Channa Dal

I had a big packet of Channa dal lying in my pantry. We use a lot of toor and masoor dal in our cooking hence I thought of trying this dal for a change.
The dal tasted good, channa dal has this flavor which is unlike the strong dal taste of toor dal. I liked this dal better than toor dal when it comes to eating the dal by itself -which I love doing ;)

1 cup Channa dal (washed and soaked for 15-20 mins)
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 small tomato chopped
1/2 tsp panch-phoran (mix of cummin, mustard, fenugreek, nigella, fennel seeds) or only cummin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chilly powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder
Oil
Salt,sugar

Pressure cook the soaked dal with 2 cups water for 2 whistles or cook on stove-top. Heat a wok/kadai add some oil when its hot add the panch-phoran. When it sizzles add the onion and garlic and fry till they trun brown. Now add the tomatoes and mix well and cook till they turn soft.
Now add turmeric, red chilly and coriander powder and mix well. Add a little sugar & salt and the cooked dal & mix well.
Add water if needed and let it boil adjust seasoning.I like this dal to be thick.
Serve with roti's or rice.

Roasted butternut Squash Soup

Its that time of the year when you want to tuck in bed with your cosy blanket, watch movies and drink hot tea and soup. Yeah its winter time and its been raining in Oxford since a few days and needless to say pretty chilly too. It's time to bring out my soup recipes and make some for dinner regularly as well. One of our favorite soups here is the butternut squash soup.

Butternut squash is almost like a pumpkin, sweet and nutty to taste. It's one of my favorite veggies I can just roast it in the oven with some olive oil, salt and pepper and eat it. The soup is thick , a little sweet & nutty..So here goes the recipe for one of my favorite soups...


1 Medium sized butternut squash
1-2 tsp Olive oil
1 small onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1/4 tsp Italian herb mix or just thyme
salt, pepper as per taste
2-3 tbsp Milk
1 tsp Sour cream (optional)
1/4 cup Chicken broth (optional)

Cut open the squash lengthwise scoop out the seeds and brush it with some olive oil and roast in the oven at 350 degrees F till soft (when a fork is inserted it should go in smoothly) about 30 minutes. Scoop out the orange flesh of the squash with a spoon and keep aside till it cools, throw away the skin.
While the squash is roasting heat a pan on the stove-top add oil, onion and garlic and fry till translucent. Add the herbs and mix well.
Now in a blender add the squash, onion and garlic and blend. If it gets too thick can add some milk or water.
Now heat this mixture in the same pan, season with salt and pepper and add a dollop of sour cream before serving.
This is a thick soup and not watery.It can be enjoyed with a piece of fresh bread or just by itself. I like some homemade rosemary bread along with this. I will post the recipe for the bread soon.

Note:
My friend suggested adding chicken broth to onion and garlic while frying and bring to a boil. Then while blending you don't need to add the milk.
This gives a good taste but then you need to go easy with the salt as the broth has salt in it.

Kala Channa Usal (Stirfried spiced black peas/beans)

Usal is a common dish at any amchi household and till I came to the US I didn't think it was anything special. Now I crave for my mom's simple mung/matki/channa usal. Kala Channa Usal is something I love this can be had like a snack or with roti's or rice.
I prefer to eat it by itself and since the time I came to the US this is a standard preparation at our house every year for Ganesh Chaturthi prasad.

Its easy, simple, tasty and very nutritious.

Ingredients:

2 cups Black channa (you can even use garbanzo beans) washed and soaked overnight or atleast for 4-6 hours
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
6-8 Indian curry leaves (Kadi patta)
1 tsp or more grated ginger
1-2 green chillies slit length wise
1 pinch hing/asafoetida
1/2 tsp sugar
salt as per taste
oil
Fresh or frozen Grated coconut for garnishing

Wash the soaked channa and pressure cook or boil with fresh water and some salt for 1-2 whistles till soft (it shouldn't be mushy).
In a wok/kadai heat oil when hot add the mustard seeds, kadi patta, grated ginger, hing and green chillies. Fry it well but make sure it doesn't burn. The oil should absorb all the flavors. Now add the channa and mix well cook for 5 mins. Adjust salt and garnish with grated coconut.

Frittata

Me and my girl friends had a girls night out. It was so much fun - giggles, gossip and girl talks over lotsa wine at our favorite hang out Boure on the Square. We were to spend the next day together as well with movies, spa day and shopping. My friend Zhiyan came over to stay at my place and as usual we sat up chatting again and it was almost morning by the time we hit the bed.

I woke up a little early the next day and while she was sleeping (uh, I know its surprising that I woke up early!). I made a quick visit to our local farmers market and got some fresh eggs, asparagus, mushrooms, spinach, kiwi's and strawberries and headed back home with my groceries to make a Frittata - it's a Spanish/Italian (yes there is a debate where it was originated,) omelet which is loaded with veggies and baked.

So while my dear friend was enjoying her beauty sleep I toiled in the kitchen making some delicious brunch for us. ;)

And when she woke up she was surprised that I was up so early in the kitchen cooking up a storm!  Well hard work (I don't mean the work to cook the eggs, for me its the waking up part) never goes waste so the end result was a delicious Frittata which was enjoyed by us with some cold water, red wine and lotsa fresh fruits. After this we headed to enjoy the rest of the day with our spa date, movie, shopping etc.

So here goes he recipe:


Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 cup Mushrooms washed sliced (don't make the slices too thin)
1 bunch Asparagus cut (each cut into 2-3 pieces)
1 onion Sliced
1-2 cloves garlic chopped
1 cup spinach leaves washed and chopped
2 tblspn Milk
2 tblspn Cheese (Parmesan or Mozzarella - I used goat cheese and it tasted heavenly)
2-3 tsp. olive oil and some for spraying
1 tsp Italian seasoning or fresh herbs like thyme/oregano etc.
Salt & pepper to taste



Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a pan & add Olive oil, sauté onions and garlic just till they turn translucent or a light brown. Now add and sauté the asparagus, spinach and mushrooms in this order, as mushrooms and spinach leave a lot of water so they go last. While sauteing these veggies add the Italian seasoning and salt to them and mix well.

Now beat the eggs with milk and salt and pepper well (I use a fork for this and go easy with the salt as we already added it to the veggies). Take a baking pan or a skillet which is oven safe and grease it along the edges and bottom with olive oil (here my PAM spray comes handy). The pan should be greased well or the dish will be hard as the eggs will burn.
Now add all the veggies to this pan and pour the egg mixture using the fork simultaneously to move the veggies so that the egg mixture can pour down to the bottom evenly.

You can now sprinkle the cheese you are using. If using Parmesan/mozzarella grate it but if using goat cheese just add the small chunks as its too soft to grate.

If you are using the oven safe skillet you can cover it and cook it on the stove top for few minutes and then transfer it to the over to broil for 5 mins and if you don't have an oven just continue cooking it covered on the stove top. For those of you who have the pan just put it in the oven and cook for 15-20 mins till the eggs cook and the dish looks fluffy. Broil for 3-5 mins. This is will ensure it has set well.

Switch off the oven and let it stay in there for 2 mins take it out and let it cool for another 2-3 mins and then cut into pieces like a pie/pizza. I served it with fresh fruit (Kiwi and strawberries) and some wine.

Note:

Feel free to use any veggies (potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes etc.)

I have made the same version adding some low fat cottage cheese too.

If you re-heat it and eat it for later make sure you cover it with plastic wrap and heat and not for too long as the eggs tend to get chewy.

You can serve this with tea/coffee and bread or just by itself