Moong Vada/ Fried Moong Vada

Moong Vada/ Fried Moong Vada

While I am on my memories trip let me share with you what my MIL made many times these vadas and they were something she served with sauce. She also made some with rava but I just cannot remember them.

After a long time, in fact one Hindi movie with Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor reminded me of these vadas. I was on a look out to make them, as I said I could not remember how she made them for I was never in the kitchen when we fried stuff as I would start coughing.

She would fry them when I was away and keep some for me in the casserole. It’s been 18 long years since she has left for her heavenly bode but her memories still linger.

Then I found an old e-cookbook which had the recipe. Of course I have made adjustments in the ingredients to suit our taste. Needless to say these were first to disappear.

Moong Vada

Making time: 20 minutes (excluding soaking time)

Ingredients:

1 cup moong dal

 ½ cup coriander finely chopped

2 cloves garlic

3-4 green chillies finely chopped

Oil to deep fry

Method:

Wash and soak dal for 3-4 hours.

Keep 2 tbsp. dal aside, grind the rest, coarsely.

Mix all other ingredients, including whole dal.

Add 2-3 tbsp. hot oil to the mixture.

Heat oil.

Make small balls   drop carefully into the hot oil.

Fry first one side then the other till golden brown.

Serve hot with green chutney, tamarind chutney, or ketchup.

 What else do we have?

 Well come back tomorrow to see that…

 Meanwhile today you can check my other friends 

  

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 53

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Triveni Dal

“Dal (also spelled Dahl or Daal, or Dhal) is a preparation of pulses (dried lentils, peas or beans) which have been stripped of their outer hulls and split. It also refers to the thick stew prepared from these pulses, an important part of Indian, Nepali, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, West Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine. It is regularly eaten with rice and vegetables in southern India, and with both rice and roti (wheat-based flat bread) throughout northern India and Pakistan. Dal is a ready source of proteins for a balanced diet containing little or no meat.

It provides an excellent source of protein for the Indian subcontinent, particularly for those adopting vegetarian diets or diets which do not contain much meat. Dal is typically around 25% protein by weight, giving it comparable protein content to meats. Dal is also high in carbohydrates whilst being virtually fat free. Dal is also rich in the B vitamins thiamine and folic acid as well as several minerals, notably iron and zinc.”

These words that I have copied from Wikipedia indicate how important dal is in our vegetarian meal.

 I make it a point to make dal everyday but the fact remains that I generally make it only in one particular way day in and out so that becomes boring and then it is rejected at the table.

So for this BM I choose dal as my theme. At least then I will try a newer variety that is the general idea. 

Low fat Dahi Vada

When Nupur announced her challenge this month it was to make either spring rolls or dahi vada.

 So what is new you will ask my dear the challenge that Nupur poses is different. She chooses a deep fried dish and expects you to make it not fried but search for different options other than fried. Interesting? Well do check it out. I am sure she will add newer members.

Now I have made baked spring rolls. Dahivada with a difference here has been made by my SIL so I did not know how else to make it. In no mood to trudge to the mall to search for the spring roll wrappers which I am sure will not be there, I decided to make dahi vada.How ??? was the question that worried me.

Khara Pongal/Hoogi/Khichidi and Good Saar

The day before "Sankranti" is celebrated as " Bhoji", on that day we prepare "Sajji rotti" or bajara roti, "tumgai" or stuffed brinjal, "Hoogi " which is "Khara Pongal" or "Khichidi" and "Good Saar"!

Of all these "Hoogi or Kahara Pongal was always my favourite, these plus papad and pickle!! Kaya Bahar Hai!

I am sending this recipe to Kurinji's Pongal Feast Event.

To make "Khara Pongal" I used

Ingredients:

½ cup moong daal (I used the yellow skinless one you can use the one with skin)

¾ cup basmati rice

1 tblspn homemade ghee

3-4   cloves

3-4 pepper

2 an inch long pieces of cinnamon/dalchini

Mustard

Jeera/ cumin seeds

4 cloves garlic (optional)

1 tomato

Coriander

Haldi/turmeric

2 cups water

Salt

Method:

1.       Wash the rice and daal together and drain. Let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

2.       Grind together the garlic, tomato and coriander.

3.       In a kadhai heat ghee and fry the cashew nuts and keep aside.

4.        In the same ghee and add the pepper, cloves and cinnamon in quick succession. When they crackle add the mustard and jeera.

5.       Add the ground tomato puree and fry till the ghee comes out.

6.       Add the rice and daal mixture, turmeric and fry till the rice and daal dry out.

7.        Transfer to an appropriate container for the cooker.

8.       Add the water, salt and cook in the cooker for 2 whistles.

9.       Remove garnish with the fried cashew nuts.

10.   Serve hot with Good Saar.

To make Good Saar

Heat 1 tsp home made ghee crackle the mustard, hing/asafoetida, curry leaves and red chillies. Add in tamarind, rasam powder, jaggery, water and salt. Boil the mix. The taste of the saar should be sweet and sour.

Moong Khichadi

This has been one of the current favourites with my hubby and daughter. Every time I am hard pressed for time and I offer to make this, I find them nodding and smiling in anticipation. Both of them are not picky eaters, they eat almost everything I prepare, and don't complain!!!!!I know what u all must be thinking, Lucky gal!!Well, that's true. But when it come to this khichadi, they always do justice to the dish....by finishing it!!!So here goes the recipe...

1/2 cup rice, washed and drained

1/2 cup moong dal, washed and drained

1 big tomato

7-8 flakes of garlic, chopped fine

2 green chilles, chopped fine

2 tbsp ghee

Mustard seeds, jeera, hing, turmeric powder for tadka

Coriander leaves, chopped fine

Salt for taste

Combine the washed and drained rice and dal together and add the chopped tomato, a pinch of turmeric, hing and jeera and some salt and pressure cook. Note that you need to add some more water than the usual to this khichadi so that it gets a running consistency, after being cooked. Once the khichadi is done, it is time for the tadka.