Upma

Ingredients

1-cup semolina(Suji) (not too fine)

1 tsp. urad (dhuli ) dal

1 tsp. mustard seeds

One stalk curry leaves

Some grated cocunut/ cocunut powder

Three green chilies chopped ( or more depending on you)

One onion chopped coarsely

2 tbsp. oil

Salt to taste (1/2 tsp)

Pinch of sugar

2 cups water

Cashews ( 1 tsp)and Peanuts ( 2 tsp)

( if available...since I didnt have them so I didnt otherwise add them and its tastes awesome)

Coriander for garnishing

Recipe

1.Heat oil in a kadai.

2. Add the mustard seeds and cover with a plate so spluttering doesn't spoil the kitchen.

3. Once spluttering stops add green chillies, urad dal and curry leaves and nuts and fry on low till light golden.

4. Add onions. Stir and sauté till the onions are pink.

5. Add the semolina and stir continuously till the semolina gives out a nice aroma. It Takes about 7-8 minutes to roast the semolina on low.

8. Add the salt and sugar and stir. Carefully pour in a cup of water and stir well.

9. If it feels too dry, add more water( 1 cup) and stir. Keep on low and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

10 . Garnish with coriander (optional) I didnt add coriander. One can garnish with more cocunut too.

Serve hot with steaming coffee or tea or as breakfast.

Note: Always soak dals in water for 10-15 minutes before cooking and fry them till pink in the oil so that they get done.

Urad Dhuli Dal

Ingredients

Urad Dal(dhuli) (yellow) -1 cup

Onion-1

Tomoto-1-2

Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp

Green chily-1-2

Some freshly cut ginger

Tumeric powder-1/2 tsp

Red Chilly powder-1/2 tsp

Salt-1 tsp

Fresh palak- 200 grams(optional)

Milk/malai-1/2 cup

Ghee-1 tsp

Water

Tadka

Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp

Garlic - 1 -2 small pieces

Ghee-1 tsp

Recipe

1. Take water according to consistency in a cooker and put it on High flame.

2. Add all the ingredients in it and add dal in end.

3. Let it boil and then let it simmer for 1-2 minutes.

4. Close the lid and let it whistle once and then put on low lid.

5. Let it cook for 5-10 minutes(-5 wAbout 4histles)

6. Let steam releases and then mix it out.

Tadka

1. Take ghee in a pan and heat it.

2. Add cumin seeds and let it splutter and add garlic let garlic brown a bit.

3. Put this mixture in the dal and mix it and then add little dal in pan and put it in cooker again.

Dal is ready.

Note:

If ever the dal is cooked dry one can add boiled water to it and simmer for a minute for consistency.

Urad Methi Dal (chilka dal)

Ingredients

Urad Dal(black white)(Split Black gram with skin)-1 cup

Onion-1

Tomoto-1

Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp

Hing-a pinch

Green chily-1

Some freshly cut ginger

Tumeric powder-1/2 tsp

Red Chilly powder-1/2 tsp

Salt-1 tsp

Dry Methi powder-1 tsp

Milk-1/2 cup

Ghee-1 tsp

Water

Tadka

Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp

Garlic - 1 -2 small pieces

Ghee-1 tsp

Recipe

1. Take water according to consistency in a cooker and put it on High flame.

2. Add all the ingredients in it and add dal in end.

3. Let it boil and then let it simmer for 1-2 minutes.

4. Close the lid and let it whistle once and then put on low lid.

5. Let it cook for 5-10 minutes(About5-6 whistles)

6. Let steam releases and then mix it out.

Tadka

1. Take ghee in a pan and heat it.

2. Add cumin seeds and let it splutter and add garlic let garlic brown a bit.

3. Put this mixture in the dal and mix it and then add little dal in pan and put it in cooker again.

Dal is ready.

Note:

If ever the dal is cooked dry one can add boiled water to it and simmer for a minute for consistency.

Variations

One can add fresh methi leaves (100 grams) when its in season instead of methi powder.

One can also cook arhar methi dal in same way.

One can also add just fresh palak(1oo grams) with this dal and cook and also add 250 grams cooked meat/kheema to it. It tastes awesome.

Shaljam+methi+palak+meat is also cooked.

One can add 500 grams palak to it instead of methi and cook or add fresh methi too.

Rajma!

Ingredients:

Rajma (Red Kidney beans ) - 1 cup

Urad Dal (Sabut)-1/3 cup(2 handful)

Onions-2

Tomatoes - 3-4

Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste-1 tsp

Water

To garnish:

Finely chopped coriander leaves

Method:

1. Soak rajma and urad dal in water overnight or atleast 10 hrs.

2. Take oil in a cooker and brown the onions and then add rest of the masala and fry it till its done a bit and leaves oil and then add the drained rajma and fry and add dal.

3.Fry it nicely till it leaves oil and then add water according to consistency and then close lid and cook it for about 20-30 minutes(5-6 whistles).

4. Once steam escape, one can decorate with coriander and serve.If water consistency seems more, one can fry it more to reach consistency

Tip

Blanch the tomatoes: Boil water and add the tomatoes. After a few minutes the skin will peel off. Drain water and cool it. Remove the skin completely.

If the cooker evaporate too much water from rajma, dals or any curry item, one can always boil desired water and add in curry and give it to boil for 1-2 minutes and its done.

Lubia (black eyed beans)is cooked the same way as Rajma.