Palak - Gongura Dal

Palak /Spinach leaves are healthy leaves and filled with iron and other minerals and vitamins.
Leaves are to be  in your diet to keep you healthy. Here I have prepared Palak - Gongura Dal.
Gongura dal is prepared using Gongura Chutney.

Gongura chutney is used instead of tomatoes/lemon/tamarind. Palak dal turned as yummy and spicy.
Dal should be consumed with hot rice and a spoonful of ghee.

Let us see some benefits of eating ghee in our diet.

Ghee helps to rejuvenates the body from inside out. It nourishes and protect the brain health.
Ghee is rich in Vitamins and Minerals. It contain Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin K 2 and Good cholesterol. Ghee is good for cough ( ghee mix with ginger powder helps to cure cough) It improves our eye sight and good for constipation. Gee helps to  boost our immunity system and it has anti inflammatory properties.
Ghee is an excellent source of good fats and ghee helps to remove the toxins in our body. It helps to improve metabolism of our body.
The Palak leaves are from our pot, home grown and its organic.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Palak /Spinach leaves : 1 Bundle
Toor dal : 1/2 Cup
To Add :
Gongura Chutney : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : As required
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon
To Season :
Cooking Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera / Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Green chilly : 2
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Curry leaves : 6 to 8

Method :

1. Clean and wash Palak leaves.

2 Cut them into small.

3. Wash toor dal and cook with palak leaves. (Pressure cook).

4. Keep the cooked palak, toor dal on the fire.

5. Add Salt, little turmeric powder and mix it. Let it boil for 2 minutes.
6. Add a tablespoon of Gongura Chutney and mix it well. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Shift Palak - Gongura Dal to a serving dish.

8. Prepare seasoning with mustard seeds, jeera, ingh, green chilly and curry leaves.

9. Add the seasoning to Palak - Gongura dal and it is ready to serve. Add a tablespoon of ghee.

10. We had Palak - Gongura dal for lunch.

Note :

Adding moong dal instead of toor dal is optional.
Adding onion and garlic is optional.
Gongura Chutney adds taste and savoury to dal.
Use of ghee is adds to the taste.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.
 Gongura Chutney Recipe : Link
https://adige.somayajiskitchen.com/2015/07/gogura-kenaf-leaves-chutney.html

Palak - Paumkin Fry

Palak - Pumpkin Fry is a quick and yummy side dish. Palak - Pumpkin fry is a mild spicy dish that fits to all age group.

I have used home grown palak which I got from my pot and used a carrot and a cup of pumpkin gratings. I also used coconut to make the fry more tasty.
Let us see some benefits of eating Palak /Spinach leaves in our diet.
Palak /Spinach is loaded with vitamins, minerals, nutrients and antioxidants. Palak is rich in insoluble fiber and good for people who suffer from constipation. Palak leaves contain potassium, magnesium and vitamin B6, B9 and Vitamin E. It is rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, floic acid, iron and calcium. Palak is good for good skin health and our immune system.
 Palak - Pumpkin Fry is mild spicy curry and it has No garlic or No onion.
Let us see the recipe now :
Ingredients :
To Fry :
Palak/Spinach : 1 Bundle
Carrot grating : 1 Carrot
Pumpkin Gratings : 1 Cup (1/4 of 1 small pumpkin)
To Add :
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A pinch
Chilly powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coconut Grating : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
To Season :
Cooking Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves and green chilly : 1

Method :

1. Wash and cut palak leaves and keep it aside.

2. Wash and scrape out the outer layer and grate carrot and keep it aside.
3. Peel off the pumpkin hard layer and grate the vegetable and keep it aside.

4. Grate coconut and Wash and slit green chilly and cut curry leaves.
5. Keep a pan on the fire and put oil. Let it get hot. Add mustard seeds and jeera.
6. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add 1 slit green chilly. Add a pinch of turmeric powder.
7. Add curry leaves and cut palak leaves. Stir slowly and let it get soft. ( Fry on low flame).

8. Add grated carrot and stir slowly.

9. Add pumpkin gratings and stir for 5 to 6 minutes. ( On low flame).

10. Add salt and red chilly powder and mix it nicely.
11. Add coconut gratings and put off the fire.

12. Shift the Palak - Pumpkin Fry to a serving dish and enjoy as one of the side dish.

Note. 

You can add more carrots. (Optional). You can add more chilly. Do not add any water. Fry on low flame. Adding coconut is optional.
You can have this fry with chapati as chapati roll. You can also keep this fry in the middle of the bun and place some cucumber and have it. Adding any other spices is optional. I always like to have mild khara so that I use very little chilly in my cooking.
Time : 10 Minutes
Serves : 2 To 3.

Easy and Quick Dal

Easy and Quick Dal is one of the easiest way of cooking dal. It is filled with leaves, dal, spices and tomatoes.

I have put every thing together and cooked in pressure cooker.
This recipe has been told by Geetha Bangalore Upendra and It is packed with vitamins, minerals and proteins.
Then smashed everything together and added seasoning with mustard seeds and ingh/asafoetida.
Let us see this recipe now :

Things Needed :

Toor dal : 1/2 Cup
Tomatoes : 2
Palak /Spinach leaves : 1 Bundle (small).
Ginger : An inch
Coriander Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Green chilly : 2
Salt : As required
Seasoning :
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coconut Oil : 1 Tbs
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Curry leaves : 5 to 6 Leaves

Method :

1. Wash and cut palak or your choice of leaves or mixed leaves.
2. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside.
3. Wash and cut tomatoes and keep it aside.
4. Wash toor dal and put it in a pressure cooker. Add cut palak, grated ginger, cut tomatoes.
5. Add coriander seeds and  slit green chilly.
6. Add required water and pressure cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Put off the fire and let it cool.
7. Take out the cooked mixture and  churn once in a mixi jar.
8. Keep a pan on the fire and add coconut oil. Add mustard seeds.
9. Add little ingh. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add curry leaves.
10 . Add churned dal - leaves mixture and cook. Add required salt and mix it well.
11. Yummy dal is ready to serve.

12. Shift it to a serving dish and serve as one of the side dish.

Note :

Adding more chilly is optional. Use of any cooking oil is optional. Let cooked dal - leaves mixture cool completely. Just give a churn to get the full benefits.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 .

Mooli and Mixed leaves Curry

Mooli / Radish and mixed leaves Curry is a side dish and is full of nutritious and cooked with fresh spices.

I have used palak / spinach, goli soppu /purslane leaves and mooli/ radish.
The leaves are from our home. We have put some plants in the pot. And we get fresh, organic leaves.

Let us see the benefits of Goli Soppu/Purslane leaves.
The scientific name of Goli Soppu/Purslane leaf is Portulaca oleracea. The other names are pursley, pig weed or verdolaga.
Goli Soppu leaves are very low in calories and fats. They are rich source of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. Fresh leaves are rich in Omega -3 fatty acids and is good for heart health. The leaves are rich source of Vitamin A, It is rich in antioxidant and vitamin for vision. It is good for skin health and heart health. It is rich in vitamin C and some B complex vitamins. They contain minerals like iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium and manganese.

Goili Soppu / Purslane Leaves.

Bimbli /Averrhoa bilimbi (commonly known a sbilimbi, cucumber tree / sorrel tree) is a fruit bearing tree of Averrhoa fimily

Let us see the recipe now :
No Onion or No Garlic is used in this recipe.

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Toor Dal : 1/2 Cup
Goli Soppu /Purslane leaves : 1 Bowl
Palak /Spinach leaves : 1 Bowl.
Mooli /Radish : 2 Medium sized
Slit Green chilly :2

TO Grind :
Coconut : 1 Cup
Coriander Seeds : 1 Table spoon
Jeera/cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Dried Bimbli : 5 to 6 Pieces
Chilly powder : 3/4 Teaspoon

To Add :
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoons

Seasoning with : 

Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little

Method :

1. Wash leaves and radish and cut into small pieces. Wash green chilly. Wash coriander leaves and curry leaves. cut them into small.

2. Wash and put toor dal to a pressure cooker.
3. Add cut leaves, radish, a slit green chilly and little turmeric. Add required water and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Grate coconut and grind it with coriander seeds, bimbli, jeera/cumin seeds and red chilly powder
5. Add required water to grind.   

6. Keep a pan and add cooked vegetables and dal. Add required salt. Let it cook for 2 minutes.

7.Add ground spice - coconut mixture and mix it well. Add 3 to 4 methi seeds to it. mix it well and boil.

8. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in between so that it does not get burnt.

9. Shift the curry to a serving bowl and add seasoning done in coconut oil with mustard seeds, curry leaves and ingh. Add cut coriander leaves.

Note :

Do not over cook the leaves and radish.  2 to 3 whistles will do if you are using pressure cooker.
You can also cook the leaves separately.  Adding raw coriander seeds and jeera adds to easy digest and adds aroma to the curry. Adding more dal is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes

Serves : 3 to 4 people.

Avarekai - Palak Curry

Avarekai /Field Bean /Hyacinth Bean is a seasonal bean and is always a good habit to make use of seasonal vegetables and fruits. Here once again I have used Avarekai and prepared some yummy curry./Sambar/Thick curry.

In Karnataka most of the houses do use this Avarekai almost everyday during this Avarekai Season. So One more recipe of Avarekai is here. The Avaekai pods are very fresh and the curry which I made curry which turned Yummy. Avarekai - Palak  side dish and goes well with almost all the main dishes.
I have used fresh Avarekai, Palak, fresh coconut, fresh spices.

Things Needed :

Avarekai / Field Beans : 1 Big Cup
Palak Leaves / Spinach : Big Bundle
Methi Seeds /Fenugrik Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Home made spice powder : 1 Tablespoon
Tamarind : Small marble size.
Coconut : 1 Cup
Salt : As Required
Turmeric powder : A little
Seasoning with Mustard seeds, coconut oil, ingh and curry leaves.

Method :

1. Remove the pods and wash it and keep it aside.

2. Clean and wash Palak Leaves and cut into small.
3. Pressure cook, 1/4 teaspoon of methi seeds,  Avarekai and Palak Leaves for 6 to 8 minutes.

4. Grate coconut and grind it with tamarind and home prepared spice powder.

5. Keep a pan on the fire and put cooked avaekai , palak mixture.
6. Add Salt, turmeric powder and little water. Let it boil for 2 minutes.

7. Add Ground coconut masala and mix it well. Boil for another 2 to 3 minutes.

8. Now shift Avarekai - Palak Curry to a serving dish.

9. Add mustard seeds, ingh and curry leaves seasoning to the curry and serve.

10. We had Avarekai - Palak Leaves Curry for lunch as one of the side dish.

Note :

You can use rasam powder instead of home made powder. Adding onion or garlic is optional. I have not added either onions or garlic. Use of any cooking oil is optional. Use of some vegetables adds to the energy and health. No need to add any dal to the curry.
Time : 30 Minutes. 
Serves : 3 to 4 

Home Made Spice Powder : For 1 time . 

Methi Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander Seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Channa dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Cinnamon : Very small piece
Red chilly /byadagi chilli :  5 to 6
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Ingh/Asafoetida : A pinch
Dry roast one by one and dry grind it once it is cooled.