AAMRAS DAL

NOTE: Aam ras the delicious creamy soft pudding enjoyed now in this season.Using aamras I have made this delicious dal.Very light on spices it tastes just YUM.Try out the recipe and give me your feedback.

U need:
Fresh Aamras: 1 cup (1 small juicy mango pulp +1/2 cup milk and 1/4 cup cream beaten well)
Moon dal: 3/4 cup
Red chillies: 2 broken
Ginger-green chilli paste: 1 tsp
Bay leaf:1
Cloves:2
Cinnamon stick:1
Salt to taste
Chilli powder:1/4 tsp
Sugar : 1 tsp
Ghee: 2 tablsp
Jeera: 1 tsp

METHOD:
1. Wash and soak moong dal for 15 mins.Pressure cook the dal with 1 cup water.
2. Remove form cooker,mash the dal and keep on the stove on very low flame,stirring well.Add the aamras,1/4 cup water and stir well.The cooking should be done on very low flame.Once the mixture stars to boil add salt and ginger-green chilli paste.Stir well.Simmer for few mins.Add 1 tsp sugar.
3. Switch off the gas and cover with a lid.Heat ghee in a small pan.When hot add bay leaf,cloves,cinnamon and jeera and saute.Add the broken red chillies and off the gas.Add the chilli powder,stir well.Add this bhagar to the aamras dal and cover. Let the baghar infuse the dal.
4. Garnish the dal with some fresh cream and slit green chillies before serving with rotis of your choice.

MALABAR AVIAL

NOTE: Avial is well known in Kerala and there are different ways in preparing this dish. The recipe below is in Malabari style where shallots,garlic and ginger is ground and so this avial is as delicious as the ones cooked in the traditional way. You can omit shallots and garlic but for once try this recipe too for a different yummy taste.

U need:
Ash gourd: 1 cup sliced thin sticks
Red pumpkin: 1 cup sliced thin
Drumstick: 2 cut to small pieces
Avarakkai:1/4 cup sliced thin
Raw banana: 1/4 cup sliced thin
Karamani(runner beans): 1/4 cup cut to small pieces
Green peas: 2 tsp
Ginger: 1" piece
Garlic: 1 pod optional
Shallots (small onions): 2 peeled
Grated fresh coconut: 1/4 cup
Green chillies: 4
Red chilli powder: 1/4 tsp
Jeera: 1 tsp
Coconut oil: 2 tsp
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Beaten slightly sour curd: 1/4cup

METHOD:
1. Heat a deep bottomed kadai. Add all the vegetables one by one,add 1/2 tsp turmeric and the red chilli powder, water just to soak the vegetables and cook till the vegetables are cooked and the excess water is evaporated.Add salt.
2. Grind together the coconut,ginger,green chillies,jeera ,garlic pod(optional) to a fine paste using some curd. Separately coarse grind the shallots and some curry leaves and set aside.(Optional)
3. To the cooked vegetables add the ground coconut paste and stir well.Simmer for few mins. Add the coarsely ground shallot curry paste and simmer for few min..Off the gas.Cover and rest.
4. Once the avial is slightly cool add the beaten curd,more curry leaves and coconut oil.Mix well.
5.Serve with hot rice,coconut thuvayal ,pepper rasam and papadoms.

DHABELI CHANNA WITH BREAD

U need:
White chola: 1 cup soaked overnight
Onion: 1 medium
Ginger: 2"
Ginger julienne: 1 tsp
Chola masala: 1 tsp
Garam masala:1 tsp
Cloves:2
Cinnamon:2
Cardamom pods:2
Tea bag:1
Bay leaf : 1
Green chillies: 2 minced fine
Jaggery: 1 tsp
Chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
Tomatoes: 2 small chopped fine
Oil as needed
Salt to taste

METHOD:
1. Wash well the soaked chola.In a small muslin cloth put in cloves,cardamom,cinnamon and bay leaf and tie to make a potli. Add this to the chola and pressure cook  along with with 1/2 tsp cooking soda,tea bag, till soft.
2. Grind well chopped onion,ginger and tomatoes. Heat oil in a kadai. When hot add 1 tsp jeera,chopped green chilies and fry well.Now add the onion tomato paste and continue frying.
3. Sprinkle a little water from time to time and saute. Add the chola masala, garam masala and stir well.Now add the chilli powder and jaggery and continue stirring till the masalas are well cooked .
4. Open the pressure cooker.Remove the muslin potli,the tea bag and add the cooked chola to the simmering masala. Simmer .Add salt and simmer further till the chola is well blended into the masala and the gravy is almost semi dry.
5. Heat oil.Deep fry 4 slices of bread and cut them into half. Transfer the dhabeli chana to a serving bowl.Garnish with ginger julienne. Serve with the fried  bread.