Simple Dal (Microwave version)

Ingredients:
Masoor dal - 1/2 cup
Spring onions - 4 (chopped)
Ginger - 2 tsp. (chopped)
Garlic - 2 cloves (crushed)
Tomatoes - 2 (small-chopped)
Green chillies - 2 (slit lengthily)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves - 10 leaves
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp. (chopped)
Asafoetida - 1 pinch (optional)
Lemon juice - few drops (optional)
Salt (to taste)
Oil - 2 tsp.

Method:
Soak dal in 1 cup of water for 30 minutes.
In a deep microwave safe bowl add the dal with the soaked water and also add 1/2 cup of water to 1 cup of water.
Cover and cook at microwave high for 10 to 12 minutes or until dal's cooked. Stir in between. Be careful!
In another microwave bowl, add oil, mustard and cumin seeds. Microwave for 2 minutes.
Add chopped spring onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies and microwave for another 2 minutes. Stir in between.
Add tomatoes and microwave for 3 minutes.
Now add this mixture to the dal and stir.
Add salt, cumin powder, turmeric powder and water if required and stir.
Microwave for 3 minutes and stir.
Add garam masala, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Microwave for 2 minutes. Stir.
Add lemon juice (I didn't add lemon juice and asafoetida) and serve immediately.
Enjoy with plain rice or with chapati.

Note:
I didn't have a bowl of long depth, so I used the normal regular ones and the dal water leaked out of it on the turntable (the rotating glass plate).
I didn't mash the dal.

Updated on 14/06/10
Edit:
-Soak the dal before cooking in the microwave.
-The dal should be cooked without any lid closed on the vessel.
-The water dries up while cooking. Check every 2-3 minutes for the moisture and add a little amount of water every time when it dries up. This is to prevent the dal from being burned.

WARNING: DO NOT COOK IN PLASTIC!

-Use a microwave proof dish or a corningware dish.

Sent off to "MEC-Delicious Dals" (hosted by Kamalika and started by Srivalli), "Think Spice Think Garam Masala" (hosted by Saraswathi and started by Sunitha) and "Healing Foods-Onions" (hosted by Priya and started by Siri).

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Snake gourd/Pudalankaai Poricha Kootu

Ingredients:
To boil:
Pudalankaai/snake gourd - 350 gm (tender)
Moong dal - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)

To fry and powder:
Black gram/urad dal - 1 tbsp.
Peppercorns - 1 1/2 tsp.
Byadgi chillies - 3
Grated coconut- 1/4 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Oil

To Temper:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Urad dal - 1 tsp.
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil


To garnish:
Chopped coriander leaves

Method:
Add moong dal and water in an open pan. Let it cook.
When the dal is half done, add the chopped veggies along with white fiber and tender seeds.
Add turmeric powder and salt.
Fry and powder the given ingredients.
Add this powder to boiled dal and vegetable. Mix well.
Temper the given ingredients and pour it in the kootu.
Remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve as side dish for rice.

Sent off to "CWS-Pepper" (hosted by Padma and started by Priya) and "Green Gourmet Event-1" (hosted by Preeti Kashyap of Write Food: Relishing Recipes).

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Spring Onion Bhurji

Here is another version with spring onions.

Ingredients:
Spring Onion - 250 gm
Gram flour/Besan - 2 tbsp.
Oil - 2 tbsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp.
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp.
Lemon juice - from half fruit
Salt (to taste)

Method:
Chop finely both green and white part of the spring onions.
Heat oil and add cumin seeds.
Add spring onions, turmeric, chilli, coriander powders, salt and garam masala. Mix well.
Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove the lid and add the besan and cook for 6 minutes without lid stirring continuously.
Add lemon juice and serve hot with chapatis.

Sent off to "Healing Foods-Onions" (hosted by Priya and started by Siri) and "Think Spice Think Garam Masala" (hosted by Saraswathi and started by Sunitha).

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Pepper Chicken

Ingredients:
To Marinate:
Chicken - 1 kg (cut into bite size)
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp.
Kashmiri Red chilli - 1/2 tsp.
Salt - 1/4 tsp.
Curry leaves - 4 sprigs (finely chopped)

For masala:
Onion - 4 (chopped finely)
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp.
Ripe tomatoes - 2 (finely chopped)
Green chilli - 2 (slit lengthily)
Bay leaves -2
Salt (as required)
Oil

To powder coarsely:
Cinnamon (1 inch) - 2
Cloves - 2
Green cardamom - 2
Mace - 2
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp.

To add at the final stage:
Pepper coarsely powdered - 2 tbsp.
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp. (chopped)

Method:
Marinate the chicken with the given ingredients "to marinate" for 30 minutes. Cover and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add the bay leaves and the spices under "to powder coarsely".
Add the onions and saute till it changes color and the oil releases.
Add the ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and saute till they are pulpy.
Add required salt and the marinated chicken.
Saute for 2 to 3 minutes and cook the chicken by covering with a lid.
Stir in between.
When the chicken is tender saute till they turn dry.
Now add the coarsely powdered pepper, coriander leaves and saute for 5 minutes in medium flame without burning. The chicken should be completely dry.
Enjoy with any main course.

Sent off to "CWS-Pepper" (hosted by Padma and started by Priya).

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Vazhakkai Milagu Varuval/Plantain Pepper Fry

Ingredients:
Plantain - 2
Onion - 1 (chopped)
Garlic - 2 (crushed)
Curry leaves -1 sprig
Sambar powder - 1/2 tsp.
Peppercorn - 1/2 tsp.
Grated coconut - 2 1/2 tbsp.
Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
Oil
Salt (to taste)

For tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Black Gram - 1 tsp.

Method:
Slice the plantain into circles.
Heat the oil and temper the 'tempering' ingredients.
Add onions, garlic, curry leaves and saute till the onions change color.
Add plantain and saute for 2 minutes.
Add sambar powder, coriander powder and required salt and saute for a minute.
Add required water to cook the plantain.
After a while, the water should be absorbed and the plantain should be cooked.
Meanwhile fry peppercorn and grated coconut (till they turn golden).
Add this powder to the plantain and saute till they turn dry.
Serve with any type of rice.

Sent off to "CWS-Pepper" (hosted by Padma and started by Priya).

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Keerai Milagu Masiyal

Ingredients:
Amaranth leaves - 200 gm
Arhar/Tuvar dal - 3 tbsp. (boiled)
Tomatoes - 2 (small)
Peppercorn - 1 tsp.
Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp.
Black gram - 1 1/2 tsp.
Vadagam - 2 tsp.
Oil
Salt (to taste)

Method:
Cook the amaranth leaves in an open pan with little water.
When the leaves are half done, add chopped tomatoes and mix.
Meanwhile dry roast the peppercorn and fry the black gram and grated coconut till golden color.
Powder peppercorn, black gram and grated coconut.
When the leaves are done let them become warm.
Grind them coarsely.
Add the boiled tuvar dal, powder and salt. Play with the blender for 2-3 times.
Temper with vadagam.
Serve with rice with a drop of ghee. :)

Note:
Adjust the pepper according to your taste.

Sent off to "CWS-Pepper" (hosted by Padma and started by Priya).

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