Dubke ( Thick gravy of dal paste with pakodas )

Dubke

Dubke are special dish made in Kumaon, Uttarakhand, India. At is a wonderful variation of dal dish, as main course and accompaniment to rice. In the chill of morning when steaming hot Dubke are placed before me with steaming hot rice and a dollop of Ghee I feel that I am eating the best meal of my life. Because not only dubke is my favorite dis but also it is cooked and served by my mother. Mothers love makes everything super tasty. So make it instead of regular dal-chawal. Your family will love this dal dish

Preparation Time: 10min. (Dal soaking time not included)

Cooking Time: 30 min. (approximately)

Servings: 4 large helpings

Ingredients Required for Making Dubke:

• 100 gm. Tur Dal (Arhar dal)

• 2 Medium size Tomatoes

• Salt to taste

• 1/2Tea spoon Turmeric Powder

• 2Tea spoon Cumin seeds

• 2Tea spoon Mustard seeds

• 1-2 Whole Red Chilies

Spices for Dubke

•  1/2 Tea spoon Jambu (A herb found in Kumaon region of India)

Jambu (A herb grown in higher altitude of Kumaon (India) and Nepal

• 1 Tea spoon Ghee (Clarified Butter)

• Few sprigs of coriander leaves

• Cooking oil for frying

• Water

Directions for Making Dubke:

• Wash and soak dal in water for 3-4 hrs.

• Drain all water from the soaked dal and grind it to thick fine paste.

• Take half of the dal paste and add salt and 1/2 tea spoon of cumin seeds to it.

• Take oil in wok and heat it to smoking hot.

• Lower the flame and make pakodas of the dal paste with salt and cumin seeds.

• Put the pakodas of dal in water and allow them to soak.

Soaked Pakodas

• Make paste of tomatoes.

• Slit the green chilies and deseed them and cut to small pieces.

• Take 5ml. oil in the wok and heat it on high flame.

• When the oil is smoking hot put 1/2tea spoon cumin seeds, 1/2teaspoon mustard seeds and let them splutter.

• Add green chili pieces and asafoetida and immediately put the remaining paste of dal and cook it with vigorous stirring for a min.

• Add 200 ml. water and cook on low flame with continuous mixing till all paste and water make a homogenous mixture.

Paste of dal cooked with spices and made to lump less mixture

• Add Turmeric powder and salt.

• Add 250 ml. water and cook on high flame high flame till it starts boiling.

• Lower the flame and cook for 15-20min. with occasional stirring.

Dal paste being cooked with spices

• Add paste of tomato and 100ml. water and cook for another 10min.

• Add the soaked pakodas and nd cook for another 5 min.

Tomato paste and Pakodas being cooked in Dubke

• Remove the wok from gas.

• Dubke with pakodas is ready.

Dubke ready for Seasoning

• Take out dubke in a serving bowl.

• In a pan take ghee heat it.

• When the oil becomes smoking hot add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, whole red chili and in the last Jambu.

• Wonderful smell of Jambu along with cumin and mustard seeds will come.

• Immediately pour the ghee with all ingredients on the dubke.

Dubke

• Garnish with Coriander leaves or just enjoy it without garnishing with hot rice, Palak ka kappa ( A kumauni preparation of spinach) and mango pickle

  http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2012/06/mango-pickle-north-indian-style.html

Tips:

• Do not add too much water while grinding else paste will become thin and you will not be able to make pakodas.

• While cooking the paste for dubke if in the starting small lumps are formed do not worry but press them to the wall of wok with the spoon and dissolve in the water present in the wok.

• Jambu is an herb grown in higher altitude of Kumaon hill and Nepal. It is daily used for seasoning dal, dubke and vegetables in Kumaon. Its flavor comes best when ghee is used. So do not replace ghee with oil if you can get Jambu.

• Do not worry if you do not have Jambu, you can yet make and enjoy this authentic Kumauni dish.

Suggested Variations:

• Tur dal can be replaced by green moong dal, yellow moong dal, Masoor dal.

• Tomato paste can be replaced by raw mango pieces or amchur powder, but do not add tamarind or tamarind paste the original color and taste of dubke will change.

Sweet Tamarind Chutney/इमली की मीठी चटनी)

This chutney is made through out India as an accompaniment to different snacks and appetizers. I learnt it from my mom when I was 10 yr. old . So actually this recipe comes from mom's mom's kitchen, which makes it very special!

Preparation time: 5min. 
Cooking time: 10 min.
Servings: 200 ml of thick chutney


Ingredients required:

• 100 gm. Tamarind soaked in water for 10- 15 min.

Tamarind

•  Water

• 75 gm. Jaggery 

Jaggery (Gud)

• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

• 1/4Tea spoon Black Salt (kala namak) 

Kala Namak ( Black Salt)

• 1/2 teaspoon Chilly powder

• 1/2 spoon dry Ginger powder (Saunth)

• 1 teaspoon roasted and ground Cumin seeds

Directions to prepare Sweet Tamarind Chutney

• Making tamarind Pulp 

• Soak tamarind in 100 ml. water for 30 - 40 min.

Tamarind soaked in water

• Mash the soaked tamarind.

• Filter the liquid and discard the solid.

• Use this pulp for making chutney.

Tamarind Pulp

• Making Sweet Tamarind Chutney From Tamarind Pulp:

• Add the following to the pulp:
• 100 ml.Water
• 75 gm. Jaggery 
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Chilly powder
• 1/2 spoon dry ginger powder(Saunth)
• Boil the above mixture till it becomes thick, but is of  pourable consistency. 

Tamarind pulp,chili powder,Jaggery and salt being cooked together

• Cool and add roasted and ground cumin ,black salt and mix thoroughly.Sweet chutney is ready.

Sweet Tamarind Chutney

• Enjoy different snacks, chat, parathas with Sweet Tamarind Chutney  :) 

• This chutney can be stored in fridge for 2-3 weeks.

Tips:

• Remove the seeds from Tamarind before soaking. It will become easier to make pulp then.

• Keep stirring occasionally while cooking the chutney.

 Suggested Variations:

• Long cut pieces of date,dry dates can be added during cooking the chutney.

• Raisins can be added during cooking chutney.

• In the absence of dry ginger powder (saunth) grated fresh ginger can be taken.

 

Green Coriander and Mint Chutney

Green Coriander and Mint Chutney

  In Kumaon hills green chutney is a must with lunch as it enhances digestion as well as adds flavor to the food. I vividly remember sitting next to my granny in the village when she would grind the chutney on a grinding stone. The seeds of chutney making were sown in me then and now I am sharing the recipe with you all. God bless her soul ! 

 Preparation time: 5 min.
Servings: 10 - 15 small servings.


  Ingredients required

• A small bunch of coriander leaves

Coriander (Dhania)

• 1/2 bunch of mint leaves, finely cut (mint leaves should be half the amount of coriander leaves) 

Mint leaves ( Pudina)

• 1 - 2 Green chili

Green Chili

• 10 ml.Lemon juice
• 10 gm. Ginger.

Ginger

• 10gm. Jaggery

  Directions to prepare Green chutney:

• Clean and wash coriander and mint .
• Drain and cut coriander leaves.

• In a grinder, grind the following to a uniform consistency paste :

• Cut coriander leaves
• Mint leaves
• Green chilies
• Ginger
• Jaggery/sugar
• Salt. 
• Take the paste out in a bowl and add lemon  juice in it.
• Mix the above mixture nicely. Green chutney is ready.

Dhania and Pudina ki chutney(Coriander and mint chutney)

Enjoy different snacks, chaat, parathas with Green Chutney  :)

  Tips:

• Do not put lemon juice while grinding, else taste will become bitter. 
• Wash coriander and mint leaves thoroughly to remove all dirt from it.

  Suggested Variations:

• Instead of lemon juice Tamarind/Tamarind pulp can be taken.
• Cumin seeds add distinct flavor when added along with ginger.It also increases the digestive power so try adding cumin seeds for a change .
• One small onion and 3-4 cloves can also be added to the mixture while making paste for chutney. 
• Different flavor chutney can be made by different permutation combination of cumin/garlic/onion along with coriander and mint leaves.