Radish Palak Dal

Radish or Mooli ( Hindi ) Moolangi (In Kannada),  Palak Dal is a gravy and I learnt this dish from one of my close friend. Radish Palak Dal is prepared using Channa dal, radish and its leaves. I also used Palak leaves and some mild spices like a clove, a small piece of cinnamon, ginger, green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves.
Radish are one of the very low calorie root vegetables. They are very good source of anti-oxidants, minerals. Vitamins and dieatry fiber. Fresh roots are rich in Vitamin C which helps boost immunity.
Palak contains dietary fiber which helps in digestion, prevents constipation, controls blood pressure and curbs over eating. It helps the bones to be strong and maintain overal good health. Palak is rich in Iron and it helps to build the red blood cells which is very essential for the entire body.
This recipe is very easy to prepare and you can have them with chapati, any type of roti, poori, dosas, idli and even with rice. This dish is also called Sai baaji since its very mild and any age group, children to elders will surely like this Dal and we can have more spinach in different vareities of dishes. This will be one of the best side dishes during the parties too.
Adding onion or garlic is optional.

Things needed:
Radish : One bundle  (with leaves)
Palak : One bundle (Medium size)
Channa Dal : 1/2 Cup
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Ginger : 1 Table spoon (grated)
Tomatoes : 2 (medium size)
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Methi seeds (fenugrik seeds) : 1/4 Tea spoon
Ingh : a pinch
Oil : 1 Tea spoon
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoon
Cinnamon : 1 small piece
Clove : 1 to 2
Pepper Pods : 3 to 4
Salt : as required
Water : Required.
Fresh Ghee : 1 Tea spoon

Method :
1. Wash and cut Radish and its leaves, Palak, green chilly and coriander leaves.

2. Wash Channa dal.

3. Now put channa dal, radish and its leaves, palak leaves, tomatoes, green chilly and ginger in a pressure cooker.

4. Put required water and cook for 10 minutes on medium flame. (put weight). Leave it for cooling.

5. Now keep a pan on the fire. Put oil and heat. Put mustard seeds and methi seeds.
6. Let the methi turn slightely brown and mustard seeds spurt.
7. Add jeera, pepper pods and ingh. Add cinnamon and clove.

8. Add cooked radish, palak channa mixture. Add turmeric powde and water if required.

9. Add salt and mix it well. Now let this gravy boil for 5 minutes. Stir in between.

10 Now shift this gravy to the serving bowl , add a tea spoon of ghee and serve with rice or chapati, dosa or idly.

Note : You can add more green chilly if you like this gravy to be spicy. You can also add red chillies while you fry mustard mixture. You can also add onions and garlic. (Add cut onions after the mustard spurt, while adding jeera and fry them nicely). Cook them along with the dal mixture nicely for 5 minutes. You can also brinjal to this curry. It gives a good taste too.

Serverings : 3 to 4
Total Time : 40 minutes.
preparation Time :10 min
Cooking time : 20 minutes. ( pressure cook : 10 minutes and cooling 10 minutes).
Final step of cooking  : 10 minutes.

Palak Aloo Tikky & Dahi Baby Potatoes.

Palak Aloo Tikky  and Dahi Baby Potatoes are a snack or a chat dish. We can have Palak Aloo tikky and Dahi Baby potatoes as dinner too. Even we can have them as starter also. I have used very little oil and well taken care and used mild spices. Children especially love this dish since lots of potatoes are added and mother can be happy at least in this way she can feed her kid spinach. (Palak) and some calcium content that is Dahi. Palak and boiled potato tikky and Dahi Baby Potatoes definitely make all age group happy I am sure.

Palak is rich in potassium and low in sodium. It is a rich source of vitamin A and reduces the risk of eye diseases. Using Palak in your daily diet helps to control the blood pressure to normal levels. It reduces the hypertension and helps to maintain a proper blood flow. Palak is rich in minerals like manganese, copper, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus. These minerals help to build strong bones.
Another important mineral is found abudantry in spinach is Iron. Iron reproduce red blood cells. Iron also useful for boosting the body;s metabolism.
Potatoes are very good source of vitamin B6 and good source of potassium, copper, vitamin C, manganese, phosphorus and dietary fiber.

So here we go and see how to prepare Palak Aloo Tikky & Baby Aoo Dahi. Eating Tikky with green chutney or sweet chutney or with ketch up is normal. I thought a bit and tried this Baby Aloo Dahi which goes very well with the Palak Aloo Tikky. 

Things Needed : 

Palak Aloo Tikky
Palak leaves : 1 Bundle
Potatoes : 2 to 3 (Medium sized)
Peas :  1 Cup
Chiroti Rava : 1 Cup  (Thin sized Samolina)
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Ginger : 1 Table spoon (grated)
Jeera : 1 Tea spoon
Coriander leaves :  2 Table spoons
Garam Masala : 1/2 Tea spoon
Salt : as required
Oil : 1/2 Cup (2 to 3 Table spoons)

Method :
1. Wash and boil potatoes and peas in a pressure cooker. Leave it for cooling.
2. Wash and cut palak, green chilly and coriander leaves in to small pieces. Grate ginger.

3. Roast Rava (Samolina) for 2 ti 3 minutes. (Let the raw smell disappear).

4. Now Remove the outer skin of the potato and smash the cooked peas.
5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put 1/2 tea spoon of oil and add jeera.

6. Add cut green chilly and cut palak leaves. Mix it well and cook on medium flame till water disappears. (3 to 4 minutes)

7. Take a big bowl.  Put potatoes and peas. Smash potatoes and cooked peas.
8. Add  coriander leaves, smashed potatoes, ginger and peas. Add little turmeric and garam masala powder.
9. Add required salt and mix it well.
10. Add roasted chiroti Rava to the mixture and put off the gas. Put this mixture to abig pan.

11. Now mix the mixture nicely and prepare dough.

12. Divide the dough in to small portions.
14. Keep a pan on the fire. Heat. Sprinkle oil.
15. Take one small portion of the Tikky mixture and flatten on your palm.
16.Give the desired shape. Put this Tikky on the heated pan. lower the flame and cook.

17 Sprinkle oil on the top and cook till it is brown. Now turn the other side and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Now serve hot Palak Aloo Tikky with your choice of side dish. (Chutney or Ketch up).

18. You can prepare 5 to 6 Tikkiess at a time. Prepare the remaining Tikkies in the same way.
20. No need to add much oil.
Note : You must boil potatoes nicely. Do not over boil them. You can also add any other vegetables like carrots or beans to the mixture. (Cook them till soft and add them).
You can add spice according to your wish. (More or Less).
Serves : 4 to 5
Preparation Time : 20 minutes
Cooking time :40 minutes


Dahi Baby Potatoes

Things Needed :
Baby Potatoes : 10 to 12
Jeera Powder : 1/2  Tea spoon
Pepper Powder : 1/2 Tea spoon
Salt : Required
Dahi (curd or yogurt) : 1 Cup
Whole Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Oil : 1 Table spoon

Method : 
1. Wash and pressure cook baby potatoes for 6 to 8 minutes. Leave it for cooling.
2. Remove the skin of baby potatoes when it is cooled.

3. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil.
4. Add jeera and fry for 10 seconds.

5. Now add baby potatoes and mix it nicely.

6. Add salt and pepper + jeera powder.

7. Stir in between and cook for 2 to3 minutes.

8. Now shift the cooked baby potatoes to the serving bowl.

9. Take a small bowl. Put 3 to  4 baby potatoes and add 2 to 3 table spoons of curd and mix it nicely and serve with Palak Aloo Tikky.

Note : 

You must roast jeera and pepper podes and powder it. You can prepare this powder and store it insmall quantity, so that you can use it whenever you want it. You can also add curry leaves or coriander leaves to the potatoes. Cooking baby potatoes on low flame will enrich the taste bud. Do not use much oil. You can also use big potatoes instead of baby potatoes. Boil them and cut it in to small cube size and use it. You can also use chat masala while you serve Dahi Baby potatoes.

Serves : 4 to 6

Time : 10 minutes to cook

Preparation time : 20 minutes.