Moong -Brinjal Dry Curry

Ready to Serve Moong - Brinjal Dry Curry

Moong Brinjal dry curry is a side dish. We can have plain Rice, chapatis, roti, or pooris with this curry. Using Moong dal in our diet is one of the very good thought since Moong contain a whole lot of beneficial content. I just of combining Brinjal and Moong together and it tasted very well. The recipe is very simple and any one easily prepare Moong - Brinjal Dry curry and enjoy eating it.
Lets see some benefits of adding Moong Dal  and Brinjal in our diet.
Moong Dal helps to control the blood pressure, it is good source of iron and protein and dietary fiber. It is low in fat and rich in potassium, calcium and B Complex Vitamins. It is easy to digest and and helps to decrease high cholesterol.
Brinjal is high in fiber and antioxidants. It is good for weight loss and helps to prevent heart diseases. Brinjal helps to control the blood pressure and good for diabetics. It helps to control and lower the cholesterol.
Now lets see the recipe. This recipe has no onion or garlic and we can prepare this dish for any special days or on festival days. It goes well with almost all main food items.

Things needed : 

Brinjal : 5  to 6 ( I used the small round brinjals )
Moong Dal : 1/2 Cup
Green chilly : 2
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Coriander Leaves : 2 Table spoons
Lemon juice : 1 Table spoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Ingh : a pinch
Ginger : 1 Tea spoon (grated)
Coconut : 2 Table spoons
Salt : required
Oil : 1 Table spoon
Turmeric Powder : a pinch.

Method :

1.  Wash and cut brinjal and put them in normal water. Keep it aside. Wash green chilly and cut them in to big pieces.

2.  Wash dal and roast them for 3 to 4 minutes. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
3.  Wash and remove the outer skin of ginger and grate it and keep it aside.
4.. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put a spoon of oil and heat.
5. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add jeera and ingh. Fry for 10 seconds
6. Add Green chilly and fry and then add roasted moong dal and stir nicely.

7. Remove the brinjal pieces from water and squeeze out the water and add brinjal pieces to moong dal mixture.

8. Mix it nicely and add a 1/2 cup of water and cook on medium heat. Add grated ginger.

9. Let it cook nicely. Add pinch of turmeric powder and required salt.

10. Stir slowly and let the moisture in the curry dry up.
11. Add coconut when all the water dries up in the curry. Put off the gas.. Add Lemon extract and mix it well.

12. Add coriander leaves and shift  Moong -Brinjal dry curry to a serving bowl. Serve with the main dish you prepared.

Note : 

Do not use lot of water. The curry turns watery and brinjal and Moong will be overcooked and might not taste good. Adding more chilly is an option. Adding onions and garlic also purely optional. No need to add more oil.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Servings : 3.

Red Rice -Whole Moong Kichidi

Red Rice - Whole Moong Kichidi is a main dish. When you are in a hurry or you are running out of time and as a healthy dish, you can prepare Red Rice -  Whole Moong Kichidi. You can have them for breakfast, lunch or for dinner. It is a complete meal with carbohydrates and proteins.

North Karntaka and Maharastra side they use whole moong instead of moong dal in the Kichidi. We, the south Indians use moong dal in pogal. This particular Kichidi contains whole moong, mong dal, Red rice (Organic) and other simple spices like green chilly, pepper, ginger and curry leaves.

Some benefits of using whole Moong in our diet are,
Whoe Moong is loaded with goodies. It is rich in Vitamin A, B, C and E. They are rich in many minerals including iron, calcium and potassium and full of protein. It helps to lower the high cholesterol level in the blood system. Regular intake of Green Moong reduces bad cholesterol and improve the flexibility of arteries and veins. It also regulates the blood pressure. Green Moong is full of complex carbohydrates and full of fiber and helps in digestion. It also stabilizes blood sugar and controls its sudden rise after meal. It helps to keep the energy at a balanced level. Green Moong can be highly beneficial for people having a high blood sugar level.

Here is a recipe of Red Rice and Whole Moong kichidi,  which is loaded with minerals, vitamins and a healthy dish. I am sure all age group people will definitely love this dish.

Things Needed :

Red Rice :  1 1/2  Cups
Whole Moong : 1/2  Cup
Moong Dal : 1/2 Cup
Green Chilly : 2
Pepper : 5 to ^ Pods
Ginger : 1 Tablespoon
Ghee : 3 Tablespoons
Coconut : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : To taste
Jeera : 1 Teaspoon
Ingh (Asafoetida) : a pinch
Lemon : 1 lemon juice
Water : Required
Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash and cook rice and whole moong and moong dal separately . (Pressure cook them for 7 to 8 minutes).

2. Wash and cut green chilly, grate coconut, ginger and keep it aside.Crush pepper pods.

3. Now keep a big pan on the fire. Put 1 Tablespoon of ghee 
4. Put Jeera and crushed pepper.

5. Add cut green chilly and fry until jeera turn slightly brown. Add curry leaves.
6. Add cooked rice, whole moong and moong dal. Mix it nicely. Add required water.

7. Add salt and ingh, ginger. Let it boil nicely for 2 to 3 minutes.

8. Put off the gas. Add lemon juice and mix it nicely. Add fresh grated coconut and remaining ghee.
9. Mix it well and shift the Kichidi to a serving bowl. Add coriander leaves.

    Shift it to the serving dish .

10. Serve  Hot Red Rice Whole Moong kichidi with roasted Papad, pickle and a piece of onion.

 Note :

You can use the Whole moong instead of using moongdal. Using coconut, more or less ghee and chilly are optional. You can add fried onions to the kichidi. It taste different. Use red rice or white rice  according to your choice. Using red rice is good for health since it contains fiber. Make use of less spice for the good health.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 5

Moong Dal Bulgar Kheer

Moong Dal Bulgar (broken wheat) kheer or Paayasa is a sweet dish. Fresh coconut milk, jaggery, cardamom and cashew nuts are also added and prepared this tasty Payasa.Moong Dal Bulgar Payasa is prepared during the festivals and the feasts. Its healthy since moong dal and bugar with jaggery is used. Cardamom is used to add the flavour and it helps to digest the heavy food easily.

Moong Dal is good source of protein and dietary fiber. It is low in fat and rich in potassium, calcium and B complex vitamins. It is easy to digest and the fiber in Moong dal helps to drecrease high cholesterol.
Bulgar or the broken wheat is a good source of fiber. It contains protein, iron and vitamins. It is low in fat and calories. It also helps to prevent constipation.
Jaggery acts as a digestive agent. It has a ability to cleanse our body. Jaggery provide good amount of mineralss.
Fresh coconut milk is Antioxidants and contain vitamins and minerals.
As I said before this yemmy payasa is a 100 % healthy food. Sweet tooth people can njoy this payasa at any time of the day.

Things needed :
Bulgar : 1/2 Cup
Moong Dal 1/2 cup
Jaggery : 1/2 cup
Cashew Nuts : 6 to 8
Cardamom : 4 to 6 pods
Coconut : 1 Cup
Ghee : 1 Tea spoon
Milk : 1 Cup

Method :

1. Wash and cook Bulgar and Moong dal separately in a pressure cooker.

2. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
3. Powder the caradamom.

4. Now grind coconut with little water and squeeze out the milk. Put the same remaining squeezed coconut and grind again with little water and remove the milk (second time).  Keep it separately.
5. Now put cooked bulgar and moong dal in a big pan. Add jaggery. Keep it on the fire.
6. Mix it nicely. Let it boil for 2 minutes. See that it does not burn at the bottom.
7. Now add the coconut milk which is collected at the second time. ( Little watery).
8. Mix it nicely and let this mixture boil for 2 more minutes. Add water if required.
9. Now add the thick coconut milk (the first time you have collected).
10. Let this mixture boil for a minute. Put off the gas and put the Payasa in serving bowl.

11. Add cashew nuts and powdered cardamom. Mix it well.

12. Add milk and a spoon of fresh ghee on the top. ( 1 Tea spoon will do). Mix it nicely and serve

Note : If you want more quantity you can increase the quantity of moong dal and bulgar and jaggery. You can also use dried grapes (raisins). You can even fry raisins and cashew nuts in the ghee and then pour this mixture to the Payasa. Adding more fresh milk will taste good. Do not boil the coconut milk for a long time. It may smell different. You can also use 1 or 2 cloves along with cardamom.
Serves : 4 to 6
Time : 40 minutes.

Bottle gourd-Channa dal Dosa (Ade)

Bottle gourd is filled with fiber and  helps to digest the food easily. The glucose and sugar related compounds are nearly nil in the bottle gourd. It is one of the food option for the diabetic patients. It is one of the body heat control food and keeps your body temperature at normal level. It helps to reduce the inflammations in the liver and kidneys.

I have tried dosa with bottle gourd and channa dal and moong dal. This dal dosa is also known as  Ada. This is a healthy dish and easy to prepare and easy to digest too. We can have this dosa for breakfast or as snack or for dinner too.

Things needed:

Bottle gourd : 2 to 3 cups: (1/2 of medium sized bottle gourd)
Channa dal:  2 Cup
Moong dal: 1/2 cup
Rice: 1 fist. (1/4 cup)
Salt : to taste
Coriander leaves: 2 Table spoons
Curry leaves :  6 to 10
Green chilly : 1
Ginger : 1 Table spoon
Pepper pods: 3 to 4
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon.
Coconut: 2 Table spoon
Ingh : a pinch'
Oil:  4 to 5 Table spoons.

Method:
1. Wash and soak channa dal, moong dal and rice together for 2 to 3 hours.

2. Grate coconut and wash and grate ginger. Wash and keep curry leaves, coriander leaves and green chilly.
3. Wash and cut bottle gourd into small pieces and keep it aside.
4. Now grind all the ingredients like, channa dal, moong dal, rice, curry -coriander leaves, ginger and coconut together till paste.
5. Add cut bottle gourd pieces and grind along with dal. Add ingh and salt and grind nicely and remove from the jar and put it in a big bowl.

6. Do not add much water while grinding.
7. Now keep a pan on the fire. sprinkle oil on the top.
8. Take a spoon ful of batter and spread it like dosa. Use 1/2 spoon of oil and sprinkle on the dosa and cover the lid. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

9. Now turn the dosa on the other side and cook for 1 minute.
10. Now serve Bottle gourd dosa with any kind of chutney you like or with any sambar or with pickle or chutney pudi

Note:  You can add onions (cut into small pieces). You can also add tour dal (2 to 3 table spoons will do). It helps to give crisp to the  dosa.
Prepare these dosas on medium flame and see that it does not get burnt.
Time: 15 to 20 Minutes (except soaking time)
Serves : 2 to 3.

Beans and Moong Dal Sambar

Moong Dal and Beans Sambar is a curry and you can have them with rice, chapati, idli, dosa and pooris too.

I have used moong dal, french beans and some spices added some simple spices.
No Onion or no garlic is used in this Beans and Moong dal Sambar.

Things Needed:

Moong Dal : 1/4 Cup
Tender Beans : 1/4 Kg
Green chilly: 2
Coriander leaves: 1 Tablespoon
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Ingh : a pinch
Ginger : 1 Tea spoon (grated)
Rasam powder: 1 Teaspoon
Lemon : 1/2 rind (1 Teaspoon)
Jaggery: 1 Tablespoon
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Black Pepper: 3 to 4 pods
Mustard seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Turmeric powder: a pinch
Oil: 1 Teaspoon
Ghee : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : to taste
Water : Required

Method :
1. Wash and cut beans into small pieces.
2. Wash and cook moong dal with cut beans. Pressure cook for 5 to 6 minutes and keep it aside for cooling.
3. Wash and cut green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves.
4. Squeeze out the jucie from the lemon and keep it aside. Powder the pepper pods and keep it aside.
5. Now keep a pan on the fire. Heat and put oil.
6. Add mustard seeds and let it spurt. Add smashed pepper seeds and jeera. Add green chilly and curry leaves and fry for a second.
7. Add ingh to the mixture. Now add boiled moong dal and beans mixture. Add water and mix it thoroughly.
8. Add salt and turmeric powder to the mixture. Add jaggery .
9. Let it boil for 2 minutes. Stir inbetween so that it does not get burnt at the bottom.
10. Now add Rasam Powder and mix it well and boil the Sambar for 3 to 4 minutes.
11. Add lemon juice.

12. Add ghee and coriander leaves and serve the Sambar with the food you prepared.

Note:  
Cook moong dal and beans till soft to get the good taste. Adding jaggery is an optional. You can either avoid or decrease the quantity.
Adding rasam powder also is an optional. Here I have used MTR rasam powder. You can add garam masala powder instead of rasam powder. But the taste differ. You can add onions to the sambar. Add it along with green chilly and fry it for 1 minute and then add the rest of the thigs. Or you can cook with moongdal mixture. You can also add tomatoes instead of lemon.  Add required water according to your taste.  Here I added red chillies instead of green chilly .
Time 20 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4 
Type ; Udupi Style. 

Navane (Foxtail) BisiBele Bath..

Navane/Foxtail millet is a healthy millet and now a days millets are known for their healthy benefits. I have tried this bisibele baath one of the famous Karnataka's yummy dish.

Navane /foxtail millet is known for its rich source of fiber and other healthy benefits. It is said that long long before these millets were the main food grains used all over India. Anyways as they say History repeats. The days are back again and people know the value of these millets.
 Navane/Foxtail millets are grown mainly in North Karnataka and in some places of India. We can prepare lots of dishes using Navane/Foxtail Millet. Foxtail millet is known as Navane akki in Kannada /Karnataka.  Navane/Foxtail millet can be used instead of rice and prepare varieties of Indian dishes. For example like chitranna, Milk ganji, bisibele baat, payasam, dosa, idli etc etc etc.
Foxtail millet is full of fiber and it helps to control our cholesterol and blood pressure.
Here is a recipe for Bisibele bath which is good for any time of the day and for all age group. I have used moong dal instead of toor dal since moong dal keeps the body cool and ready bisibele bath powder. (M.T.R.)

Ingredients:
To cook:
Navane : 1 Cup
Moong Dal: 1/2 Cup
Carrots: 2
Peas : 1/2 Cup

To Add :
Turmeric powder : A pinch
Tamarind pulp : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : As required
Ghee: 1 Table spoon

To Grind :
Coconut : Grated : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Bisibele baath powder : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

To Season :
Mustard Seeds: 1 Teaspoon
Urd dal : 1 Teaspoon
Oil: 2 Tablespoons
Salt: to taste
Ingh:(Asfoetida) : a pinch
Curry leaves: 8 to 10

Method: 
1. Wash and pressure cook Navane and Moongdal separately. Wash and cook pea pods till they are soft. (Used frozen peas).

2. Wash and cut carrots in to small pieces and cook separately till soft and keep it aside.

3. Soak tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the juice and keep it aside.( Lemon size tamarind).
3. Grind coconut and keep it aside.
 4. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil and put mustard seeds and urd dal. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add ingh/Asafoetida and curry leaves.
5. Now put cooked Navane and moong dal lt. Put 2 glasses of water. Add salt.
6. Add cooked carrots, peas Add turmeric powder and tamarind pulp.
7.  Add required salt and mix it well. Cook for 2 minutes.

 8. Add ground coconut and mix it slowly. Add  bisibele baat powder. Mix it and let it cook on low flame For 2 to 3 minutes.

9. Put off the gas and shift the ready Navane /Foxtail Millet Bisibele Baat to a serving dish.

10. Serve with chips or papad.

Note:

 You can add  other vegetables like peas, beans or capsicum. Adding more/less ghee is optional. Use of any brand Bisibele baat powder is optional. Here I used fresh bisibele baat powder prepared at home . (Use of onions are optional).
Time : 25 to 30 minutes.
Serve : 3 to 4 

Procedure to prepare Bisibele bath powder:

Channa dal : 2 Tablespoons.
Urd dal : 1 Tablespoon
Coriander seeds :2 to 3 Tablespoon
Cineman : 2 to 3 small pieces
Cloves: 3 to 4
Jeera " 1 Tea spoon
Red chilly : 6 to 8
Dry roast and dry grind when it cools down.