Tag: moongdal

Barley Pongal:

May 5, 2018

Come Summer, our ancestors used to drink Barley water to keep their body cool. Otherwise Barley gruel or water is used mainly during illness- diarrhoea, urinary tract infection. As it is a natural diuretic, it increases urination and helps to flush out any toxins or infection causing bacteria from the body. Here I have used this super cool grain in making Pongal, south Indian breakfast dish.

Barley has two varieties, one is with outer cover which is called hulled barley and other one is more processed, without outer cover and is called De hulled or pearl barley. Compared to hulled, pearl is little less in fibre but cooks faster and is ideal for our day to day cooking.

Barley is known for its low glycaemic index, which makes it an excellent option for diabetics. Over all it is good for all and we can include it in our day to day cooking in one form or the other and take a benefit from this age-old grain for sure.

Although Barley is very good for health, it contains gluten and people who have sensitive digestive system or are allergic to gluten should avoid this grain.

Recipe is like this-

Ingredients:

Barley Rawa/ grits – 2 cups

Green gram/moong dal – 1 cup

Green chillies – 2

Ginger – ½ inch

Grated coconut – 3 table spoons

Ghee – (to serve)

Seasoning:

Ghee – 1 table spoon

Mustard – 1 tea spoon

Cumin – ½ tea spoon

Hing – ¼ tea spoon

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Method:

-Dry roast moong dal for 2 to 3 minutes.

-Wash moong and barley grits together and keep aside for a while.

-In the meantime, prepare for the seasoning.

-Take one cooker vessel, do seasoning, heat ghee, splutter mustard, add cumin, hing, curry leaves, chopped green chillies, chopped ginger (slivered) and fry for two min.

-Add water (around 8 to 9 cups) and boil. Add salt, coconut gratings and keep it for boiling.

-Add soaked dal and barley mixture and close the cooker lid.

-Cook for 3 whistles and switch off the gas.

-When pressure releases, open the cooker lid, give a stir and adjust the consistency.

-Pour a couple of spoons of ghee to enhance the taste or you can completely skip the ghee if you are into low calorie diet.

-Serve with coconut-ginger flavoured chutney.

 

Methi Dal with Bitter gourd seasoning:

March 1, 2017

I have harvested fresh bitter gourd from my green patch and I wanted to use them as fresh as possible.

So, the result is this dal. If you like methi leaves and bitter gourd,  this is a must try dish. It surprisingly tasted really great and pairs really well with hot rice as well as Whole wheat roti.

In this recipe, I did two seasonings. At initial stage of cooking as well as at the end stage.

pic main

Ingredients:

Toor dal – ½ cup

Chana dal /Bengal gram dal – ½ cup

Moong dal/green gram – ½ cup

Tomato – 1

Tamarind paste – ½  teaspoon

Salt

Coriander leaves – to garnish.

For first seasoning:

Oil – 1 table spoon ,Cumin – ½ teaspoon, Hing – ¼ tsp, Crushed garlic -7 to 8,Green chillies – 4 to 5, Curry leaves – 1 spring and Methi leaves – 1  fistful.

For Second seasoning:

Ghee – 1 table spoon, Bitter gourd – 1, red chilli powder – ½ tsp and curry leaves – 1 spring.

Method:

  • Wash all the three dals and cook. I usually fry Moong dal before washing. If you like to fry, u can do that or use as it is.
  • Cook this in cooker by adding sufficient water, little turmeric and drop of oil.
  • Wash bitter gourd, chop this into bite size pieces and mix in little salt and keep aside.
  • Chop tomatoes, methi leaves, green chillies and coriander leaves.
  • Now do the first seasoning, take one thick vessel (I usually use clay pot), pour oil, when it is hot, add cumin, hing, crushed garlic, green chillies and curry leaves and fry for a while.
  • Next add methi leaves and fry until it wilts.

pic1          pic 2

  • Add tomatoes, while frying add salt and cook till tomato becomes mushy.
  • Add cooked dal, tamarind paste, required amount of water and boil.
  • Once again, do the seasoning. Take all the materials under second seasoning.
  • Heat the ghee, add salted bitter gourd bits and fry until it becomes brown, and Switch off the gas. Add red chilli powder, curry leaves to this hot ghee and pour this seasoning over the dal.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves.
  • Enjoy this dal with Rice or Roti.