Toor Dal Fry (Split Pigeon Pea Fry)

Toor Dal Fry, you could probably make dal fry using a combination of dals as well. But i like only toor dal because it gives you a very unique taste, once you start eating this dal fry you never feel like stoping. When ever i cook dal fry i always end up cooking for 4 to 5 person though we are only 2 at home.

I think i should give some credit to my hubby as well, for giving me his secret recipe.. In oct 2011 i was not feeling well and i did not even feeling like eating anything for whole day. I wanted to eat something spicy but doctor had told me not to eat oily and spicy. My hubby made a deal with me in the afternoon saying that if you eat this plain khichdi or fruits, i will cook some special dinner for you ok. After hearing that i was excited and i ate fruits. Then for dinner he cooked food, but what? Dal fry, Rice, Roti, Potato and fenugreek seeds sabji. First i told him this is what you said special, i dont want to eat now. Then he told me you just eat one bite, and i did that. OMG!!! i never thought the food was so so so tasty, i finished the entire plate... From that day i started loving toor dal fry :)

Ingredient's

1/2cup toor dal
1 onion, 2green chillies, 1 tomato(finely chopped)
5 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
1tbsp ghee, 1tbsp oil
1/2tsp turmeric
1/2tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste
2cup of water
2tbsp chopped fresh coriander leafs.

Cooking Method
In a pressure cooker add dal, turmeric, salt and 2cup of water and cook for 4 whistle (1 in high flame 3 in low flame) and keep it aside. In a deep frying pan add ghee and oil, when the oil is hot, add cumin and chopped garlic and fry to golden brown, add onion and green chillies, fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Then add chopped tomato and fry for another 2 to 3minutes. Now add cooked dal and let it simmer for 4 to 5minutes in a low flame. Garnish with coriander leafs. Serve hot with Rice or Roti. You can add more ghee before serving (optional)

I am sending this recipe to Sudha from Wit,wok & wisdom. Love for lentils event.

Oats And Almonds Cookies..

Oatmeal and oat bran are significant sources of dietary fiber. This fiber contains a mixture of about half soluble and half insoluble fibers. One component of the soluble fibre found in oats is beta-glucans, a soluble fiber which has proven effective in lowering blood cholesterol. Here's how it works. Soluble fiber breaks down as it passes through the digestive tract, forming a gel that traps some substances related to cholesterol, such as cholesterol-rich bile acids. This entrapment reduces the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. Oats and grains are also one of the best sources of compounds called tocotrienols. These are antioxidants which together with tocopherols form vitamin E. Source from Eat More Oats.

Ingredient's
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1 egg, 1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

1tsp coca powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Baking Method
Preheat the oven to 175C/375F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl, combine egg and sugar and beat until creamy. Add melted butter and vanilla and stir until well combined. Set aside. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, coca powder, baking powder and chopped almonds. Then combine wet and dry ingredients and mix it well.
Drop teaspoons of the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2-3 inches space between the drops. Place one full almond on the cookies, (for the better look). Bake for about 10 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.
Let cool completely on wire rack, before storing in airtight container.

Sweet Lassi..

Lassi is a popular and traditional yogurt-based drink of India. Traditional lassi is a savory drink sometimes flavored with ground roasted cumin while sweet lassi on the other hand is blended with sugar or fruits instead of spices. This is one of the simplest and very easy way of making sweet lassi. There are many variation in lassi but i like this version because it does not take much time and it can be made with very less ingredients too..

Ingredient's
2cup curd (yogurt)
1cup sugar
1cup chilled water

Method
In a deep mixing bowl, add curd, sugar and water. Mix all together till it is frothy. To blend the ingredients you can use whisk or hand bender. Serve cold.

Merry Christmas...Vanilla & Almonds Muffins

Yooo.... It's Christmas time. Merry Christmas to all my blogger friends and readers. Whenever i think of Christmas, only one thing comes to my mind is lots of colors, celebration , shopping , gifting, baking and baking... This time i have planned to celebrate Christmas very simple, may be i will go out for dinner with my hubby or I will cook something never tried before at home. I am saving my celebration to have blast on New Year eve.

Ingredient
1 cup of all purpose flour
80 gm unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg, 2 pinch of salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp Almond flakes
2-3 tbsp tooty frooty

Baking Method
Preheat the oven for 10 minutes at 180c. In a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugar. Beat till it becomes light and creamy, add in egg, vanilla essence and milk, mix well till it becomes fluffy. In a separate mixing bowl add flour, baking powder, salt, tooty frooty, mix them together nicely. Now add the mixed flour into the wet ingredients, beat till all the ingredients are combined well.

The batter should not be too thick neither too thin. Grease the muffin cup with butter. Now fill the muffin cups till half with batter and then add a layer of almonds flakes. On top of it add some more batter. Then bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes at 180c. Allow it to cool in room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before taking it out from the tray. Serve warm or cold. In this batter you can make 6 to 8 muffins.

Pumpkin Soup..

Pumpkin soup is satisfying and warming and it is a wonderfully comforting soup to enjoy in the winter. There are lots of different recipes for creamy pumpkin soups, depending on what type of soup you want. There are recipes for healthy pumpkin soup, mixed vegetable and pumpkin soup. The list goes on and on. But i liked simple pumpkin soup, with a little touch of Indian taste. Which is healthy and tasty too. Here in india i never find that dark color pumpkin. Most of the time you get to see the lite green color pumpkin, because of that i don't get that beautiful color of pumpkin soup. Anyways that pumpkin also taste the same. Here goes the recipe enjoy :)

Ingredient's

6cups Vegetable stock

4 cups pumpkin puree

1 cup chopped onion 

1tsp chopped coriander leafs

1 clove garlic, minced

1tsp dried oregano 

5 whole black peppercorns 

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1tbsp butter, Salt to taste.

Cooking Method

In a deep pan, heat stock, salt, pumpkin, onion, garlic, coriander leafs and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered. Then puree the soup in small batches (1 cup at a time) using a food processor or blender. In a same pan add butter and dried oregano. When the butter in melted. Then add puree and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for another 30 minutes uncovered. Stir in heavy cream. Serve Hot.

Iam sending this recipe to Sayantani Mahapatra of A Homemaker's Dairy giveaway sponsored by cuponation.in.