Buckwheat and whole Red Lentil Curry/Usal/Thick soup - Weekend Lunch Thali

New years first Sunday, I prepared simple soul food for lunch. Lentil-Grain fusion curry was made with combination of whole Masoor Dal (Whole Red Lentil) and  Buckwheat groats, for side veggies I cooked Kerala style cabbage thoran and carrot salad with toasted sesame seeds. Enjoyed with hot rotis and fluffy par boiled rice. It was simple yet very satisfying lunch.

Note - Published on 12th April 2011

Whole Masoor Dal & Buckwheat Usal / Curry

Ingredients:-

• 1 Cup  whole Red Lentil (whole Masoor dal)
• 1/4 Cup whole Buckwheat groats
• 1 medium size onion - finely chopped
• 5-6 fresh garlic cloves - finely crushed
• 1.5 inch piece of ginger - finely crushed
• 12-15 fresh curry leaves
• 1 Tb.spoon oil
• 6-7 cups water
• 1 T.spoon red chili powder
• 1/2 T.spoon turmeric powder
• 1 heaped T.spoon Garam Masala  or you can use Goda, Malvani, Kpra - Zatpat Amti-bhaji Masala, also you can mix and match two different types of  ready-made masalas. 
• 1 T.spoon brown sugar
• 1 Cup - fresh chopped cilantro 

Curry Cooking  Process :-

1. Rinse Masoor Dal and Buckwheat thoroughly in water . Keep it aside by adding 4 cups water. No pre soaking is required. (If you are not using pressure cooker then soak Masoor Dal for 4 hours to reduce cooking time. Buckwheat cooks faster so 30 minutes  soaking should be fine.)
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil  in pressure cooker / pressure pan  (minimum 4 quart size) - toss in 7-8 curry leaves and sizzle for 10 seconds. Add chopped onions, saute for 7-8 minutes on medium flame until they get soft and translucent.
3. Add finely crushed ginger and garlic, saute for 1 minute.
4. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder and garam masala or your choice of masala as suggested in the ingredients. Mix well - saute for 1-2 minutes on a medium low heat.
5. Now pour in soaked whole red lentils and Buckwheat along with 4 cups of water.Add salt, 1 teaspoon brown sugar. Mix well  and continue to simmer on high heat until it starts to boil. Close the pressure cooker lid and pressure cook until it blows two whistles. Quickly shut-off the heat and allow to cool down. It is o.k if it blows third whistle after you shut off the heat.
6. After pressure cooker is cooled down - switch on the heat again and add 2 more cups of water, you can adjust water quantity as per your desired consistency. Add remaining curry leaves and fresh chopped cilantro. Simmer it uncovered for 10-12 minutes on medium heat.
7. Serve over rice or enjoy with roti. Also this curry can be served  in a bowl as thick soup by drizzling warm  melted ghee.

Note :- You can enrich this curry/soup by adding some greens, veggies.. Like this black eyed peas curry enriched with Lauki and  this Split moong Dal enriched with Tomatillo and spinach.
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Carrot Salad with toasted sesame seeds 

Ingredients :-

• 2 Carrots - 7-8 inch long ( julienne cut - yield should be 1 heaped cup)
• 1 Green chili - finely chopped
• 5-6 Curry leaves
• 1/4 cup - finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 T.spoon Sesame seeds
• 1 T.spoon vinegar
• 1/4 T.spoon sugar
• 1 T.spoon oil

Process :- Heat 1 teaspoon oil, once it is moderately hot add chopped green chilies and 5-6 curry leaves..sizzle it for 15 seconds, now quickly add 1 teaspoon sesame seeds..stir for 10 seconds. Now add carrots...Stir fry on high heat for 2 minutes. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon sugar, little salt. Stir fry for 2 more minutes on medium heat - remove from heat.Garnish with cilantro.

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Cabbage Thoran

Ingredients :-

• 1 small size half cabbage - ( sliced - yield 2 Cups heaped )
• 1 T.spoon - oil
• 5-6 Curry leaves
• 2 green chilies - finely chopped
• 1/2 T.spoon Turmeric
• 1/2 T.spoon cumin
• 1/2 Cup - lightly packed fresh grated coconut
• 1/4 Cup - finely chopped fresh cilantro

Process :- This flavorful Thoran/stir fry subzi from Kerala cuisine  is very simple to prepare. Take small size half cabbage and finely slice in  1.5 inch length strips. (2 cup packed heaped) Heat 1 teaspoon oil, add 5-6 curry leaves and chopped chilies - sizzle for 10 seconds. Add half teaspoon cumin and half teaspoon  turmeric - stir and sizzle for 10 seconds. Now quickly add sliced cabbage, mix well, sprinkle salt  and cook on medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Do stir at regular interval. Now add 1 tablespoon water - mix well and cook uncovered for another 4-5 minutes on low medium heat. Garnish with fresh coconut and  chopped cilantro.

For Cabbage Thoran with carrots and green peas click this  Recipe.

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Snow Storm brings White Christmas in Cary, NC.

On 25th and 26th December-2010, my city experienced the first white Christmas  in more than 60 years. It started to snow on 25th night and by 26th December afternoon  we got  8 inches of snow. City got covered under thick, fluffy blanket of snow...entire nature got transformed with  beautiful glimpses of winter landscapes. Enjoy the  immense beauty  of  this  rare white  Christmas day by scrolling down few captured pictures.

Self Note :Post published on 01-11-11.

26th morning..my Drive way was fully covered with snow, neighbor's car parked on their drive way.

View from kitchen window.

Roads were not safe to drive.

Water drainage pipe, dripping water from roof  formed shiny hanging icicles on bushes.

Left side view of the above picture.

 Last time it was2 inches snow now  8 inches.

Soft and fluffy Snow covering  bare trees.

Pristine White Christmas.

This is  my most favorite tall Tree. (You will see it often)

On 28th December, I drove out...Still lot of snow was around.

Snow lingered almost for a week, On 29th morning 9.15 am ... Sun was masked with clouds...Beautiful glimpse, peaceful silent moment was experienced.

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Butter Cookies flavored with Cardamom & Nutmeg

Warm Christmas  cheers all around city brings very good feeling in heart..it is time that you see lot of love, sharing, giving spirits. Weather is very cold and predictions are made for white Christmas in the city. I decided to bake small batch of simple butter cookies with cardamom and nutmeg flavor. Cookies tasted delicious and aroma of cardamom and nutmeg was very intriguing. I have followed  almost same recipe of Desi Nankatai. In India I used to make Nankatai biscuits during Diwali days,dough will be prepared at night  and early morning I would  take it to local Irani bakery to get them baked, they used to charge just 2 Rs. per tray. Wood fire bakeries gave excellent Nankatai results. Only difference in recipe is Dalda is replaced with butter. Aroma and taste is just like Nankatai but texture gets a bit little harder...may be next time I will use Dalda (vegetable shortening) to get soft Desi Nankatai texture.

Self Note : Recipe published on 01-11-11.

Ingredients :-

• 1 stick butter ( 8 Tb.spoon) thaw it to room temperature.
• 1 Cup confectioners sugar - lightly packed
• 1.5 Cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 4-5 Cardamom - finely powdered
• Nutmeg - peanut size piece - finely powdered
• Cashew halves - 15-20 pieces to garnish cookies top

Preparation :-

1. In a medium size  deep bowl place softened butter stick. Beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Scrape all sides and collect all softened butter to the  center of the bowl. 
2. Slowly add confectioners sugar and continue beating until butter and sugar is well mixed and turns into smooth and fluffy paste.
3. Sprinkle powdered cardamom and nutmeg.
4. Now slowly add all purpose flour and continue to mix with mixer. At this stage it will break fluffy paste and turn a bit dry. Keep beating for about 2 minutes.Keep mixer aside.
5. Merge dry dough with hand into ball. If you are unable to form the dough ball then add 1 teaspoon milk and merge. Don't add more than 2 teaspoon milk. Thoroughly massage the dough ball and cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 15 minutes.
6. Make 15-16 round balls. You can use tablespoon to scoop dough to make equal size balls. Roll each ball between two palm and slightly press in center, press half cashew nut  and place cookies  on greased cookie sheet. Maintain over half an inch distance between each cookie.

Cookie baking process :-

1. These cookies need attention while baking. Total baking time is around 20-25 minutes.
2. Set one baking rack on second slot and another rack in the  middle - Pre-heat oven to 325 F.
3. Place cookie sheet on middle rack tray and bake for 12-15 minutes.
4. Now change oven setting to broil on low. This brings nice golden brown shade, few cracks  on top of the cookies. Maintain this setting for just 3-4 minutes and quickly shut off the oven. (At this stage you need to keep attention..the moment you see enough brown shade on top, move cookie sheet to lower rack.)
5. Move the cookie sheet to lower rack and continue baking for another 10 minutes.
6. Remove from oven..cool them and enjoy Butter cookies.

Christmas Greetings!!

Wishing all my readers, followers, visitors a Warm and  Happy Christmas & Peaceful..Prosperous..Healthy New Year. May peace prevail in all times and all places.

 

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Spectacular skies.. Incredible cloud pattern - Spiritual experience.

Friday 10th December, Since morning I kept delaying my bank visit..around 4.30 evening suddenly  I left home. Bank is just one mile away from home, I finished my work in five minutes and headed towards home...Sun was setting and I witnessed a beautiful intriguing sky splash...I do often see unique splashes of clouds and sky but this one was extremely catchy...and worth capturing...I quickly made right turn into parking lot of the grocery store, pulled over  and captured this cloud beauty from cell phone camera. I  rushed to home to enjoy some more glimpses from different angle. 

If you carefully watch all the pictures, you will find 2-3 long smoke trails created by small flying planes..that sure added more magical touch. I enjoyed this blessed spiritual experience for about 20 minutes..Please scroll down to experience.

First picture taken from Grocery shop Parking lot.

I drove further towards home and this is second capture.

Third picture taken with cell phone camera.

After reaching home I captured this picture with Digital Camera.

 Second Capture with Digital camera