Spinach Dal

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup masoor dal [Toor dal or Moong dal]
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 4 finely chopped garlic cloves
• 5 finely chopped green chillies
• 2  chopped tomatoes (small tomatoes)
• Seasoning : 4 red chillies, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp jeera seeds

Preparation

1. Pressure cook all ingredients, except the seasoning together.  [I use an electric cooker, I add 2 cups water and pressure cook on high for 8 mins.]
2. Heat 1 tsp oil, add the seasoning when the oil is hot and fry for a minute.
3. Add the seasoning to the cooked dal and mix.

Gujarati Dal

We got this recipe from my mother who in turn got it from a friend. Thanks to Manju aunty for this delicious and flavourful dal.

1 cup toor dal (soak for 15 mins)
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
pinch of turmeric (optional)

for the masala:
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp dhania powder
1 tsp grated ginger
1 green chilly
3 tsp jaggery

for seasoning:
2 , 1 inch sticks cinnamon
2 cloves
1 tsp methi seeds
1 tsp mustmustard
1 tsp jeera
good helping of hing (optional)
1 red chilly
6-7 curry leaves
put them in this order

• Add seasoning to heated oil and continue heating until it splutters.
  
• Add the seasoning to the soaked dal, tomatoes, turmeric, water and pressure cook till done. (8 min, high pressure, quick release)
  
• Whisk dal well.
• Add the masala to the dal and boil.

Cucumber Dal

This is a modified Andhra recipe, we found at http://www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/archives/2006/10/09/lemon-cucumber-dal-budamkaya-pappu/.
We made it without the onion and garlic so as to let the flavour of the cucumber stand out.

3 yellow round cucumbers
1/2 cup toor dal
4 green chillies, finely chopped
Juice of a 2 inch piece tamarind
Curry leaves

Seasoning
1 tsp jeera

1. Peel, de-seed and cut the cucumber into approximately one inch pieces.
2. Cook cucumber with a little water and the tamarind juice. You can microwave it for 5 minutes.
3. Cook the dal with a pinch of turmeric, a drop of oil and the green chillies.
4. Once the dal is cooked, add the cooked cucumber, curry leaves, seasoning of jeera, salt and simmer.