Quick Green Split Moong Dal with Pressure Cooker - Paasi Paruppu

Cooking dal/lentils or making paruppu is perhaps easiest business of all and you would think a recipe is not warranted. The reality is making dal in a pressure cooker and still maintaining taste and flavor is something that has to be done right. Not exactly rocket science but worthy of a blog post :)

While making paasi paruppu or moong dal on a stove top and even better in a clay pot might be the best of them all you can achieve close to perfection even with a pressure cooker. The secret is the combination of spices which make it take taste just like mom or grand mom made it.

I realize I hardly talk about stuff these day. It is not because I do not have stuff to talk about. It is just that I don't have time to put them in writing. Soon ...

I don't like the texture of cooked yellow moong when made into dal/paruppu anymore. I'd rather use the one with the skin on. The split green moong tastes a lot better. While I use yellow moong for making a quick sambhar for idli and idli podi/paruppu podi
I prefer using the split green moong for making paruppu.

Roast the split moong for about 5-6 minutes till it starts to change color a bit. In a pressure cooker take the moong dal, cut onion, garlic, green chilies, cumin and pepper powder,turmeric powder, salt without enough water.
Pressure cook the dal for 3 whistles, let cool, open and mash it with the wooden masher or the back of a ladle.
Prepare the seasonings and pour over the dal.

While this quick dal tastes best with some rice and ghee (skip for vegan), it can be perfect as a side for rotis or chapatis.

Paasi Paruppu - Quick Green Split Moong Dal
Preparation Time:10 minutes
Cooking Time:20 minutes
Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 cup of split green moong (requires 2 cups of water for a fairly thick cooked dal)
2. 4-5 slit green chilies
3. 1/4 cup of roughly chopped onions
4. 3 garlic cloves cut
5. 1 tsp of grated ginger (optional)
6. 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1/2 tsp pepper corn roughly pounded
7. 1 tsp turmeric code
8. salt to taste
9. few sprigs of coriander leaves, with stem or stems removed chopped
10. 1 tsp ghee or oil for vegan
11. seasonings: cumin seeds and mustard seeds

Method

1. Dry roast the split green moong for about 5-6 minutes till it starts to change color.
2. In a pressure cooker, add the roasted moong, water, cut onions, chilies, garlic, cumin and pepper powder, ginger if using, turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp of salt.
3. Pressure cook for 3 whistles and let cool, open the cooker and mash it using a wooden masher or back of a ladle.
4. In a small sauce pan or seasoning pan, add ghee or oil, add the cumin seeds, followed by the mustard seeds. Let it pop. Add the chopped coriander leaves and let it wilt.
5. Pour the seasonings over the cooked and mashed dal.

Serve with rice and for best taste with some ghee drizzled on top.

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Vendaikkai Sambhar - Lady'finger/ Okra in lentils

Every Kongu worth his or her salt absolutely needs to know how to make uppu paruppu with either toor or moong, and also at least one kind of sambhar, just saying...

When DD started cooking by herself this summer, this blog got a work out. She asked me questions that made a lot of sense and I realize that these questions perhaps ones that most people have when they start to cook. A lot of questions were regarding how to cook the vegetables before adding them to the tamarind mixture. Vegetables like Swiss Chard (or any greens for that matter), egg plant, squash, pumpkin, beans (green, avrakkai), potatoes etc can be added without being precooked. Drumsticks at least the ones I get here have to be precooked for at least 8-10 minutes before adding to the sambhar. A friend once told me that sambhar is not sambhar unless the vegetable is cooked in the tamarind water. So saute the vegetables first and then add the tamarind mixture to the vegetable.

I never make okra sambhar for the simple reason that the sambhar gets very slimy if the okra is not fresh. But if you have fresh on hand there is no excuse not to make sambhar with it. But unlike the other vegetables okra needs pre-sauteing in oil to avoid the slime transferring to the sambhar. The main reason why I decided to make a post just for okra sambhar.

Some people add tomatoes to the sambhar. I normally do not, unless I am making tomato sambhar. A good quality sambhar powder is essential in making a tasty sambhar. Here is the recipe of sambhar powder the way my grandma makes it which is the way my mother makes it and sends my way.

Normally toor dal/pigeon peas or tuvaram paruppu is used for making sambhar but a combination of toor and moong works just as well.

Wash and dry completely and cut the okra into about 3/4 inch pieces. In a saute pan heat oil and saute the okra and set aside.
In a saute pan heat oil and add the seasonings followed by the onion and saute till translucent. Add in the sauted okra pieces saute a couple of minutes and add the sambhar powder. Mix.
Let the tamarind mixture come to a boil. Mash and keep the cooked dal ready.
Add the dal to the tamarind mixture, add salt and chopped coriander leaves. Let come to a boil and turn off the heat.

Vendaikkai Sambhar
Preparation Time:10 minutes
Cooking Time:30 minutes
Ingredients

1. 3/4 lbs of okra or lady's finger washed, completely dried and cut into 3/4 -1 inch size pieces
2. 1 cup of toor dal (Add 2 cups of water to 1 cup of dal) (See Note:)
3. 1/2 red onion chopped or best 10-15 small shallots cut in half
4. 1 tbsp sambhar powder (the quantity depends on how spicy you want the sambhar to be)
5. 1/4 cup of tamarind pulp made from a small lime sized ball of tamarind (or 2 tsp of tamarind paste mixed in 1/4 cup of water)
6. seasonings: mustard seeds, cumin seeds, a few methi seeds and curry leaves
7. salt to taste
8. 2 tsp of oil
9. handful coriander leaves

Method

1. Pressure cook the toor dal with the required amount of water(see Note:) for 3 whistles till or if on a stove top cooked till it is mushy.
2. While the dal is cooking, in a saute pan heat a tsp oil and saute the okra till it starts to brown on the edges and no sign of slime is visible(about 6-8 minutes). Set aside.
3. In the same saute pan (clean if stuff is stuck on the bottom) add the rest of the oil, when hot add the seasonings, when mustard starts to splutter add the onion and saute till translucent add the okra pieces in, add the sambhar powder, mix and add the tamarind pulp. Let the tamarind pulp come to a boil and cook for about 5-6 minutes or till the okra is soft.
4. Mash the cooked dal and add it to the tamarind mixture. Add a cup more water if required. Add salt. Add in the coriander leaves. Let come to a boil. Turn off the heat or cook longer till desired consistency is reached.
5. Note:
The amount of water to dal ratio depends on the toor dal. Most require about 2 cups, some might require less. General rule of thumb is to cook it with twice the amount of water the first time and then adjust the water quantity based on how watery or thin you want it to be. For sambhar watery is just fine.

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Uppu Paruppu - Simple Seasoned Dal

When I started writing this blog, it was more as a hobby and also this distant thought that it would one day help the kids to cook foods from their childhood. Little did I realize that the faraway thought will become a reality this quickly. It makes me want to cry but also proud of her attempting to cook instead of taking the easy way out and eating junk food and of the site being useful that way.

Cut the onions , green chilies and coriander leaves. Heat the pan, add oil and saute the onions, chiles and coriander leaves.
Add the cooked dal and salt, turn off the heat and the dal is ready.

This recipe that is something that any Indian food lover should have up their sleeve. Very simple and cooked in no time it provides the confidence to move on to other complicated recipes. While a pressure cooker is a god send for this recipe, not having a pressure cooker should not be a detriment. The recipe can be made with any of the Indian lentils/dal like toor dal (pigeon peas), masoor (mysore paruppu) or moong (paasi paruppu). Refer here for a primer on dal.

Without further talk here is the recipe,

Uppu Paruppu - Simple Seasoned Dal
Preparation Time:10 minutes
Cooking Time:20 minutes
Ingredients

1. 1 cup of toor dal, masoor dal or moong dal
2. 2 tbsp of finely chopped onions (optional, if not on hand leave it out)
3. 2 green chilies chopped or 1 tsp pepper powder or 1 tsp red chili powder or 1 tsp sambhar powder
4. 2 tbsp of chopped coriander leaves (optional, if not on hand leave it out)
5. seasonings: cumin seeds, curry leaves and mustard seeds
6. 1 tsp oil (or ghee)
7. 2 tsp of turmeric powder
8. salt to taste

Method

1. Cook the dal with enough water, (usually in the ratio 1 cup of dal to 1.5 cups of water) with a few drops of oil and turmeric powder (see note:). If using pressure cooker cook for 2 whistles.
2. Once the dal is cooked, in a sauce pan or wide mouthed pan or kadai, add the oil or ghee and when hot add the cumin seeds, followed by the mustard seeds and when it pops add the curry leaves.
3. Add the onions and green chilies and saute till the onions turn translucent.
4. Lower the heat and add in the turmeric powder and spice powders if using instead of the green chilies, saute for 30 seconds. Add the coriander leaves and mix.
5. Mash the dal with the back of a laddle and pour it into the saute pa n and if required add a 1/2 cup of water along with salt. Let it come to a boil and immediately turn off the heat.
6. Note: The turmeric powder can be added while cooking the dal but if using pressure cooker if extra water was added it will spray so to avoid turmeric splattered all over leave it out now and add while sauteing.
7. If onions or green chilies are not used just add the spice powders and turmeric powder to the oil directly.
8. While I use a different pan to season the dal, you can transfer the cooked dal from the pressure cooker to another container, wash and use the pressure cooker for the seasoning part as well but no need to put the weight on again.
While tastes best with rice can be a side dish for roti or chapathi.

Kale leaves paruppu - Kale leaves with lentils - split pigeon peas

Thanksgiving ushers in the season of gluttony. I don't know about you but I use that as an excuse to indulge in things I have been trying to avoid all year. With parties everywhere including the office it is almost impossible to avoid those sweets and fatty foods that seem to taste so good but are so very bad.

So among all the bad eating it is good to mix it up with simple but good foods like this Kale paruppu. Nothing fancy but taste good with its simple flavors. I read that kale leaves get sweeter as it gets colder and now I have proof. The plant is hardy enough to take the frost and even a light dusting of snow. The good news is the kale plants are still alive after the November cold wave. The leaves do not grow as long but the ones that are in the plant sure are sweeter.

Wash and drain the kale leaves. Cook the lentils and keep them ready.
Add oil in a pan and add the seasonings. Add the onions, green chilies saute till the onions are starting to brown. Add the powders - turmeric, cumin and pepper powder. Add the kale leaves and saute till the leaves wilt.
Once the leaves have wilted add the cooked lentils and salt and let it come to a boil.

If you prefer you could treat this kale paruppu as a soup and it is perfect in the biting cold.

Kale leaves paruppu - Kale leaves with lentils - split pigeon peas
Preparation Time:10 minutes
Cooking Time:20 minutes
Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup of toor dal/ split pigeon peas -or any lentil of your preference - moong, masoor(split red lentil)
2. 2-3 cups of washed and chopped kale leaves
3. 1/4 cup of finely chopped onions / shallots
4. 5-6 green chilies + 1 red chili for color
5. 1 tsp of turmeric powder
6. a pinch of cumin powder + 1 pinch of pepper powder
7. seasonings: curry leaves, mustard seeds, cumin seeds
8. 1 tsp oil (or ghee)
9. salt to taste

Method

1. Pressure cook the lentils with 1 1/2 cups of water and a couple of drops of sesame oil till it is soft and can be mashed. (see note:)
2. In a pan heat oil, add the seasonings cumin seeds followed by the mustard seeds and when the mustard seeds pop, add the curry leaves followed by the onions and green chilies. Saute till the onions are starting to brown on the edges.
3. Add in the turmeric powder, cumin and pepper powders and give a good mix.
4. Add in the kale leaves and saute for 2-3 minutes. The leaves will shrivel.
5. Add in the mashed cooked dal/lentils along with salt. Let come to a boil.
6. Note:Turmeric powder can be added while cooking the lentils but due to splattering when cooking in a pressure cooker it can be added during seasoning.
7. You can run the kale leaves through a food processor to chop them into finer pieces if preferred.
Simple but extremely tasty dal is ready to serve with rice or as a soup.

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Thattakkai Beans Kootu - Kongu Style - Tender Black Eyed Pea Pods with lentils

The characteristic of of my mother's or grandmother's cooking and by extension the Kongu method of cooking is that it is mostly light, quick to prepare and has a very few spices. I had some fresh Black Eyed Pea Pods and this kootu was the first thing that came to my mind. These black eyed pea pods are very similar to yard long beans in looks but shorter. Taste wise these are a bit sweeter.

I asked my mom to use toor dal instead of moong dal just because ... Anyway if you are using moong dal make sure to roast them first till they start to turn slightly brown.

Step by Step:

Cook the dal with plenty of water till mushy. Get the ingredients for the spice paste ready.
Blend the coconut, green chilies, coriander, cumin seeds and pepper corns with a couple of tbsp of water to a fairly smooth paste. Add turmeric powder to the cooked dal and set aside.
Chop the beans and the onions and get them ready. In a pressure cooker heat oil add seasonings followed by the onions and chopped beans and saute for a few minutes.
Add the blended paste and the dal and pressure cook for a couple of whistles.

Thattakai Beans kootu - Kongu Style
Preparation Time:15 minutes
Cooking Time:20 minutes
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients

1. 3/4 cup toor dal or roasted moong dal (or half toor and half moong)
2. 1 1/2 cups of Black eyed peas (thattakkai beans) cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3. 1/4 cup of chopped red onions or shallots
For grinding
4. 3-4 green chilies
5. 2 tbsp of grated fresh or frozen coconut
6. 2 tsp cumin seeds
7. 1 tsp coriander seeds
8. a few pepper corns
9. a small piece of asfoetida
10. Blend the above (raw) to a paste with addition of 2 tbsp or so of water
11. 1 tsp of oil
12. 2 tsp of turmeric powder
13. seasonigs: curry leaves, cumin, 1 split red chili and mustard seeds
14. salt to taste

Method

1. Cook the toor dal till it is soft and mushy. Add the turmeric powder and set aside. Add as much as you want while cooking depending on if you want the kootu to be thin or thick.
2. In a pressure cooker heat oil and add the seasonings - cumin, red chili and mustard seeds and when the mustard starts to splutter add the onions and the beans, saute for a couple of minutes.
3. Now add the ground coconut spice mixture and saute for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add in the cooked dal and salt and a cup of water if required. Place the lid of the cooker and cook for 2 whistles. Alternatively continue cooking on the stove top till the beans is completely cooked. More water be required if cooked without a pressure cooker.
5. Note:Green beans, bottle gourd, snake gourd or even greens can be used.

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