Serves: 4
Cooking time (approx.): 22 minutes
Style: Indian Vegetarian (Bengali)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup(s) split Bengal gram (chola dal)
3 cups water
½ teaspoon(s) each of turmeric powder and sugar
3 red chillies broken
3 cloves
½” stick cinnamon
1 green cardamom(s) powdered
1 teaspoon(s) cumin seeds
1″ piece ginger finely chopped
1 green chilli(es) finely chopped
3 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon(s) grated fresh coconut
salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Soak the split Bengal gram in the water for a few minutes. Place the soaked split gram with the water (do not drain) in a heavy-bottomed vessel on high heat along with the cloves, cinnamon, cardamom powder, turmeric, sugar and salt. Let it come to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes or till the gram is soft but the grains are yet separate. Keep aside.

2. For the tempering, heat the oil in a pan till very hot . Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter. Now, add the red chilli bits, chopped green chilli(es) and ginger. Fry on low heat for 2 minute(s).

3. Add the tempering to the cooked gram and mix well. Cook covered on low heat for 5 minutes. Mix in the fresh grated coconut just before serving.

Serves: 4
Cooking time (approx.): 55 minutes
Style: North Indian Vegetarian (Punjabi)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup(s) whole black gram (sabat udad / kali dal) soaked overnight
2 tablespoon(s) red kidney beans (rajma) soaked overnight along with the black gram
6 cups water
½ teaspoon(s) each of turmeric powder, red chilli powder and asafoetida
6 flakes garlic chopped
2″ piece ginger chopped
2 medium onion(s) chopped
2 green chilli(es) chopped
2 whole red chilli(es)
2 tomato(es) soaked in warm water
1 teaspoon(s) cumin seeds
2 tablespoon(s) cream beaten lightly
2 tablespoon(s) yoghurt beaten lightly
2 tablespoon(s) ghee (clarified butter) / butter
salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wash the soaked gram and kidney beans and discard the water in which they were soaked. Put them into a pressure cooker along with the water, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and half the quantity of the following items: chopped onion(s), garlic, ginger, and whole red chilli(es). Close the cooker and bring to maximum pressure on high heat. Now, reduce the heat. Cook on low heat for 25 minutes or till the gram is slightly mashed and well blended.

2 Open the cooker only after all the steam has escaped. Add the yoghurt, cream and half the quantity of chopped green chilli(es). Cover and keep on low heat for 15 minute(s).

3.For the tempering, heat the butter / ghee (clarified butter) in a pan till very hot. Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter. Now, add the asafoetida, the remaining chopped onions, green and red chilli(es), garlic, ginger and fry till the onion(s) are slightly browned. Add the chopped tomato(es) and fry again till the fat separates from the sides of the pan. Add this to the cooked gram mixture and mix well. Cover and simmer on very low heat for 15 minutes.

Serves: 4
Cooking time (approx.): 16 minutes
Style: South Indian Vegetarian

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup(s) split red gram (tuvar dal)
2 teaspoon(s) lemon juice
6 cups water
½ teaspoon(s) each of turmeric powder and asafoetida
6 peppercorns
2 green chilli(es) slit
2 red chilli(es)
2 tomato(es) chopped
1 teaspoon(s) each of coriander and mustard seeds
2 teaspoon(s) cumin seeds
6 curry leaves
2 tablespoon(s) ghee (clarified butter) / butter
1 tablespoon(s) finely chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wash and soak the split red gram in the water for some time. Roast the red chilli(es), coriander seeds, asafoetida, peppercorns and half of the cumin seeds. Cool and grind to a fine powder (Rasam powder). Bring to boil the split red gram along with the water in which it was soaked and the turmeric powder. Now, reduce the heat. Cover and cook on low heat for 8 minutes till the gram is half-cooked.

2. Now, add the slit green chilli(es), chopped tomato(es), chopped coriander leaves, lemon juice, Rasam powder and salt. Cover and keep on low heat for 6 minutes till the gram is completely cooked.

3. For the tempering, heat the ghee (clarified butter) / butter in a pan till very hot. Drop in the mustard seeds and let them crackle. Now, add the rest of the cumin seeds and fry on low heat for 2 minute(s) or till the seeds are a shade darker. Add the curry leaves and pour this tempering on the cooked gram mixture. Cover and keep for a while before serving.