Pumpkin Dal

Pumpkin is filled with loads of healthy properties. It is always better to make use of the natural benefits from vegetables.
Here is  Pumpkin Dal that you can try and enjoy your meal.

Here is a Pumpkin Dal that I have prepared and it is mild, delicious and nice to have with all the main dishes like plain rice, chapatis, rotis, pooris, dosa or idli.
I have used " Pumpkin ", toor dal, green chilly and a little rasam powder. (Freshly done at home).
Let us see some benefits of eating " Pumpkin " in our diet.
Pumpkin is one of the winter squash. They are rich in healthy properties. It is low in calorie and good for weight loss. It is rich in antioxidants and helps to boost our immune system. It helps to protect our eye sight. It is rich in Vitamin A. It protect us from chronic diseases. Pumpkin is rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Potassium. It is good for our skin and rich in fiber.
No Onion or No Garlic is used here in this " Pumpkin Dal ".
It is simple, quick and healthy and suits to all age group.
Let us see the recipe now.

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Toor Dal : 1 Cup
Pumpkin Pieces : 1 Bowl. (Half of 1 small pumpkin).
To Add :
Green chilly : 2
Rasam Powder : 1 Tbs
Grated raw mango : 2 Tbs
Mustard Seasoning : 1 Tbs
Salt : As required
Seasoning :
Cooking Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Jeera/Cumin seeds
Ingh /Asafoetida : A little
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer hard part of pumpkin and cut into small.
2. Wash dal and pressure cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Wash curry leaves and green chilly.

3. Add pumpkin and 1/4 tsp of methi seeds and  cook  for 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Wash and grate mango and add it to cooked dal.

5. Add salt and little turmeric and mix it well. Add slit green chilly.
6. Add rasam powder, mix all the ingredients well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

7.  Shift Pumpkin dal to a serving dish and add mustard seasoning.

8. Pumpkin dal is ready to serve.

9. We had it with plain rice and raw mango tambuli.

Note :

Use of pressure cooker to cook dal helps the dal to cook well. Cook Pumpkin separately. Adding methi seeds reduces the cholesterol in food. Home made rasam powder adds to the taste.
Adding more chilly is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes.

Serves : 2 to 3
Home made Rasam Powder :
Dry fry 1/4 tsp of methi seeds, 2 to 3 tbs of coriander seeds, 5 to 6 byadagi chilly, 1/2 ts of jeera. Add little ingh/Asafotida.
Dry grind once it is cooled.  (Only for 1 time use).

Simple Green Gram Curry

This Green Gram Curry is a simple and yummy curry. This curry goes well with all the main dishes.
We do prepare this Green Gram Curry very often,

As I said it is easy, simple, quick and needs very minimum ingredients.
I have used Green Gram /Whole moong, tomatoes, garam masala, rasam powder.
I prepared this curry for having Kuhbz a type of roti. This Kahbz or Kubz is brought all the way from Dubai by our close friend Pushpa Talitaya. This is a bring back memory of eating Kuhbz after some years.
Kuhbz is normally baked in clay oven and it is the traditional dish from Middle easy, Iran, Lebanon.

No Onion or No Garlic Dish.

Let us see the recipe now :

Things needed :

To Cook
Whole moong/Green Gram : 1 Cup
Tomatoes : 2 to 3
Potatoes : 2 (Medium sized)
Methi Seeds : 1/4 tsp
To Add :
Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 Tsp
Rasam Powder : 1 Tsp
Green chilly : 2
Ginger : An inch
Salt : As required
Butter ; 1 Tbs
To Season :
Cooking Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Jeera /Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry leaves : 6 to 8

Method :

1. Wash and soak whole moong for 4 to 5 hours or you can cook them without soaking.
2. Wash and cut tomatoes, green chilly, coriander leaves and curry leaves.
3. Wash and peel off ginger outer layer and grate ginger and keep it aside.
4. Wash and cut potatoes with its skin and keep it aside.
5. Keep a pressure cooker on the fire and put whole moong, cut potatoes, slit green chilly and 1/4 tsp of methi seeds.
6. Add required water and cook it for 6 to 8 minutes. Leave it for cooling.
7. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add a tablespoon of cooking oil, mustard seeds.
8. Let it splutter. Add jeera and curry leaves. Add cut tomatoes, Grated ginger and fry nicely.
9. Add garam masala powder and rasam powder. Add little turmeric powder.
10. Stir nicely and add required salt. Add cooked moong and potatoes.
11. Add required water and cook nicely for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in between.
12. Shift the ready Green Gram curry to a serving dish, add cut coriander leaves and butter.
13. Serve with rotis, chapatis, poori or even dosas.
14. We had this Green Gram Curry with Kabz, a type or roti You get in Dubai.

Note : 

Soaking whole moong helps the moong to cook well and good nutritious too. Adding more spices is optional. Adding butter is optional. Adding more chilly is optional. Soaking whole moong is optional. You can cook whole moong without cooking also.
Time : Soaking time 4 hours + cooking time 30 minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.