Coconut and Split Bengal Gram Sautee/ Kobbari Senagapappu

Whenever I used to visit my grandparents’ place during the summer holidays, this used to be my favorite dish. I was introduced to it by one of my aunts. She used to mix it with hot rice accompanied with the delicious Andhra style mango pickle. Mmmmmm. My mouth’s literally watering while writing this.

Try this easy and delicious recipe and you will not be disappointed. :)

Ingredients

Chana Dal – 1 ½ - 2 cups, cooked

Onion – 2 cups, finely chopped

Coconut flakes/ Grated coconut – 1 cup

Green Chilies – 3, chopped

Garlic – 1 pod, crushed

Mustard Seeds – ¼ tsp.

Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp.

Oil – 2 tbsp.

Salt – to taste

Servings – Serves 2 to 3

Note - Cook the chana dal in such a way that it doesn’t become too mushy. The grains shouldn’t stick to each other.

Method

1. Take a saucepan; add oil, mustard seeds. Once the seeds start spluttering, add chilies. After about 6 – 7 seconds, add the finely chopped onions and sauté till they become golden brown in color.

2. Once the onions attain golden brown color, add chana dal and cook covered for about 6 – 7 minutes. Add salt at this step.

3. Add the coconut flakes/ grated coconut and stir for about 3 – 4 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and mix well. Cook covered for another 1 minute.

    Note - Adding crushed garlic at the end gives the whole dish a very nice aroma.

4. Turn off the flame and serve hot with rice and rasam.

Onion and Palak Parantha

My husband is sure ‘Popeye – the sailor man’ when it comes to spinach. He just loves it. He keeps asking me to make some dish with spinach. I was too tired of making palak dal and saute  So this time I tried a little mix and match. Besides, I have vivid memories of mom making palak, methi paranthas during the winter season in my childhood.

Try out this beautiful and healthy recipe and you’ll love it.

Ingredients

Palak/ Spinach – 2 Cups, finely chopped

Onion – ¾ Cup, finely chopped

Mint Leaves – 1 tbsp., chopped

Garlic – 2 pods, finely chopped

Green Chilies – 4, finely chopped

Chat Masala – ½ tsp.

Wheat Flour – 2 Cups

Salt – to taste

Water – ¾ cup or enough to knead the dough

Oil – 1 tbsp. and more for frying the paranthas

Yield – 10 – 12 paranthas

Method

1. In a big bowl, mix all the ingredients properly (except water and flour).

2. Now add the wheat flour and add water in small amounts until a dough is formed.

3. Divide the dough in to equal sized balls.

4. Dust each ball with some wheat flour and roll it out in to flat round roti.

5. Take a pan, once it gets heated, place the roti on it.

6. Once the bottom part gets baked a little, put a few drops of oil on the top part, spread it and turn over.

7. Put a few drops of oil on the baked part (which is now the top part). Wait till the other side gets baked too and take the roti off the pan.

8. Serve hot with raita or a little butter. :)

Chole Palak

We had a few friends coming over for dinner and like I mentioned earlier, pulses have always been my forte. But this time I wanted something different. My husband loves palak. He kept asking for a palak dish for quite some time. I thought, okay let’s fulfill his wish and this is what was on the menu that day..! :)

Ingredients

Chole – 3 cups, boiled

Palak – 4 cups, cleaned and cut

Onions – 2 ½ - 3 cups, diced in to cubes or chopped

Tomatoes – 3 cups, diced in to cubes

Chilies – 3 to 4, slit vertically

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp.

Cilantro – ½ cup

Mint leaves – ½ cup, full leaves

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp.

Chili powder – ½ tsp.

Garam masala – 1 ½ to 2 tsp.

Dhanya and Jeera powder – ¼ tsp.

Chat masala – 1 tsp. (I used it as a substitute to amchoor powder)

Chana Masala – 1 tsp.

Cumin seeds/ Jeera – ½ tsp.

Oil – 2 to 3 tbsp.

Salt – To taste

Water – 1 ½ - 2 cups

Serves 4 to 5

Method

1. Take a saucepan, put it on flame and add oil. Once the oil gets heated, add cumin seeds, upon spluttering put chilies, onions, tomatoes and palak (in that order) and sauté until the rawness goes. Onions should become a little translucent and tomatoes should become soft and mushy.

2. Turn off the heat. Let the mixture cool.

3. Grind the onion tomato mixture along with the coriander and mint leaves into a fine paste.

4. Put the pan on heat, add a little oil and pour in the paste. Cook until the gravy loses all its water and sticks together. Keep stirring at regular intervals.

5. Once the gravy is ready, add turmeric powder, chili powder, ginger garlic paste and cook for another 5 minutes.

6. Now add boiled chana, salt, chat masala and garam masala. Mix well and add water. Let it come to a boil and cook until you get your desired consistency.

Note – The more you cook, more flavors get in to chana. Be sure not to burn your dish though. J

7. Turn off the flame and serve hot with roti/ rice.