Rasheeda's Travel and Food Blog

Rasheeda's travel and food blog

Category: Food Blog

Flavors and Tastes of India / Food Blog / Legumes and Lentils / Vegetarian Recipes

Five lentils Daal

Five Lentils Daal

This recipe has five different lentils giving it a unique taste. Can be served with white rice, naan, or any Indian breads.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup chana daal (split peas)
  • ½ cup toor daal (Yellow lentils)
  • ½ cup moong daal(green lentils)
  • ¼ cup masoor daal (red lentils)
  • ¼ cup Urad daal (split white lentils
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 tablespoon ginger/garlic paste available in Indian stores
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt season to taste
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
For Tempering:
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or any oil on hand
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon asafetida
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds well crushed
  • 4 dried red chilies cut in halves
  • 1 roma tomato or any small tomato chopped finely

Equipment

  • pressure cookeer, any heavy saucepan,

Method
 

  1. Wash and soak mixture of all the lentils in boiling water for (at least) 15 minutes. 
  2. Wash again and add fresh cold water, chili powder, turmeric powder, and ginger/garlic paste. Cover and cook until very soft. If using pressure cooker, use the direction for its use. If using a regular saucepan, cook until very soft. It takes 30 to 35 minutes or until it gets really soft. Since it is a mixture of different types of lentils, thet require different cooking time; therefore, it is important to check the doneness of all the lentils.
  3. Remove from heat and use a potato masher to mash it well, dont blend because it should have a coarse texture, but very slightly coarse, for an authentic finish. Add one cup water, or enough water for a desired consistency (this dish requires a thicker consistency). 
  4. Return to medium heat and add salt, and unsalted butter and bring it back to a boil and to let the butter melt.
  5. Season to taste. Simmer for about 10 minutes. 
  6. Meanwhile in a small saucepan, heat oil and add cumin seeds and brown them. Add asafetida, crushed coriander seeds, and red chilies and cook until red chilies are dark in color. 
  7. Add crushed tomatoes and cook on low heat until tomatoes are cooked down and oil starts to separate on the sides.
  8. Transfer prepared daal to a nice serving bowl. Pour the prepared spicy oil over the daal and stir gently.
  9. Serve with white rice, naan, or Indian breads (roties).

Flavors and Tastes of India / Food Blog / Legumes Love Affair / Vegetarian Recipes

Khatti Dal

Hyderabadi Khatti Dal

Hyderabadi Khatti daal is the most popular daal made with masoor daal. It owes its popularity to a tangy, and slightly salty taste. When served hot (what we call 'garam, garam') with white rice and ghee( clarified butter), as a side, it is an exotic treat. For many millions in India this daal is a staple. It is eaten in quantities with rice or roti (Indian bread) and it constitutes a popular options for any meal. Also for many a households, rich or poor alike, it is a menu item almost everyday of the week. For us it is a regular lunch item. This iconic daal, while it is a cinch to make, it is extremely affordable. Here is a recipe for khatti daal which can also be made in several different varieties by adding vegetables of your choice to it. I will dedicate some of my future posts to share various recipes with or without vegetables from different parts of India.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Daal Ingredients:
  • 1 cup masoor daal
  • 2 cups water (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger/garlic paste
  • 1 scant teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 or 5 curry leaves
  • 4 small green chilies
  • a few leaves cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
For Thadka or tempering:
  • 1/4 cup olive oil or oil at hand
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 4 dried red chilies

Method
 

  1. Wash and drain dal and put in a pressure cooker, or a regular heavy saucepan.
  2. Add enough water to cover daal, and add chili powder, turmertic ginger/garlic paste,and salt.
  3. Cover and cook until very soft. If using pressure cooker, use the direction for its use. if using a regular saucepan, cook until very soft. It takes 15 to 20 minutes or until it gets really soft, especially masoor daal is very quick to cook.
  4. Cooked daal is very soft, use blender or immersion blender to blend to a smooth gravy by adding 1½ cup water. sometime you will need more or less water. Use your judgment and personal preference as to how thin or thick you want daal to be( there should be a line between thin and thick, this daal when served has gravy somewhere between very thin and very thick) . A few tries, and tasting will make you an expert on that (remember, practice makes perfect!).
  5. Add curry leaves, green chilies, and a few cilantro leaves, and continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
  6. Add lemon juice. Add lemon juice in installments to prevent it from getting too sour. If not sour enough for your taste, you can always add a little more. Everyone's palate is different, and is developed for slight nuances in food. The key is to check frequently for your own taste, when you are adding seasoning. Lemon is a must addition in this dish.(My mother always told me to add a hint of lemon juice to almost every dish, sweet or savory. She said that it changes the whole flavor profile.) Let daal simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
  7. Meanwhile, heat oil in a small saucepan.. Add cumin seeds to the hot oil and let them brown slightly, followed by dried red chili. Shake or stir the pan to get them evenly browned. There is a very thin line between browning and burning. So baby-sit the process.
  8. Once the oil is ready, Transfer the simmering daal into an appropriate sized serving bowl, and pour the spiced oil over the daal. Gently mix and serve with white rice or any combination of vegetarian or non-vegetarian meal. Enjoy!

Notes

 
 

Dessert Recipes / Food Blog

Whoopie Pies

Whoopie Pies

Whoopi pies are lot easier to make than they look. A great treat for kids lunch boxes, snacks or tea time treat for adults.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • 1½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 can store bought icing for filling

Method
 

  1. preheat oven to 400°F and Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Adjust the oven rack to middle position.
  2. In a bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy and well combined. Add vanilla extract and continue creaming for 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, stir together, thoroughly, all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside.
  4. Add buttermilk and 1 large egg to the butter mixture and mix until well combined.
  5. Use a mini ice cream scoop to put the batter on prepared baking sheets until all the dough is used up. Do it in batches until all the batter is used up. Will be enough for 16 to 18 pies.
  6. Bake each batch for 12 minutes. Bring to room temperature.
  7. Put one tablespoon icing on the flat surface of one cookie and sandwich with flat side of the other one. Press gently to spread the icing to the edges. Serve.

Dessert Recipes / Food Blog

Pound Cake

Pound Cake

Pound cake is a classic which is an all-time favorite of everyone I know. It is called pound cake because traditionally a pound each of each ingredient such as flour, butter, sugar and eggs were used. Though now there are several recipes with variations. I developed this recipe after attempting to use slight changs in ingredients and amounts used.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 10
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake Ingrdients:
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
  • 6 large fresh eggs
  • 1 cup heavy cream or sour cream
Glaze:
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar or (powdered sugar)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Equipment

  • Necessary equipment is a Bundt pan for cake to hold its shape.

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. And well grease and flour a Bundt pan.
  2. Sift all-purpos flour, cake flour, and salt in a bowl to remove impurities and lumps from it..
  3. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add vanilla extract, and lemon extract while beating. Adding flavor at this point works well because fat helps distribute flavors well.
  4. Start adding eggs one at a time and beat until well incorporated.
  5. Start adding dry ingredients and heavy cream or sour cream in alternate increments and continue to beat. Don't over beat.
  6. Pour the batter into a Bundt pan, and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven, place on a wire rack until it comes to room temperature. Once cooled, place a plate on top, invert the pan and gently tap to release the cake. When the cake is released, it should be right side up and ready for the glaze.
Glaze:
  1. To make the glaze , sift 1 cup confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar) to remove lumps from it.
  2. Add lemon juice in tiny increments while stirring to mix. This is important to prevent glaze from thinning out too much too quickly. Once the glaze is at a right pouring consistency, stop adding lemon juice and stir well.
  3. Squiggle the glaze over the top of the cake evenly. Let it set before cutting into wedges to serve
  4. Can be served with whipped cream, ice cream, glazed berries or topping of your choice.

Notes

It is highly recommended that the pound cake be baked in a Bundt pan or tube pan. Reason being that it does not have too much protein to provide structure and  would not hold its shape in a loaf pan. Bundt pan transfers heat evenly cooks in the center better than it will in a regular pan.

Dessert Recipes / Food Blog

Breton Butter Cake

Breton Butter Cake

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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cake flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter, room temperature 2 sticks
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Sift all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl and set aside.
  3. Grease an 8-inch cake pan with removable bottom, and then line with parchment paper cut to line the bottom and grease it to prevent the cake from sticking.
  4. Beat 4 egg yolks and 1 cup sugar in an electric mixer with a paddle attachment until doubled in volume. Start adding room temperature butter in four installments while beating until thoroughly combined.
  5. Turn the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture. Continue beating until cake batter is very smooth and well combined.
  6. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan, and smooth the surface with an offset spatula. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  7. Meanwhile, beat one egg with 1 tablespoon water to make egg wash. Brush the top of the cake with egg wash. let it rest for 2 minutes and apply egg wash again for a thicker coating.
  8. With the back of a knife decorate all around with cross hatching or whatever pattern you may desire.
  9. Bake in a preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Cover with foil if browning too quickly. Sliced into wedges to serve.

Dessert Recipes / Food Blog

Pecan pie

Pecan pie

It is a easy desserts, especially if the crust is store bought. It is very popular because of its rich and creamy base and nutty top giving it a crunch when you bite into it. It is an ideal desserts for entertaining small groups of friends.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup dark corn syrup
  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup pecan halves
  • Enough pastry for single crust pie

Equipment

  • Pie plate,

Method
 

  1. In a mixing bowl beat eggs with a fork or an eggbeater.
  2. Add sugar, flour, and salt and mix to dissolve.
  3. Add corn syrup and melted butter, mix well.
  4. Pour the mixture in 9-inch pastry-lined plate.
  5. Arrange pecans on top of the mixture in a desired pattern. And Cover edges with foil.
  6. Bake in a 350º oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the knife-inserted in the center comes out clean.
  7. Cool, cover and refrigerate for a few hours before serving with whipped cream.

Dessert Recipes / Food Blog

Rice pudding (Kheer) Hyderabadi Style

Rice Pudding (Kheer) Hyderabadi Style

This rice pudding made with heavy cream, rice and almond is thick and creamy. It is traditionally served with puris ( sweet pies) on religiuous occasions. But also is a regular,popular desserts item. Luxuriously tasty but sort of heavy on digestive system, especially for those who are lactose intolerant.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2½ cups heavy cream
  • 1½ cup whole milk
  • ⅓ cup ground rice
  • ⅓ cup ground almonds
  • ½ cup cooked white rice processed with ½ cup water in a food processor
  • 1 4 oz can condensed milk
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons almonds, lightly roasted, peeled and crushed

Equipment

  • Heavy mil saucepan

Method
 

  1. In a bowl, soak the ground rice, and ground almonds in ½ cup  milk and set aside.
  2. Add heavy cream, and remaining 1 cup milk to a large heavy saucepan and heat until it comes to a simmering  boil. 
  3. Lower heat immediately, and let it simmer to reduce and get thickened
  4. Stir the ground rice and ground almond mixture and add to the simmering cream while stirring to avoid lumps. 
  5. Continue to simmer for a few more minutes. before adding cooked and processed white rice, condensed milk, and sugar while stirring to ensure that the sugar dissolves completely. Continue stirring while cooking on very low heat to prevent sticking to the bottom and burning.
  6. Once it reaches a creamy, thick, (not too thick)or desired consistency, sprinkle ground nutmeg , and crushed almond and stir well to meld the flavors. Remove from the heat and allow the kheer to cool to room temperature.
  7. Serve  as a dessert in individual bowls or decorative glasses.

Flavors and Tastes of India / Food Blog / Legumes Love Affair / Vegetarian Recipes

Red Lentils curried(meethi, sweet, Dal) with Caramelized Onions

Red Lentils curried(meethi, sweet, Dal) with Caramelized Onions

This lentil dish with very few ingredients is a delicacy. Although part of the name translates to sweet but no sugar is added. Since there is no sour ingredient, such as tomato, lemon, or tamarind hence the name. It should be light, fluffy, creamy, rich and decadent topped with caramelized onion which largely contributes to its sweetness. It is extremely popular because of its finger licking good taste and its versatility. It can be served with any Indian meal combos, and also enjoyed when served on its own with rice or roties (Indian bread).
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main recipe
  • 1 cup red lentil, washed well and soaked in enough water for 20 minutes.
  • 1 cup or enough water to barely cover the lentil.
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon ginger/garlic paste all Indian stores have the product. you can also mince fresh ginger and garlic in equal amount
  • 1 teaspoon level spoon salt
Garnish
  • 1 small onion, very finely sliced
  • 4 tablespoons olive oi
  • 3 to 4 small green chilies, coarsely cut
  • 1 tablespoon fresh cilnatro, finely chopped

Method
 

Main recipe:
  1. In a bowl, wash well and soak lentils for 20 to 30 minutes.
  2. When ready to cook, add washed and drained lentils into a saucpan, add water to barely cover lentils.
  3. Add turmeric powder, and ginger/garlic paste and stir to mix.
  4. Cook on medium heat until lentils are tender. Red lentil cooks very fast.
  5. Remove from heat when soft, season to taste with salt, and transfer to a blender, or use an immersion blender to puree it. If too thick, add some water to loosen it without making it watery. Should not be watery.
  6. If using a blender, return to the suacepan and bring it back to a quick boil. Lower heat and simmer until it is rich and creamy. Stir a few times making sure to get the desired consistency. Transfer to serving bowl.
Garnish:
  1. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, Heat oil, add sliced onion and fry stirring until it is caramelized. You shoud stay with it lest it burns. There is a fine line between it being brown and being burnt.
  2. Top the prepared dal mixture evenly with coarsely cut green chilies, and chopped cilantro.
  3. Pour the caramelized onion with all its oil on top of herb garnish.
  4. Serve as a side dish with any meal. It is extremely versatile.

Notes

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