Just back from a short and refreshing trip to Delhi.Delhi can also be called as our food capital…it has so much variety of food to offer a traveler…Momos,Ram ladoos, Chats,Parathas,Tandoori, Mughlai……the list is endless .

So after this gastronomical experience wanted to make something simple but tasty….so tried my hands on this vegetable oats and mung dal khichdi..

It’s almost same as our humble dal rice khichdi,here rice is replaced with oats…and the recipe needs some extra water to get the right consistency .

I love my khichdi’s consistency to be semi solid,if you want you can lessen the quantity of water and make it more like pulav,also tempering can be added.

So here goes the recipe…

Ingredients:

1/2  cup Oats.

1/2 cup Split green gram skinless (bina chilkewali moong dal)

1 cup mixed vegetables cubed(Carrots,Potatoes,Beans,Green peas.)

1 Onion chopped .

1 Medium sized Tomato chopped.

1 tbsp Ginger and Garlic finely chopped.

2 Green chillies finely chopped.

1/4 tsp Haldi powder

1 tsp Red chilli powder.

1 tbsp Ghee.

Salt to taste.

1 tbsp chopper Corriander leaves.

Method:

Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a cooker or pressure pan,add chopped ginger and garlic,saute for a minute and add green chillies and onion.once onion turns translucent add chopped tomatoes, mix well and cook for 2 minutes.

Now add haldi powder and chilli powder, fry for a while, add 2 tbsp of water and let it cook for 2 minutes.

Add chopped vegetables,drained dal and oats,add salt.Mix well and saute for 2 minutes.

Add 4 cups of boiling water,mix well and cook on high for 3 whistles and on low for another 2 whistles.

Open the cooker after the pressure is realised,mash well with back of the spoon.

Remove in a serving bowl.

Sprinkle some red chilli powder and garnish with chopped Corriander leaves.

Remove in a serving plate and serve hot with pickle and papad.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

Tondli Bhat is a variation of masale bhat, which is one of my personal favourite dish from Maharashtrian cuisine.In my childhood days masale bhat was served during weddings along with jalebi and mixed vegetable bhajiyas.

This is a one pot meal, more like pulav.The special spice which gives this rice the authentic taste is special blend of spices known as GODA MASALA, which is easily available in market.

Ingredients :

2 cups Rice.

4 cups Hot water.

1 cup Tondli (cut into 4 pieces lengthwise)

1 medium Potato (deskinned and chopped into big pieces )- Optional

1/4 cup Green Peas-Optional.

2 tbsp Gheee.

2 Tamales para.

1/2 tsp Rai.

1/2 tsp Jeera.

1/8 tsp Hing.

1 tsp Chilli Powder.

1 and 1/2 tsp Goda Masala.

1/4 tsp Haldi powder.

2 tbsp Vatan (Ref Glossary)

2 tbsp chopped  Tomato or 2 tbsp Curds.

Salt to taste.

For Garnish :

1/4 cup freshly grated Coconut

2 tbsp Chopped  Fresh Coriander leaves.

Method:

Wash and soak rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside.

Chop tondli and potatoes and keep aside soaked in water.

Heat ghee in a thick bottom vessel, add rai,Jeera and hing,stir fry 30 secs.If using tomatoes,add chopped tomatoes saute for a minute.

Add chopped tondli,peas and potatoes.cover and cook for 2 minutes.

Add  red chili powder,haldi powder and goda masala,mix well.

Reduce heat,Add rice and salt ,mix.

Add 4 cups of hot water and bring to a boil.Add Vatan,if using curd instead of tomatoes, add now and mix well.

Reduce flame ,cover and cook till rice is done.

Remove in a serving bowl. Garnish with freshly grated coconut and chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot.

Happy Cooking !!!

Sameera.

An easy to make lunch-box option, lemon rice is a favourite dish  in southern india!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tbsp Lemon juice

2 1/2 cups cooked Rice

1 small Onion sliced

1 tbsp Oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)

1/2 tsp Urad dal (split black lentils)

1 tsp Chana dal (split bengal gram)

5 to 6 curry leaves (kadi patta)

2 whole dry kashmiri red chillies/Green chillies , broken into pieces

1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

salt to taste

Method:
Heat the oil in a broad non-stick pan and add the mustard seeds.

When the seeds crackle, add the urad dal, chana dal, and curry leaves and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.

Add red chillies/green chiilies and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.

Add onions and saute till golden brown in colour.

Add the turmeric powder and rice, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring continuously.

Add the lemon juice and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

Serve hot.

Happy Cookin!!!

Sameera.

My husband is an hotelier,and his chef makes mouth watering masala khichdi….so yesterday I decided to add veges and masalas to our humble Dal Rice khichdi….which can be made in a jiffy. Let me warn you,in this recipe so much of chopping and tempering is required……one could  easily make a Biryani in that time….but trust me the final result is just mouthwatering.

Ingredients:

1/2  cup Rice washed and soaked for half an hour.

1/2 cup Split green gram skinless (bina chilkewali moong dal)

1 cup mixed vegetables cubed(Carrots,Potatoes,Beans,Green peas.)

1 Onion chopped .

1 Medium sized Tomato chopped.

1tbsp Ginger and Garlic finely chopped.

2 Green chillies finely chopped.

1/4 tsp Haldi powder

1 tsp Red chilli powder.

1 tsp Dhania Jeera powder.

1/2 tsp Garam Masala.

1 tbsp Oil.

Salt to taste.

1 tbsp chopper Corriander leaves.

For Tempering:

1 tbsp Ghee

2 Red Chillies (dried)

6 Curry leaves.

1/4 tsp Asafoetida.

Method:

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a cooker or pressure pan,add chopped ginger and garlic,saute for a minute and add green chillies and onion.once onion turns translucent add chopped tomatoes, mix well and cook for 2 minutes.

Now add haldi powder,chilli powder and dhana jeera powder. Fry for a while, add 2 tbsp of water and let it cook for 2 minutes.

Add chopped vegetables,drained dal and rice,add salt.Mix well.

Add 3 cups of boiling water,mix well and cook on high for 3 whistles and on low for another 2 whistles.

Open the cooker after the pressure is realised.

Make a tempering of ghee,jeera,asafoetida,red chilli and curry leaves,add to the cooked khichdi,mix well.

Garnish with chopped Corriander leaves.

Remove in a serving plate and serve hot with pickle and papad.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.