Full meals ready(ಊಟ ತಯಾರಿದೆ)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

When you travel for a long distance, as lunch or dinner time comes, you search for this board on the roads. And once you get inside the hotel or restaurant,  you will search for a menu card which is not available in this type of small shops. If you ask the waiter he will come and say something very fast which you will not understand! Again you  have to request!!! him to tell the menu slowly. Then you will realize he is saying the things available in a Thali.

And this is Thali in my restaurant!!!

I will go on giving recipes for each food,

First comes Rice, I love rice in any form!!!!!!

This is Plain Jeera Rice :

Long grain basmati or any other type rice - 200 gm

Cumin seeds - 2 tbsp

Ghee - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Tej Patta - 1

Salt to taste

Water to cook the rice

Wash the rice and drain it and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Heat oil and ghee in a cooker.

Add Jeera and fry for 10 seconds. Add Tej patta(bay leaf) and immediately add rice. Fry it for a minute. Add salt and water till the rice is covered. Cover the lid and give just one whistle. Allow the cooker to cool.

Rice is ready! (single and ready to mingle with Dal)

Next is Dal Tadka

Toor Dal - 1 cup

Onion - 1 small, peeled and cut into long thin slices

Tomato - 2 big, washed and cut into long slices

Garlic - 8 to 10 cloves, cleaned and cut into small pieces

Curry leaves - few

Dry long red chilly - 4 to 6

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Dhania (Coriander powder) - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Fresh Coriander - hand full, cleaned, washed and chopped
Oil - 1 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Lime juice - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp

Wash the toor dal, soak it for half an hour. Till it is soaked, keep other ingredients ready.

Boil the dal till real soft. You can blend for half a minute if it is not fully cooked.

Now heat oil in a kadai and add mustard and cumin seeds. Fry till the mustards start talking :-)

Put onion and garlic. Fry till brown. Add curry leaves and red dry chilly. Add dhania powder, red chilly powder, salt , sugar and turmeric powder. Mix well and add tomatoes. Without waiting add the boiled dal. Let it cook till first boil. Adjust the seasoning and water consistency. I like it thick but you can add little more water to make like a curry. 

Add lime juice and Fresh coriander and keep it with rice to serve.

 Third is Dry beans subji

long beans - 200 gm, cleaned, washed and chopped

Oil - 1 tbsp

Urad dal - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Green chilly - 2 slit

Fresh coconut - 1/4 cup, grated

Salt to taste

Hing - pinch

Keep chopped beans in a microwave for 3 minutes or boil in a vessel with little water on flame. Drain the water and keep aside

Add oil in a kadai and keep it on the flame. When hot, add mustard seeds add urad dal. When dal turns into golden color add curry leaves and green chilly. Add hing and boiled beans. Mix properly before adding salt. cook for a minute. Add coconut and boil for 2 more minutes, taking care of not to burn the beans. 

Beans sabji is ready to serve.

All these serve for 3 to 4 people.

   Photos taken by my elder daughter!!!

Sending this to "Cooking Basics Event" held by Mahimaa of  Indian Vegetarian Kitchen.

Keep smiling,