It is not easy to be a blogger. It definitely is not easy being a food blogger unless you have a house full of people who are ready to eat the outcome of all the experiments that you do in the kitchen. How much can a house of two adults and two kids consume food wise? So, here is a post that is a simple, every day dish that was not made specifically for a blog post. This shows how we add lentils to almost everything to get part of our protein in an Indian Vegetarian cuisine.
One Year Back - Brownie Biscotti
Two Years Back - Poppy seed drink / Gasagase Payasa
Three Years Back - Craisins and White chocolate chip biscotti
Ingredients:
Chana dal / dehusked split chickpea lentil - 1 cup
Chayote Squash - 3 peeled and pit removed and chopped into thin chunks
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Hing / Asafoetida - a generous pinch (optional)
Chana dal/ split dehusked chickpea lentil - 1 TBSP (for garnish)
Coconut - 1/4 cup grated (optional)
Red chillies - 4 - 5 broken
Cilantro - 2 TBSP chopped (optional)
Method:
Wash and rinse the lentil. Take it in a pan with enough water and cook it till tender. You could use pressure cooker for a quick cooking. Drain the water when it is cooked (don't throw away the water - use it in sambar, rasam or even soup).
In a pan, heat oil. When hot, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add broken red chillies, hing if using, curry leaves, 1 TBSP of chana dal. When the dal gets toasted, add the cut chayote squash. Sprinkle some salt and stir and let it cook till tender. You will have to stir it often to prevent burning. When the squash is cooked, add the drained cooked dal, coconut and mix well. Adjust the salt if needed and add cilantro if desired. Lower the heat and cover with a lid and let it sit on low flame for 3 - 5 minutes and then turn it off. Traditionally it is served with rice and sambar or rasam. But this goes very well with roti, chapathi.
This post is written for weekend cooking post that I write with Srivalli and Vaishali.
Notes:
You could use yellow squash or zucchini instead of chayote squash. Just cook it till tender and not mushy.
Enjoy.
Two Years Back - Poppy seed drink / Gasagase Payasa
Three Years Back - Craisins and White chocolate chip biscotti
Ingredients:
Chana dal / dehusked split chickpea lentil - 1 cup
Chayote Squash - 3 peeled and pit removed and chopped into thin chunks
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Hing / Asafoetida - a generous pinch (optional)
Chana dal/ split dehusked chickpea lentil - 1 TBSP (for garnish)
Coconut - 1/4 cup grated (optional)
Red chillies - 4 - 5 broken
Cilantro - 2 TBSP chopped (optional)
Method:
Wash and rinse the lentil. Take it in a pan with enough water and cook it till tender. You could use pressure cooker for a quick cooking. Drain the water when it is cooked (don't throw away the water - use it in sambar, rasam or even soup).
In a pan, heat oil. When hot, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add broken red chillies, hing if using, curry leaves, 1 TBSP of chana dal. When the dal gets toasted, add the cut chayote squash. Sprinkle some salt and stir and let it cook till tender. You will have to stir it often to prevent burning. When the squash is cooked, add the drained cooked dal, coconut and mix well. Adjust the salt if needed and add cilantro if desired. Lower the heat and cover with a lid and let it sit on low flame for 3 - 5 minutes and then turn it off. Traditionally it is served with rice and sambar or rasam. But this goes very well with roti, chapathi.
This post is written for weekend cooking post that I write with Srivalli and Vaishali.
Notes:
You could use yellow squash or zucchini instead of chayote squash. Just cook it till tender and not mushy.
Enjoy.
Looks yummy. Simple yet flavourful. I agree with you. Blogging and cooking for a small family becomes a bit difficult sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI also make this at times..very healthy side dish..
ReplyDeleteLooks very delicious and nutritious side dish. Excellent preparation.
ReplyDeleteDeepa
Love this kind of lentil and squash stir fries with rasam rice.
ReplyDelete