taste to the prepared dal.   It is full of nutrients.  It is best served best with luci/puri.  

You need:

125 gm chana dal/split and husked Bengal gram

2 green chillies

½ tsp salt

1tsp sugar

½ tsp turmeric powder

 1tbsp ghee/refined oil

2 bay leaf

4-5 crushed cardamoms

12 gm finely diced fresh/dried coconut

20 gm raisins

Method:

  1. Wash and soak channa dal for about 20-25 minutes.

2. Cut the stems and split the green chillies slightly on the broader side.

3. Chop the coconut into small pieces leaving 2-3 pieces as long strand for garnishing. 

4. Crush the cardamoms slightly and keep them aside.

5. Wash and drain the dal and place it in the pressure cooker. 

6. Add the split green chillies, salt, sugar, turmeric powder and 1 cup of water.

7. Close the cooker and place it over the heat.  After the first whistle, reduce the heat to minimum and cook for 3 minutes. 

8. Switch off the heat and allow cooker to cool down.

9. Heat the oil or ghee in a heavy pan. 

10. Fry coconut till lightly browned and keep it aside.

11. Fry the raisin in the same oil and keep it aside.

12. Keep a few raisins and little coconut separately for garnishing the dal later.

13. Add the remaining to the cooked dal.

14. Add the bay leaves to the hot oil in the pan.

15. When they turn brown, add the crushed cardamom and stir-fry for few more seconds. 

16. Pour the fried spices on the dal.

17. Bring the dal to boil and simmer for few seconds. 

18. The dal should be thick and sweetish.  If it is too thick add 1/4 cup of water and bring it to boil again. Dal is ready for serving.

19. Serve it hot with luci/puri. 

20. Should you make the dal of little thinner consistency it could be served with steamed rice as well.

Happy Cooking !

Coming up next ……  Dal from Central India

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