Uttaranchali Massor dal (Lentil broth as made in Uttaranchal , India)

Uttaranchali Masoor Dal

I was going through the stats of my blog when I realized that one of the readers was interested in knowing how masoor dal is made in Kumaon, Uttaranchal. Thus I thought of blogging the recipe for cooking my humble masoor dal as it is made in Uttaranchal. Really speaking sometimes the taste of childhood and the love with which mother / grandmother cook and serve make even simple thing too special and we try to replicate them. I will give the recipe for the dal but from where I am going to bring the same love and care as my mother had poured into the dal. God forgive me for my audacity of trying to replicate the taste.

Om

Preparation Time: 5 min.

Cooking Time: 20-30 minutes

Servings: 4 Large servings

Ingredients required For making masoor Dal:

• 150 gm. masoor dal

• 1/2Tea spoon Turmeric powder

• 2 Tea spoon Ghee (If the ghee is melted then 10 ml.)

• Salt to taste

• 1/2Tea spoon Cumin Seeds

• 2 Tea spoon Jambu (Herb from Kumaon)

• 2-3 Whole Red Chilies

• 1Pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)

Directions For making masoor dal:

• Wash masoor dal till water comes out clean.

• In a thick bottom cooking vessel take

• Washed dal

• 5 ml. ghee

• Salt

• Turmeric powder

• 250 ml. water

Washed Masoor Dal, Turmeric powder, salt and water

• Heat the ingredients in the vessel on high flame till water starts boiling.

• Lower the flame, cover and cook on low flame with occasional stirring for 20 min.

Masoor dal after 20 min of cooking on low flame

• If required add hot water in little portions as such that the dal should not become too thin and watery.

• Cook till the dal becomes soft but not completely dissolved in water.

Masoor dal after 25 min. of cooking on low flame

• Remove from gas.

Masoor dal ready for seasoning

• In a small pan / serving spoon heat ghee.

• When the ghee is very hot add cumin seeds.

• Cumin seeds will splutter, add whole red Chilies. Chilies will change the color to dark red.

• Immediately add Jambu and Asafoetida.

• Lovely flavor of seasoning will come and jambu will start becoming brown in color.

Seasoning (Tadka) ready

• Add this hot ghee with seasonings to the hot dal and cover the immediately after putting the spoon with seasoning in the dal.

• When the seasoning is put to the dal should be covered immediately to avoid spilling of dal and seasoning. Also covering the dal after the seasoning is added will make sure the taste and flavor of jambu, cumin, red chili and Asafoetida seep nicely to the dal. 

Seasoning (Tadka) added to Cooked hot dal

Uttaranchali Masoor Dal

• Masoor dal as made in Uttaranchal is ready to be served with rice (Bhaat), Palak ka kapa and bhanga (A Kumaoni seed used to make chutney) ki chutney.

• Garnish with fresh, finely cut coriander.

Tips:

• Do not change ghee to any other cooking oil the taste will not be the same. If you want reduce the amount to half of the amount told in ingredients.

• Taste of this dal depends on the exact state it is to be cooked if cooked less it will not mix with water if overcooked it will become like a paste.

• If you are cooking in pressure cooker keep the cooker on medium flame till pressure is built and the moment cooker gives first whistle, switch off the gas and allow the cooker to cool. Dal will get cooked while cooker is getting cooled.

• Since Jambu is available only in Kumaon so if you do not have it, no option other than do not use it. The flavor which red chilies, cumin seeds and Asafoetida impart to ghee itself is heavenly.

Suggested Variations:

• None.

Moongodi Ki Sabzi /मुंगोड़ी की सब्जी (Indian Savory of Petit Yellow Lentil Nuggets)

Dhuli Moong Dal Moongodi Sabji (Savory of Nuggets of Petit Yellow Lentil)

Chilke wali Moong Dal Ke Moongodi ki Sabji (Savory of Nuggets of Green Gram)

Moongodi are dried small rounds made from thick paste of Moong dal. Moongodi are easy to digest tasty and protein rich food. If moongodi are made from Green gram without removing the green cover then it’s all nutrients are also retained. Moongodi was one of the favored foods of my father. My son and daughters used to sneak in the kitchen when they used to smell moongodi / badi being fried for sabji and by the time I would realize they would run away with most of it making me repeat the frying process again. How much I miss those days. Food is the same, taste is the same yet everything is  not the same. In Kumaon badi or moongodi are invariably made along with Dal-Chawal to enhance and enrich the taste of food. I like moongodi ki sabji with rice or roti equally. Being extremely low on oil and high on protein this savory makes healthy main course.
I have made the savory /Sabzi in kadai /wok, it can be cooked in cooker also. Please check suggested variations. 

Preparation Time: 5-10 min.

Cooking Time: 20 min

Servings: 4 Large Servings

Ingredients Required For making Moongodi Ki sabji:

• 30-35 Moongodi

 

Moongodi of yellow Moong dal (Green gram with green chaff removed)

Moongodi of Chilke wali moong dal (Nuggets of Green Gram)

• 2 Medium size Potatoes

• 2 Medium size Tomatoes

• 2 ml. Cooking oil

• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds

• 1-2 Whole red chilies

• 1/2Teaspoon Turmeric Powder

• 1/2Tea spoon red Chili Powder

• Salt to taste

• Water

Directions For making Moongodi Ki Sabji:

• Heat 2 ml.oil in a thick bottom wok / cooking pan till it is very hot but not smoking hot.

• Shallow fry the moongodi in hot oil till the color of moongodi changes to light brown color.

Moongodi being shallow fried

• Remove the shallow fried moongodi from pan and keep aside.

• In the remaining little amount of hot oil add cumin seeds and Red chili and let the cumin seeds splutter and the red chilies change color to dark brown.

• Add potatoes in the seasoning and mix nicely.

• Lower the flame and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Potatoes being cooked partially with the seasoning

• Add shallow fried moongodi and tomato puree to the potatoes and mix nicely. 

Shallow fried Moongodi and tomato puree added to Potatoes

• Add 
• turmeric powder
• Salt
• Chili powder
• Mix nicely.

• Cover and cook on low flame for 4-5 min. the juices will start drying.

• Add 500 ml. of water, mix thoroughly and bring the flame to high.

• When the liquid starts boiling cover the vegetable and bring the flame to low.

• Cook on low flame till potatoes and moongodi become tender. It will take 15-20 min.

• Mash half of the cooked potatoes. This will make the gravy thick.

• Take out in a serving bowl and garnish with coriander sprigs.

• Serve hot moongodi ki sabji with roti/parantha/rice.

Moongodi ki sabji

Yellow Moong Dal Moongodi ki Sabji (Savory of Nuggets of Green gram with out green cover)

Tips:

• Always shallow fry the moongodi to light brown color; they will become a shade darker while cooling.

• If Do not use onion and garlic for moongodi ki sabji as the delicate flavor of moongodi gets over powered by garlic and onion flavor.

• Moongodi can be fried and kept in airtight container for one month, ready to use.

Suggested Variations:

• If you are averse to potatoes then 2-3 teaspoons Coriander powder should be added to make the gravy thick.
• This preparation of moongodi can be made in pressure cooker also. After adding water close the lid, put weight /whistle and cook on mediumhheat for 5 to 7 minutes or till one whistle comes.