Life 'n' Such

I cannot believe I haven’t put up my recipe for making chole. Since Nirmla (my husbands college friend), and Afreen asked for this recipe, I was looking up my blog, and I couldnt find it here! Sorry, my bad!

There are tons of recipes for chole/chana, I know. But this one works, and though it was given to me by Rudaba aunty, I have a secret ingredient, which makes it special every time.

Ingredients:

1 can chick peas (chole), or soak overnight and pressure cook with salt next day
whole spices: 1 big cardomom ( the brown colored one), 2 sticks cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cumin (akha jeera) seeds
spices: 1/2 tsp corriander (dhania) powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli (mirchi powder), 1/2 tsp cumin (jeera) powder and 1 tsp chole masala ( a blend of spices, especially to make chole)
1/2 tsp tomato paste,
1 handful or more fried onion,
2 tsp ginger garlic paste,
1 -2 green hot peppers for flavor (optional)
1 and half tbsp yogurt, (yes the secret ingredient, shhhhhh!)
oil and water for cooking

Method:

In a cooking pot, heat oil. Add the whole spices to it, and wait till it sizzles. Add the ginger garlic paste to this, and roast for a minute. Add the powdered spices (except the chole masala), and carefully roast it (again; be careful, dont burn the spices). Add the tomato paste and crushed fried onions to this, cook for sometime, add a little water if it starts to dry out or burn. Finally whisk the yogurt and add to this. When this is done, add the chick peas, hot peppers and the chole masala. Mix well. Add enough water, to get the right consistency, and cook till the chick peas are nice and tender. (Since I use a pressure cooker, I bring it to one whistle and it cooks quickly).

I love eating this with Puris or steam rice.

2 Comments | In: Appetizer/Snack, Food, Indian, Recipes | | #

Really really simple recipe for making lentils(daal), any kind of lentils (daal). Daal is usually eaten with rice in South East Asian countries; India, Pakistan, Bangladesh.

For some reason I messed up daal every single time I made it; sometimes too thick, sometimes too watery.Last time my mom was here, she taught me this super easy recipe.

We use green lentils, I think they are basically whole tuar daal with the cover (chilka).

Ingredients:

green lentils (1 small bowl)
spices: 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp dhania powder, 1/2 tsp haldi, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1-2 green hot peppers (as per your taste)
1 tsp tomato paste,
1 handful fried onions,
1/2 tsp tamarind concentrate
salt
about 2 1/2 cup water and couple tbsp of oil for cooking

Method:

In a pressure cooker, steam the lentils with water ( I wait for 1 whistle, then turn the heat off). In a small pan, heat the oil, add the spices to it, let it roast for about a minute (watch out; don’t let it burn), then add the tomato paste, and the tamarind concentrate. Crush the fried onions and add to this. Let it cook for a couple minutes, till you see oil floating on the surface.

Add this to the cooked lentils. Add salt, get it to a quick boil. And voila, its done!

Serve hot with steamed rice.

p.s. Hi Nirmla, I hope you get a chance to try this one.

No Comments | In: Food, Indian, Recipes | | #