Thengai (Coconut) Thogayal ~ Day 90

Thogayal / Thuvayal is a South Indian comfort food, which is made of coarsely ground, fried dal and spices along with coconut.  You can add any vegetable to the dal mixture to make different varieties of thogayal.  It goes very well with hot steamed rice or with any South Indian tiffins, like Idli, dosai or even chapati.

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Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Yields: 2 cups

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Ingredients:

• Grated coconut (fresh or frozen) - 1 cup 
• Urad dal - 1/2 cup
• Dried red chilies - 6 or to taste
• Tamarind - marble sized
• Black peppercorns - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger - a small piece (optional)
• Asafoetida - a generous pinch
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Water - for grinding 

Method:

1. If using frozen coconut, thaw it in a microwave for 30 seconds.  
2. Heat oil in skillet.  Add urad dal, red chilies, tamarind, peppercorns, ginger, curry leaves, and salt.
3. Fry, over low heat, until the dal turns golden brown.  Add asafoetida and stir.  Cool slightly.
4. Place the dal mixture in a blender and add a little water and grind to a coarse paste.  
5. Add the coconut and some more water and grind into a thick paste.  The ground paste should be thick in consistency.  So don't add too much water while grinding.  
6. Serve with hot steamed rice and dollop of ghee

Vegetable Lemon Rice ~ Day 89

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 Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

• Cooked Rice - 2 cups
• Green pepper - 1, finely chopped
• Red pepper - 1 finely chopped
• Carrot - 2, shredded
• Dill leaves - 1/2 cup, finely chopped (optional)
• Salt - to taste
• Lemon juice - from 2 lemons or to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp

For tempering:

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 2 tsp
• Chana dal- 2 tsp
• Raw peanuts - 1/4 cup
• Green chilies - 3, slit
• Ginger - 1-inch piece, finely grated
• Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Coriander leaves / Cilantro - for garnishing

Method:

1. Heat oil in a wide skillet.  Splutter mustard seeds.  Add peanuts, urad dal, and chana dal.  Fry until golden brown.
2. Add the slit green chilies, ginger and asafoetida.  Saute fro 10 seconds.  
3. Add the turmeric powder, chopped veggies, dill leaves, and curry leaves.  Saute for 7 to 8 minutes over low heat.
4. Add the rice and salt. Mix well to coat.  Remove from the heat.
5. Let it cool slightly and add the lemon juice and cilantro.  Mix thoroughly.
6. Serve with your choice of raita, appalam / papad or chips.

Amaranth (Rajkira) Mango Phrini ~ Day 88

Happy Ugadi / Gudi Padwa to all who celebrate!

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Amaranth seeds are, seeds from the amaranth plant (Mulai Keerai / Thandu Keerai).  It is easily available in most of the Indian stores here in the U.S.A.  

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Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6
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Ingredients:

• Amaranth seeds - 1/2 cup
• Milk - 2 and 1/2 cups
• Mango pulp - 1/2 cup
• Sugar - 1/4 cup or to taste
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
• Saffron strands - a pinch
• Chopped nuts - for garnishing

Method:

1. Rinse and soak amaranth seeds for 1 hour.  Drain and keep it aside.
2. Place the milk in a heavy bottom sauce pan and bring it to a boil.  Add the drained amaranth and cook over low heat, until soft, stirring constantly.
3. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.  Add cardamom powder, mix well. Remove from the heat.  Add the mango pulp and stir.
4. Serve with chopped nuts.