Chawal Vadi (Rice curry)

Chawal Vadi (Rice curry)

It's funny how simple items trigger wonderful memories of the past. This dish is a family dish which reminds me of all the beautiful moments I spent with my grandmother. This dish, to me, holds the flavour of nostalgia, the warmth of her embrace and all the stories she shared with me. I thought of sharing this recipe with you guys. This one-pot-meal might not remind you of your past but it will be an amazing start for your kids or friends to bond over and if like me you are a Punjabi, you would also feel the love I felt decades ago.

Preparation Time : 20 Min

Cooking Time : 25 to 30 Min

Serves : 4

Ingredients :

• Rice 1 Cup soaked for 20 min
• Oil 2 Tablespoon
• Bay leaves 2
• Zeera 1 Teaspoon
• Pinch of hing
• Green cardamom 2 to 3
• Cinnamon stick 1/2 inch
• Star anis 1
• Red chilly 2 to 3
• Salt according to taste
• Red chilly powder according to taste
• Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
• Coriander powder 1 teaspoon
• Green peas 1/2 cup
• Vadi ( any available in market) if it is big size break into pieces.
• For Masala
• Onion 1 medium size
• Tomato 2 medium size
• Green chilly 2
• Ginger 1/2 inch
• Garlic 3 - 4 cloves
• Lemon 1
• Green coriander for garnishing 

Video : 

Procedure :  

• Soak rice and keep aside.

• Take onion, tomato, green chilly, ginger and garlic in a mixer and form a smooth paste 

• Now take a cooker add oil heat it. Now add zeera and pinch of hing along with whole spices.

• Add onion tomato paste and sauce it for 5 to 6 minutes on medium flame.

• Once masala is roasted nicely add salt, red chilly, turmeric powder and coriander powder and mix it well

• Add 1 to 2 tablespoon of water to masala and cook till you get nice aroma and masala leave the oil

• Now add green peas and wadi to this. again sautés it 

• Now add rice roast it for 2 minutes

• Add 4 cup of water and pressure cook rice till 2 whistle. close the gas and wait for 10 minutes

• Before serving garnish it with green coriander and lemon juice ..

Tip : 

• If you find that water is less next time add little more water

Dal Parantha

Dal Parantha  

Come winters and we love eating paranthas of all sorts, aloo, gobhi, mooli, pudina etc.Here I am presenting a new variant, as daughter use to frequently demand something different from routine. Here I have used dal with its chhilka (skin) so that its fibrous content gets utilized. This is prepared using desi ghee and I have also added ingredients like ginger, garlic, ajwain, coriander etc. making it a complete meal giving it delicious taste and healthy content.

I love eating this in winters while sitting in sunshine and found it ideal for breakfast and for children's lunchbox as well.

Preparation Time : 30 Min

Cooking Time : 20 Min

Ingredients : 

• 2 Cup wheat flour
• 1/2 Cup split green moong dal soaked in water for 3 to 4 hours
• 1 Onion chopped
• 2 Green chilly chopped
• 1 Tbs Pure ghee plus ghee for cooking
• 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic greens (optional)
• 1 inch piece ginger chopped
• 1 Teaspoon ajwain seeds
• Salt according to taste
• 1 Tablespoon chopped coriander
• Red chilly powder according to taste
• Water as required to knead the dough

Procedure :  

• Wash and then Soak Dal in water for 3 to 4 hours. Now rub it so that the chhilka (its skin) gets removed as shown in picture

• In a bowl take wheat flour, add soaked dal and its skin, chopped onion, green chilly, garlic greens, chopped ginger, chopped coriander, ajwain, salt, red chilly powder and 1 tablespoon ghee mix all ingredients nicely and knead it into a stiff dough

• Keep this aside for 30 minutes covered with wet cloth

• Now take a small portion of dough, roll out into a round shape and apply 1/2 tablespoon of ghee on to this as shown in picture

• Now make a small cut as shown in picture. Hold the corner and make a round of dough
• Now roll this into a round 

• Heat a tawa and place the parantha over it. Cook it apply some ghee and turn it, again apply some ghee and cook it on medium flame till it gets cooked from both the sides

• Serve hot with curd and pickle 

Channa Dal Rice

Channa Dal Rice

Usually chana daal rice (we call it khichdi) is made on some festive occasions or during some special events. During our childhood we were served this often by mom. However as we grew we were attracted towards much more spicy biriyani.

To make this flat khichri more tasty I added whole spices and onions. I have also added ginger to this. Though we normally don't use onions during festivals however during visits of guests you can prepare this version and delight them.

Preparation Time : 30 Min

Cooking Time : 30 Min

Resting Time : 4 to 5 hours

Ingredients :

• 3/4 Cup Channa dal soaked for 4 to 5 hours
• 1 Cup Rice washed and soaked for 30 minutes
• 1 + 1 Tablespoon Pure ghee
• 1 Teaspoon zeera
• Few whole spices (2 green cardamom, 1Star anise,  little bit of dalchini, 2 bay leaves or tez patta)
• Pinch of hing
• 1 Teaspoon coarsely ground whole spices
• 3 Onions sliced
• 2 Green chilly chopped
• 2 Teaspoon ginger chopped
• 1 Tablespoon chopped coriander 
• Salt according to taste
• 2 Cup water
• Salt according to taste

Procedure :

• Take dal and soak it for 4 to 5 hours and rice for 30 minutes and keep both aside. 
• Take a pressure pan add a tablespoon of ghee along with zeera and whole spices 

• Now add soaked dal to this roast it for a minute or two. Now add rice and salt to this and saute it for 2 minutes add 2 cups of water to this and pressure cook it for one whistle. 

•  Once it is done wait for 10 min and then open the pan

• Take another pan add 1 Tablespoon of ghee add pinch of hing along with chopped ginger 

• Now add sliced onions to this and saute it for 5 to 6 minutes or till its color gets light brown; add chopped green chillies, pinch of salt and coarsely ground whole spices

• Now add cooked rice and dal to this mix well gently 

• Add chopped coriander, serve it hot with curd and pickles 

Tip : 

• Make sure Dal is soaked properly otherwise it won't get cooked properly
• You can use spices according to your taste