Gujarathi Dal for Indian Cooking Challenge

Indian cooking challenge recipe for the month of February is an authentic Gujarati dal from the award winning cookbook Sukham Ayu, authored by the duo- Jigyasa Giri & Pratibha Jain. Thanks to Jigyasa and Prathibha for sharing the recipe for the challenge. The recipe may not fit the bill for a challenge but it surely gave an opportunity to recreate the authentic flavor at home. That's also a purpose behind this ICC, to know about the authentic, regional recipes.

Now coming to the recipe, this is a simple recipe with ingredients easily available in an Indian kitchen. I must say, from the list of the ingredients, you will not be able to guess the taste and flavor of the final dish. For this, you must try and experience yourself. I literally ate only this dal and forgot about my rice. Basically, I love spicy and tangy food. The flavor and taste won me over.

 

 

 

You need

• Tuvar dal/Split red gram - ½ cup
• Turmeric powder ½ tsp
• Tamarind pulp - 2 tbspn (or dry soft kokum 4-5 pieces)
• Jaggery - 1 tspn
• Dry dates - 4,halved (I used lion dates)
• Drumstick/Muringakkai - 4-5 pieces, 2 inch length
• Yam/Chenai - 4-5 pieces, 1 inch cubes
• Groundnuts - 1 tbsp
• Green chillies - 2, slit
• Ginger -1 inch piece, chopped fine
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala - ¼ tsp (Used Kitchen king)
• Salt to taste

 Coriander leaves to garnish

 

 For the seasoning

•  Ghee - 2 tsp
•  Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
•  Fenugreek seeds - ¼ tsp
•  Cumin seeds - ½ tsp
•  Dry red chillies - 2
•  Asafoetida/Hing powder -¼ tsp
•  Curry leaves 5-6

 Method

 Pressure cook the dal along with yam pieces. I find yam taking a long time to cook. So pressure cooked it along with the dal. Add a pinch of turmeric and enough water to cover the dal. The dal should be cooked soft. When the pressure is released fully, remove the yam pieces and mash the dal well.

Take the mashed dal, cooked yam pieces and rest of the ingredients in a thick bottomed pan. Don't add garam masala and coriander leaves. Add a cup of water and let it simmer over low flame for 10 minutes. Take care that the dal doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. So stir occasionally.

Heat a seasoning ladle with ghee. Add mustard seeds. When it pops, add fenugreek, followed by cumin, red chillies hing and curry leaves. Pour the seasoning into the simmering dal. Allow to boil for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves.

 

Hot dal with steaming rice topped with a dollop of home made ghee will be the ultimate comfort food. Next time, I want to try with kokum and also include drumstick. I'm sure drumstick will take it to the next level. The recipe, from Sukham Ayu,  is well written with detailed instructions and the measurements are perfect.

 

 

 

  

Strawberry Coconut Fudge/Burfi with fresh strawberries

Today, being Valentine's Day, I have been seeing loads of recipes to suit the celebration mood. Personally, I am not the kind who looks forward to this day. Its like any other day for me. I have been looking for strawberry recipes to make best use of the seasonal availability.  Of late, I was baking a lot of cakes/cupcakes.   I wanted to make some Indian sweet for a change. Two days back, I asked my husband which traditional sweet he would want me to make. Husband's option was Coconut burfi. So I thought why not try adding some strawberry puree to my usual burfi. I wasn't sure if the sweet will set or not. I thought even if it doesn't hold shape, it will have a consistency of a halwa and can be eaten with a spoon. I went ahead and tried in smaller measurements, so that if it doesn't come out well, the wastage will be minimal. Probably, this is one of the few times, a recipe made in my kitchen makes it to the blog in the shortest time.

You need

• Fresh, grated coconut - 1/2 cup, packed
• Strawberry puree - 1/2 cup
• Sugar - 1 cup + 2 tblspn
• Ghee - 2 tspn
• Water - 1/2 cup

Method

Take 6-8 strawberries and make a puree of it. No need to strain the puree. Make sure there is no pieces in it. Heat a kadai with sugar and half cup of water. Keep stirring till the sugar is fully dissolved. Let the syrup boil to one string consistency. Stir in the strawberry puree. Let it simmer for 3 minutes or so. By then the syrup will bubble. Add the grated coconut. Keep stirring. When it starts thickening, add a teaspoon of ghee. Continue stirring for another 10 minutes. When it starts bubbling from all sides, add the remaining ghee and cook for a minute or two. Transfer to a greased plate and level it using a greased katori with a flat base. It takes little more time to set than a regular coconut burfi.

The fruit flavored burfi was very tasty. Its difficult to stop with one. And adding the fruit puree gives a new flavor to the burfi and doesn't even remind you of the traditional coconut burfi. Its a completely new taste. I am glad I tried this.

Get Rid of Nasty Garbage Disposal Odor

Take Care of Sink Stink...Once and For All!

If your kitchen is beginning to smell like the local landfill but you just can’t figure out why, it could be the garbage disposal. An often overlooked source of unpleasant kitchen odors, the garbage disposal can collect bits of food and waste that rot and cause nasty smells. The following tips can help you clean out the garbage disposal and eliminate garbage disposal odor.


The Basic Approach: Soap and Water
Once a month or so, plug the sink with the stopper and fill the basin with hot water and about 1/8 cup of grease-cutting dish soap. Take out the stopper when the sink is full and run the garbage disposal as the water and soap drain. This should not only remove trapped waste but will also help clean out the pipes for a fresher smelling sink.


The Commercial Approach: Disposal Deodorizer
There are several different garbage disposal deodorizers on the market. You’ll find these chemicals -- usually in liquid, gel, or dissolvable tablet form -- at most supermarkets and home improvement stores. They can be costly, but if used regularly as directed they can help clean out the garbage disposal and prevent odor build-up.


The Natural Approach: Vinegar and Citrus
Vinegar is a powerful and effective cleaning agent that’s been used around the house for decades. It’s a great deodorizer despite its pungent odor and also has some antibacterial properties. There are two ways to use vinegar to remove odors from your garbage disposal:

• Vinegar and Ice: Fill an ordinary ice tray with a 50/50 mixture of water and plain white vinegar (use more vinegar if your drain is particularly smelly). When the cubes freeze, run cold water into the sink and run the ice through the garbage disposal. The vinegar will eliminate bad smells and the ice will help sharpen the garbage disposal blades. Use this method two or three times a month and be sure to clearly label the ice tray so no one accidentally uses a vinegar cube in their drink.
• Vinegar and Baking Soda: Cover the inside of the drain with baking soda and pour in a half cup of white vinegar. Let the mixture sit for at least an hour. When time’s up, run cold water down the drain as you run the garbage disposal. Once the vinegar smell is gone, the nasty smells should disappear, too.

Another natural way to freshen your garbage disposal is with citrus fruit. Orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit -- choose the scent you prefer, drop the peels into the drain, and run the disposal. Citrus juice or pieces of the fruit would work, too. Just be sure to cut the fruit or peels into small pieces so they don’t damage the garbage disposal blades.


The Classic Approach: Bleach
Household bleach is another great all-around garbage disposal cleaning agent. Simply plug the sink and fill the basin with a mixture of water and a little bit of bleach. Slosh everything around with a plastic spoon or your hand (wear rubber gloves!). Let the mixture sit for about half an hour, and then unplug the drain. The bleach will clean and deodorize the garbage disposal, eliminating any bad smells.


WARNING:
NEVER put your hand or fingers down the garbage disposal unit. Even if the switch is off, it could easily flip on and your hand or fingers could be sliced or mashed. If you have food or other items stuck down in the garbage disposal, try to remove with prongs or pliers. If you cannot remove the items, call the plumbing and drain pros at Horizon Services; we'll quickly and safely remove the object.



Related Garbage Disposal Information from Horizon Services...

• Horizon Plumbing Services
• Horizon Drain Cleaning Services
• Horizon Sewer & Water Line Replacement Services
• Garbage Disposal Do's and Don'ts
• Fast and Easy Dishwasher Care and Maintenance