Lauki Chana Dal

Lauki Chana dal
(Squash with lentils)


Ingredients:
Lauki (Calabash/Ops squash)
Chana dal (Black chickpeas without the seed coat) - soaked 2 hours
1 medium onion
1 tomato
Ginger 1 inch
2 Chillies(Optional - to taste)
1 Tbsp oil
Heeng
Zeera(Cumin)
Haldi(Turmeric)
Garam Masala


Lauki Chana Dal is a common dish/sabzi in our home. Lauki is beneficial, dal is nutritious, whats not to like? DH would prefer I made it spicier though, but kids wont eat it then. Well, I cant please everyone, so he has to make do with chillies on the side. 


The recipe is so simple. I started the tadka/chaunk in the pressure cooker itself. Heat the oil in the cooker and add the heeng. Wait till the aroma of heeng fills your kitchen(few seconds) and add cumin seeds. When they are done splattering, add the chopped onions. Let it brown a bit, then grate the ginger over the onions. (Or you could nicely grate it in a bowl and then add to the onions). Add the haldi, Garam Masala, and the chopped tomato. Mix. Add the dal and lauki. And then the salt. I like to chop my lauki small, though not superfine. My kids can be picky about big lauki pieces, even though it is pretty soft when cooked. 


Add some water at this point and close the cooker. 3 whistles and it is done. Garnish with Dhaniya(Cliantro/Coriander) leaves. If you want a little more richness, add a tadka after the cooker opens. 
Heat oil in a small vessel, add some Zeera(cumin) seeds, some dhaniya(Coriander powder) and a little red chilli. Be careful, this can burn fast. Pour over the Lauki Chana Dal and serve. 

Lauki Chana Dal

Lauki-chana is not usually served at special occasions. It is more of an everyday dish - the kind you grow up and remember as the common home food of your childhood. I love the simple and hearty taste of this dish. 

Shahi Paneer

My kids especially love this one, and we make it often. When my sister gave me this book, I thought I will use it once in a while, like many other cookbooks. But this one has turned out to be a true gem, I use it very often, and every recipe turns out great.

I really like the nutmeg used here. It brings out a special subtle flavor - like Hing does. And a little goes a long way. Refrying the gravy makes for a richer taste. Before we had kids we used to make a lot of Methi Kadai paneer from the same cook book. The picky eaters that my kids are, they won’t eat Shimla Mirch (Bell Pepper/Capsicum), and we rarely ever make it now.

I don't use any sugar or ketchup which is used in the original recipe. I am usually not fond of sugar in my savory foods (with a few exceptions). Thanks Sis for the book, it’s been a life saver!

Paneer Shahi

(Adapted from Nita Mehta's Indian Vegetarian Cooking)

1 tsp Zeera(cumin seeds) - optional

3 Tbsp oil

2 onions chopped coarsely

1 inch ginger - chopped

1 dry red chili

6 big tomatoes chopped

1/4 cup beaten yogurt/curd/dahi

4 Tbsp Almonds/Cashews soaked for 1 hour

(The actual recipe uses Cashewnuts, as do most Shahi Paneer recipes. I prefer almonds, but you can use other nuts. Almonds usually need to be soaked longer and can be peeled, though I use them with the peel)

1/4 tsp crushed javetri(nutmeg/mace) soaked with the nuts

250 gms/ half pound Paneer

salt to taste

1/2 tsp chili powder

3/4 tsp garam masala

1/2 cup milk (optional, to adjust consistency)

Recipe:

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the cumin seeds/zeera, then the chopped onions, ginger and red chili. Cook till the onions are deep pink and add the chopped tomatoes.

Cook covered till the oil separates. Add the beaten curd and mix well. Then cook again on medium for 3-5 minutes.

Switch off the heat and cool the mixture. Puree this with a little water if needed.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan(kadhai) and add the prepared puree. While this is frying, add the soaked nuts with the nutmeg to the blender and grind that to a paste.

Fry for a few minutes and add the salt and garam masala.

Add the nuts/nutmeg paste and mix. It will look like the picture of the creamy swirls below.

Cook for a few minutes and then add the paneer.

You can adjust the consistency at this point by adding milk or cream or even water if its too thick. I just eyeball everything, I am not good with measuring(and hence have a very hard time baking but that’s another story). So my recipe turns out to be different consistency depending on how much tomatoes I had at hand and how many nuts I threw in the bowl to soak. I evaluate at the end to fix the consistency. I usually try to keep it a little on the fluid side, since it thickens a little as it cools. And also because I suspect the main reason the kids like this is for the gravy, so the more gravy the better.

You can garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves (hara dhaniya). Serve with Roti, Naan or Paratha.