Amer Daal (Dal with green mango)

Posted by: Chitra D


Bengalees, especially bangal's like me love daal, I remember nemontonno's where there will be three four types of daal - titar daal, toker daal, macher matha diye daal etc. This one, with green mango is popular in summer. Unlike today, every season had its own vegetables and fruits, and summer belonged to mangoes.


Ingredients:


Masoor Dal: 1 cup
Fresh green mango: 1
Green Chilli: 3, slit in the biddle
Oil: 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Dried red chilli: 2
Haldi: 1 tsp
Salt: to taste
Sugar: 1 tsp




Method:
1. Peel the mango and cut into long slices, about an inch thick. I don't add the seed, but some people do
2. Pressure cook the daal with two cups of water, 1 whistle
3. Once the daal cools, blend it with a hand daal whisk (Daler Kanta)
4. Steam the mango in a cup of water with a pinch of salt and sugar. I microwave it for a minute and half
5. In a saucepan, heat one tbsp of oil, and add the mustard seeds and sukno lonka (red chilli)
6. As the seeds and chilli starts spluttering, add the daal, mango with its water, haldi, salt and green chillis
7. Boil for 2 - 3 minutes, add sugar and stir. (Make sure the consistency of the daal is not too thick. Add water if needed.)


Enjoy with or without rice.

Tomato diye masoor dal (Red lentils with tomato)

Posted by: Priyaka A

This has been my favourite since childhood. I have tried to improvise my mom's recipe a little bit by using hing and curry leaves. Ingredients : Masoor Dal / Red Lentils -  1 cup Water - 3 to 4 cups Green Chilles - 3 ( slit through ) Tomato - 1 medium sized, cut into medium sized long slices Rai / Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tbs Curry Leaves - 8-10 leaves Refined / Mustard oil - 1 tbsp Haldi / turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp Hing - 1/4 tbsp Salt - to taste Serves - 2 people Method : Pressure cook the dal in water for 7- 10 minutes or 2 whistles, add salt. Keep aside. Tempering - Heat oil and add rai and let them pop, then add hing, haldi , curry leaves and tomato. Stir slightly without over cooking the tomato, add green chillies.  Finally add the pressure cooked dal.  Give it a good boil for at least 10 minutes. The consistency should be medium, hence you may add more water to maintain it. You may garnish it with coriander leaves and serve it with hot rice.