GUJARATI DAL
A traditional recipe.
Cooking Time : 60 min.
Preparation Time : 10 min.
Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients
2 cups toovar dal (arhar)
1 cup yam (suran), chopped
2 tablespoons peanuts
2 kharekh (optional)
Other ingredients
8 pieces cocum, soaked
1 tomato, chopped
50 grams jaggery (gur)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 piece ginger, diced
4 green chillies, slit
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
For the tempering
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek leaves (methi)
10 to 12 curry leaves
2 cloves
2 sticks cinnamon
1 bay leaf
2 small round red chillies (boriya)
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
2 tablespoons ghee
1 tablespoon oil
salt ot taste
For the garnish
4 tablespoons chopped coriander
Method
1. Wash and pressure cook the dal in 4 cups of water.
2. In another vessel, pressure cook the yam, peanuts and kharekh.
3. When the dal is cooked, cool slightly and blend till it is smooth.
4. Prepare the tempering by heating the ghee and oil and adding the mustard seeds,
cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, red
chillies and asafoetida.
5. Add 3 cups of water, the cocum, tomato, jaggery, lemon juice, ginger, green
chilli, chilli powder and turmeric powder and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Add the dal, yam pieces, peanuts, kharekh and salt and simmer for 10 to 15
minutes.
7. Serve hot garnished with coriander.
BATETA NU SHAAK
Potatoes cooked with tomato and Gujarati spices.
Cooking Time : 30 min.
Preparation Time : 10 min.
Serves 4.
Ingredients
250 grams potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
a pinch asafoetida (hing)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon green chilli-ginger paste
1 tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon coriander-cumin seed powder (dhana-jeera)
2 tablespoons sugar
salt to taste
For the garnish
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
Method
1. Heat the oil in a handi, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida,
turmeric and chilli powders, green chilli-ginger paste and stir.
2. Add the tomato and fry with the masala.
3. Add the potatoes and mix well.
4. Add 2 cups of water, the sugar and salt.
5. Cover with a lid and cook till the potatoes are done.
6. Sprinkle the coriander-cumin seed powder and mix well.
7. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with rotlis.
BASUNDI
A delicious dessert of thickened milk, very similar to the North Indian rabdi.
Cooking Time : 30 min.
Preparation Time : 5 min.
Serves 4.
Ingredients
1 litre full fat milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder (elaichi)
For the garnish
slivers of pistachios and almonds
Method
1. Bring the milk to a boil in a broad bottom non-stick pan.
2. Reduce the flame and simmer till the volume is reduced to half, stirring
continuously.
3. Add the sugar and simmer for some more time till the milk thickens into rabdi.
4. Add the cardamom powder.
5. Serve warm or chilled, garnished with slivers of pistachios and almonds.
MIXED KATHOL
Healthy and nutritious pulses cooked in the Gujarati way.
Cooking Time : 20 min.
Preparation Time : 15 min.
Serves 4.
Ingredients
1/4 cup whole Bengal gram (black chana)
1/4 cup whole green gram (green moong)
1/4 cup black-eyed beans (chowli dal)
1/4 cup moth beans (matki)
1/4 cup dried peas (suka vatana)
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
4 small round red chillies (boriya)
1 teaspoon green chilli-ginger paste
1/2 teaspoon tamarind pulp (imli)
1 tablespoon jaggery pulp (gur)
2 tablespoons oil
salt ot taste
Method
1. Wash the pulses and soak them in water overnight.
2. Next day, drain and pressure cook the pulses in 2 cups of water.
3. Heat the oil in a handi, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida and stir
for a while.
4. Add the small rounds chillies and green chilli-ginger paste and fry for a few
seconds.
5. Add the cooked pulses, tamarind and jaggery pulp and salt.
6. Mix well and simmer for a few minutes.
7. Serve hot with chapatis or rice.
BHINDA SAMBHARIYA
Okras stuffed with coconut and coriander mixture and cooked in its own juice.
Cooking Time : 15 min.
Preaparation Time : 10 min.
Serves 4.
Ingredients
250 grams okra (bhindi)
To be mixed into a filling
6 tablespoons coconut, grated
6 tablespoons chopped coriander
3 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon green chilli-ginger paste
1 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
2 teaspoons coriander-cumin seed powder (dhana-jeera)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoons sesame seeds (til)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons oil
salt to taste
For the tempering
4 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
Method
1. Wash and cut the okra into 50 mm. (2") pieces and slit lengthwise carefully, so
that the slit okra segments do not separate.
2. Fill the slit okra with the filling mixture.
3. Preapare the tempering by heating the oil in a handi and adding the asafoetida.
4. Add the stuffed okra, cover and cook till done, stirring occasionally.
