Moong Dal Halwa

INGREDIENTS:

Split green gram skinless (dhuli moong dal) , soaked - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 cup

Saffron (kesar) - a generous pinch

Milk - 1/2 cup

Ghee - 1 cup

Mawa (khoya), crumbled - 3/4 cup

Almonds, sliced - 10 - 12

METHOD:

Drain and grind the moong dal coarsely using very little water. Prepare one-string sugar syrup with sugar and one and half cups of water. Soak saffron in hot milk. Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan and add the ground moong dal and sauté, stirring continuously, over low heat till the dal turns golden brown. This needs time and patience. Do not rush through this step. Add the sugar syrup and saffron milk. Stir till they are thoroughly incorporated and the halwa is of dropping consistency. Add mawa and cook till it dissolves. Serve hot garnished with almonds.

Moong Dal Parathas

Ingredients:

For the dough:

    * turmeric powder - 1/ 2 teaspoon

    * red chilli powder - 1/ 2 teaspoon

    * oil - 1 tablespoon

    * salt - 1/2 teaspoon

    * wheat flour - 3 cups

    * Water for kneading

For Dal Mixture:

    * moong dal - 3 cups

    * green chilli - 1

    * turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

    * coriander leaves - 1/2 cup

    * Salt to taste

    * pomegranate seeds, crushed - 1 teaspoon

    * piece ginger - 1/2 - inch

    * coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon

    * chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

    * water - 1 1/ 2 cup

    * oil  - 1 teaspoon ( for dal mixture )

    * Oil as required ( for parathas )

Method:

For the dough:

Add 1/ 2 teaspoon turmeric, red chilli powder, salt and 1 tablespoon oil to the wheat flour and make a soft dough with enough water.

For Dal Mixture:

In a kadai / frying pan, heat 1 teaspoon oil. Add ginger, green chilli, coriander leaves, turmeric, coriander and chilli powder.

Add the dal and put about 1 1/ 2 cups of water and salt. Cover and cook till the dal is separated and tender and the water dries up. Add pomegranate seeds. Mix well and keep aside for cooling.

For Parathas:

Divide wheat dough into equal parts and flatten it. Put in one tablespoon cooked dal mixture. Cover and make a ball and roll out like parathas.

Cook on a tawa smearing it with oil frequently, till cooked and crisp. Serve with chutney / pickle / curd.

Moong Dal Bhajias

Ingredients:

    *  Yellow or green moong dal (washed and soaked for 4 hours) - 1 cup

    *  Green or red chillies -  4-5

    *  Coriander finely chopped - 1 tbsp

    *  Coriander seeds crushed coarsely - 1/2 tsp

    *  Cumin seeds crushed coarsely - 1/2 tsp

    *  Aniseed coarsely crushed - 1/2 tsp

    *  Coriander finely chopped - 1 tbsp

    *  Hot oil - 3 tbsp

    *  Salt - to taste

    *  Oil - to deep fry

Method:

1. Drain soaked dal and wet grind not too fine. Mix in all other ingredients, except oil to deep fry. Mix well with hand to mix. Heat oil, drop rounded bhajias, with wet hand or spoon. Fry on medium till golden colour. Serve hot with green and tamarind chutneys.

Moong Dal Kachori

 

INGREDIENTS:

FOR COVERING:

Refined flour (maida) - 2 cups

Ghee - 1/4 cup

Salt - to taste

FOR FILLING:

Split green gram skinless (dhuli moong dal) - 1/2 cup

Oil - 3 tablespoons + for frying

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Ginger-green chilli paste - 1 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Garam masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Dry mango powder (amchur) - 1/2 teaspoon

Gram flour (besan) - 2 tablespoons

Salt - to taste

METHOD:

Combine all the ingredients for the covering and knead into a semi-soft dough using a little water. Divide the dough into twelve equal parts and keep covered with a damp muslin cloth. Soak moong dal for an hour. Drain.Heat three tablespoons oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida. When the seeds begin to change colour, add the drained moong dal and sauté for a few seconds. Add the ginger-green chilli paste, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, amchur powder, gram flour and salt and stir for five minutes till the masalas are cooked. Cool and divide into twelve equal portions. Shape each portion into an even sized ball and keep aside. Roll out each portion of the dough into a small diskette. Place one portion of the filling in the centre of the diskette. Cover the filling with the dough by slowly stretching it over the filling. Seal the ends tightly and remove any excess dough. Roll out each filled portion lightly into a small circle ensuring that the filling does not spill out. Gently press the centre of the kachori with your thumb. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Deep-fry the kachoris in hot oil over low heat till golden brown on both sides. The kachoris should puff up like puris. Cool and store in an air-tight container.

Peeli Moong Dal (Split Yellow Gram)

Ingredients:

Moong Dal - 1/4 cup

Tomato - 1 /4 cup , chopped

Onion - 1/8 cup ,chopped

Hot Green Chili - 2 ,chopped fine

Garlic Cloves - 2 , peeled

Water - 1 cup

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

For Tempering :

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Whole Red Chilli - 3

Asafetida (Hing) - 1/8 tsp

Coriander Leaves - 1 tbsp chopped fine

Oil - 1/2 tsp

Ghee - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Wash dal and add water , tomato, onion , garlic, chili and turmeric.

2.Pressure cook until till two whistle or till dal is very tender.

3. Just before serving mix up the dal well and heat it.

4. Heat up oil and ghee together and add hing and mustard.

5. When mustards starts to pop add cumin and whole chilli.

6. Cook for a minute and coriander leaves and pour over dal.

7. Serve with rice or roti.