Dry Masala Roti

Recently, one sunday evening I was alone for dinner and usually I am too lazy to experiment when its just me! So I tried something thats healthy, fast and easy to make. So I surfed online and bumped into this recipe here!

A mix of dry spices and urad dal ground together and stuffed inside a roti. I made a few changes and adjusted the proportions as per my taste. It is very simple and pairs well with curd.

Serves: 2 Preparation Time: 5-10 mins. Cooking Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

For the dough:

1½ cup sifted wheat flour + some for dusting
1 pinch of salt
1 tbsp oil
Water as required

For the dry masala:

½ cup skinless split black gram/ urad dal
1 tbsp whole coriander seeds/dhania ke beej or powder
1 tbsp whole fennel seeds/saunf or powder
½ tbsp black peppercorns/ kali mirch or powder
¼ tsp garam masala
½ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp dried mango powder/amchur
1½ tbsp bengal gram flour/besan
¼ tsp turmeric powder/ haldi
Salt as per taste

For roasting:
Ghee/clarified butter as required

Method:

1. Firstly, if you are taking whole spices, dry roast them - coriander seeds, fennel seeds, black pepper. This will take barely 30 - 45 seconds on a small hot pan. They will turn a slight brown and that is when we immediately transfer to a mixing bowl.

2. Now, take the bengal gram flour/besan and dry roast for about 30 - 45 seconds. Once done, immediately transfer to a mixing bowl.

3. Now in a mixture grinder, dry grind the whole spices and all other ingredients under dry masala into a fine yet slightly coarse powder.

4. Check for salt and tang and mix well.

5. Now make a soft roti/chapati dough using the items under 'for the dough'.

6. Just like we make stuff paratha, divide the dough in equal sized balls. Now, flatten each ball and roll it till its 1cm thick and put in about 1 tbsp of  the dry masala as a stuffing. Seal all the sides. Dusting as required, roll them into thin rotis.

7. Dry roast both sides until light brown spots start to appear, use a little ghee and finish the roasting.

8. The simple dry masala rotis are ready to eat! Serve them just like that, or with curd, or as you like it!

Notes & Tips:

1. Dry roasting the whole spices lets them release their aromas and flavours. You can do the same with the powders too. Just ensure they do not burn. A very light brown and a light smell is enough. Immediately transfer it as it may continue to roast due to residual heat.

Alternatively, if you are in a super hurry, you can simply grind them without roasting.

2. This can be used for stuffed puris as well.

3. This can be stored in a cool and dry place for 8 to 10 days.

Tomato and Moong soup

Another soup and a healthy one at that!

Its always fun to experiment with tomatoes. They complement different combinations of foods making it so versatile.

So this is Sanjeev Kapoor's recipe. I have made my version of this recipe.

Since having our plain old tomato soup can often get boring so here I tried experimenting with 2 different ingredients that will change its flavour and also make it healthier - Carrots and split green moong dal.

Its also a good soup to overcome those sick days as its light on the stomach and yet nutritious.

So here we go:

Serves: 3 - 4 Preparation Time: 10 mins (& soaking time) Cooking Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

3 tbsp split green gram/ dhuli moong daal, soaked for ½ hr
1 medium sized carrot, roughly sliced
1 medium sized tomato, roughly chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, sliced roughly
1 ½ tbsp oil or butter
½ tsp red chilli powder
Salt as per taste
1 tsp black pepper
Water as prequired

For Garnish
2 tbsp chopped coriander
1 tbsp grated cheddar cheese (optional)

Method:

1. Soak the moong dal and chop the tomatoes and garlic.

  

2. Now heat some oil/butter in a pressure cooker and sauté the garlic and carrots for 2 mins.

3. Now add the tomatoes and sauté until soft for further 2 mins.

4. Now mix in the thourougly washed moong daal, 1 cup water, salt and mix well. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.

 

5. Once cooled, blend the mixture and add water according to desired thickness. Do not strain.

 

6. Check for salt and season with pepper and red chilli powder.

7. Garnish with coriander and/or cheese.

Relish this thick soup just like that on a diet evening or with a light dinner.

Notes & Tips:

1. Jains should omit the garlic and add 1 tbsp of ginger and proceed with the recipe as it is.

Carrots can be omitted as well. If doing so, add 2 tomatoes instead.

Dhaaba-style Daal (Countryside Lentils)

Its been really long having posted! I had a long trip to Kerala..! I got sooo relaxed after that, that I got too lazy to post! But did not stop cooking, just couldn't manage to post it all!

So here I am with this different and authentic daal which I am certain will now be a regular in your house!
Its a mix of 4 daals (lentils & beans) with a smoky flavour in tomato and garlic gravy.
This daal tastes delicious with any Indian bread as well as rice! You can pick your favorite.

Serves: 4-5 Preparation Time: 15 mins (& soaking time) Cooking Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

To be soaked for atleast 7 hrs and pressure cooked until soft (10 - 12 whistles) with some salth and  ½ tsp soda-bi-carb (optional)

2 tbsp Rajma/ Red Kidney beans
2 tbsp Chana Daal/ Bengal Gram
1 tbsp Masoor Daal/ Red Lentil
¼ cup Split Urad Daal/ Split Black Gram/ Split Black Lentil

Other Ingredients
1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
1 big tomato, finely chopped
1 tbsp garlic, crushed
1 tbsp ginger, crushed/grated
2 tbsp green chillies, finely chopped (optional)
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp jeera/ cumin seeds
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp kasturi methi/dry fenugreek leaves
3 tbsp water
Salt as per taste

Masalas / Spice Mix
½ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp haldi/ turmeric powder
1 tsp kashmiri red chilli paste/ powder
1 tsp jeera powder/ roasted cumin seeds powder
1 tsp garam masala

For the Dhaaba/smoky flavour: 

A big slice of onion/cabbage
1 small piece of coal
1 tbsp ghee/clarified butter

For Garnish:

2 -3 tbsp finely chopped coriander/cilantro

Method:

1. Pressure cook the pulses/lentils/beans.

2. Chop the onions & tomatoes, finely.

3. Heat oil in a deep vessel ( I used a pressure cooker). Add to it jeera. Once it starts crackling, add garlic and onions. Sauté for 1 min and add crushed ginger. Sauté this mixture for 2-3 mins until soft.

4. Now add the tomatoes with a pinch of salt and cook until soft and mushy.

5. Once soft, add to this all the masalas/spices under the heading masalas/spice mix. Cook for about 1 min.

6. Now mix in the pulses/beans/lentils and add water. Mix well and let it simmer for 8 - 10 mins.

7. Now take the kasturi methi and rub it on your palm to release the fragrance and quickly add to the dal.

8. Now add the chopped green chillies and butter. Mix well. Let it simmer for 2 mins and turn off the heat.
I skipped the green chillies as this is spicy enough for my family.

For the smoky flavour:

9. Heat the coal on direct flame until it changes colour to orange.

10. Once hot, place a slice/peel of the onion or cabbage on the daal.

11. Now quickly put the coal on top of this slice. Pour the ghee on the coal and immediately close the lid.
This will create smoke and make sure the lid is placed tightly and the smoke doesn't escape.

12. After 5 mins, open the lid and remove the slice and coal (to be discarded). DO NOT OPEN THE LID  SEVERAL TIMES.

13. Sprinkle coriander and serve hot with paratha or steamed rice!

Enjoy!! I served it with Lachha parathas.

Notes & Tips:

1. This smoky flavour can be replicated for other type of daals or even subzis.

2. For Jains:

Simply skip the onions and garlic and follow the recipe as it is. You may increase the quantity of ginger to
2 tbsp.

3. When the ghee is poured on coal, it will result in some smoke. Hence immediately cover it with the lid tightly and let it get infused for at least 5 mins and then open.