Daal Palak

This is again a simple dish and falls into the category of comfort food and healthy too. There are various ways to make Dal Palak. I got this recipe from a magazine (Food and Location Courtesy: Le Royce, Pune, India). I followed this recipe blindly without any changes and I must say it turned out really good.

Ingredients:
yellow lentils/ toor daal - 1 cup
spinach/palak leaves - 1 cup (washed and chopped)
tomato -1
onion - 1
ginger garlic paste - ½ tsp
turmeric powder - ½ tsp
lime juice - 2 tsp
oil - 1 tsp
cumin seeds - ½ tsp
green chillies - 2
red chilli powder - 1 pinch
salt to taste

Method:
Wash and soak lentils in warm water for an hour. Meanwhile wash and chop spinach leaves. Peel onions and chop onions and tomato finely. Wash and chop or slit green chillies according to your taste.
Take a heavy bottomed pan and cook the yellow lentils/toor daal in it. OR Pressure cook for 2 whistles. When cooked ¾th, add spinach leaves, onion, tomato, salt, turmeric powder and ginger-garlic paste. Cook everything together till done.
In a small frying pan heat oil, add the cumin seeds, green chilli and red chilli powder, temper the daal.
Add lime juice in it and mix it well. Serve hot with rice.
We had it with rice and Aloo methi bhaji. Superb and healthy combo!!!

Daal Palak also goes to the Event Weekend Herb Blogging at Daily Tiffin and also to Haalo's site at Cook (almost) anything at Least Once.

Birinda saaru (Kokum Soup)

This is a dish that always remains close to my heart as it was our favourite back home. Now its only me who loves it the most so I rarely make it. As kids I remember we sisters used to fight for the last sip even though amma used to make it in a large pitcher. Anyways going deep into the childhood memories makes me nostalgic and a lump in a throat and tears in my eyes.. Say !! Whatever ...Childhood memories are to be cherished!!!
Coming back to this dish, it goes very well with rice and a spicy side dish or just sip on it like a drink!!! And yes it stays good for a couple of days well refrigerated. The taste enhances as time passes and reheated!!!

Ingredients:
Dry Kokum/birinda - 5 petals
green chillies - 2
grated jaggery - 1 tsp
salt to taste
ghee/oil - 1 tsp
dry red chilli - 1
garlic - 8 cloves

Method:
Crush garlic along with the skin (Do not peel).
Wash the dried kokum twice and soak in 2 cups of water for about 15 minutes. Add green chillies and salt and get the mixture to a boil. Cook till it is reduced to 1¼ cup. Now add grated jaggery and cook for a minute. Meanwhile heat a small pan (panna kayli) add ghee/oil when hot, add crushed garlic and saute till light brown now break red chillies into the pan and saute for another 5 seconds and pour the seasoning into the birinda mixture cover and get to a boil. Doing this will enable the garlic flavour infuse into the birinda mixture. Leave aside for 10 minutes. Then sip it warm (discard the kokum and chillies) or serve with plain rice and fish tawa fry or upkari. Simple yet healthy!!!! The shots might not be appealing but I bet you will like it once you taste the sweet n sour Kokum Soup.