Toor Dal Pithukupappu

Ingredients:

100 gms Toor dal
150 gms onion

4 gms daniya (2 tsp)
2 gms jeera (1/2 tsp)
2 gms pepper (15 nos.)
1 gm mustard (1/4 tsp)
2 gms methi (1/4 tsp)
6 gms guntur red chilli (7-8 nos.)

12 gms Tamarind - soak
12 gms Salt
12 gms Jaggery

15 gms khus khus
10 gms raw onion
20 gms fresh grated coconut

Method:

Pressure cook, toor dal and onion with a pinch of turmeric, till one whistle only. The dal should be just done and should not be over cooked.

Keep a small microwavable container on your digital scale and add one by one - daniya, jeera, pepper, mustard, methi, red chilli and microwave all these together for 1 minute.
Or fry without oil in a pan, on a low flame.

Powder in a mixer all the masalas along with khus khus without adding water. Now add 10 gms onion, coconut and little water and make a paste.

Add the masala paste to the cooked dal, add salt, jaggery and sqeeze tamarind juice. Add water if necessary and boil.

For the seasoning: Heat 1 tbsp of oil, add 1/2 tsp mustard, 1/4 tsp jeera and 15 no. of peeled garlic cloves. When the garlic is done, add little hing and curry leaves. Pour on the prepared dal and serve hot with Rava Roti.

Serves 4.

Palak Dal

Ingredients:

300 gms Palak - clean, wash and cut
130 gms Onion - chop
100 gms Toor dal
10 gms green chilli - slit in the centre and cut finely
250 ml water
1 pinch turmeric

30-35 gms grated raw mango
10 gms salt.

For the seasoning:
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp jeera
8 pods garlic
2 strings curry leaves
1 pinch hing

Method:

Pressure cook dal, palak, onion, green chilli, turmeric and water. When the pressure is released, mash dal, add grated raw mango, salt and boil. No need to add water. Heat oil, add all seasonings and pour this on top.

Sambar for Idli

Ingredients:

80 gms toor dal
150 gms onion - chop
one pinch haldi

250 gms tomato - chop
30 gms fresh grated coconut
20 gms sambar masala

15 gms tamarind - soak
15 gms salt
20 gms jaggery
100 gms tomato - chop

For the seasoning
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp jeera
2 strings curry leaves
one pinch hing
2 pinches garam masala
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

1) Pressure cook dal and onion with little turmeric powder. When the pressure is released, mash dal.

2) Grind together tomato, coconut and sambar masala powder with little water in a mixer, to a fine paste.

3) Add the above paste to the dal, add tamarind pulp, salt, jaggery, cut tomatoes and add water to adjust consistency and boil till tomato is cooked. Transfer to a serving bowl.

4) Heat oil add seasoning. Add this to the serving bowl and garnish with garam masala and chopped coriander.

Variation: Vegetables like carrot, beans, potatoes, and peas can be added in small quantities, if desired, to the pressure cooker.