Daal is our staple food in India and we have a huge range of lentils ( daals) and a million ways to make them. I hail from the state of Sindh and we have our own typical way of cooking our daals. People who visit sindhi homes are so fond of our cooking as its quite different. I being me, always need to tweak my recipes and bring out different flavours. On Mondays, we Sindhis are vegetarians and one of our staple meals ( at least when I was a child, this was OUR FAMILY meal ….daal, spiced potatoes and puris). So, today lets make some daal, spiced potatoes and puris !!
I have a facebook live video on my facebook page Nitu Didi Recipes showing how i made the daal . i will try and insert the link here.
FOR THE DAAL
1 cup of yellow mung daal, washed thoroughly and soaked overnight
3 green chillies, or less
6 cloves of garlic
2 ” piece ginger chopped
Juice of 1 lime or more
1/4 cup of chopped coriander leaves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric, salt to taste
4 tablespoons of oil
Chilli flakes to taste
METHOD:
Put the washed and soaked daal in a pressure cooker with a cup of water and bring it to a boil without covering it. Remove all the foam that forms with a spoon ( this gives the daal a creamy smooth taste and texture ). Add 1/4 cup more of water with the chopped green chillies and salt and cover and pressure cook for 2 whistles. If you dont have a pressure cooker just cook the daal with about 2.5 cups of water till its soft-
Once the daal is cooked, and the pressure cooker has cooled down, open the lid and beat the daal with a fork till its smooth and creamy. Heat oil in a pot and add the garlic and sautee till its slightly beige in colour and then add the ginger and sautee again, add the turmeric and the chilli flakes and then add the daal. Mix well. Add some more water if you like it a bit runny and bring to a boil. Add coriander leaves and the lemon juice. Enjoy your lovely creamy daal.
SPICED POTATOES
300 grams or 2 medium sized potatoes, cut into cubes
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 ” `piece ginger chopped
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
8 to 10 curry leaves
3-4 green chillies chopped fine
1 teaspoon of roasted cumin powder, black pepper to taste, 1 teaspoon of dry mango powder ( amchur)
3 tablespoons of oil
METHOD:
hear the oil in a non stick pan, add the cumin seeds and after 10 seconds add the chopped onions and the ginger. Cook stirring well till the onions change colour ( do not brown). Add the potatoes, the salt, the spices ( except the dry mango powder ) and cover and cook till the potatoes are done, stirring ocasionally. Once they are cooked taste and correct the seasoning and then add the mango powder and mix well.
FOR THE PURIS
PURI
Puris are deep fried roti like bread.
There is a technique to fry them which i will show on the video.
INGREDIENTS FOR PURI
1 cup whole wheat flour , (can also use White flour)
½ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper
Water as needed to make a dough
Mix the flour with the salt and pepper. Add wáter bit by bit to make a smooth dough, Knead for five minutes. Make small balls and roll out and deep fry.
nitu didi 