My Blog

Tag: lentils

  • Pesarattu

    As a Dosa lover, if there was one thing I would love, it would be to not wait for ages to enjoy a Dosa, as I am sure many of you do too 🙂 In other words, could I enjoy Dosa without having to soak the dals and rice, grind, ferment and then get the final batter? Well, yes indeed. And no, I am not referring to buying Dosa batter from a store. I am referring to the option of a non-fermented version of Dosa.

    I have posted an Adai recipe previously, which is a non-fermented Dosa. Pesarattu is yet another one. The star lentil of this dish is the power packed Mung Beans or Green Moong. As we all know, this little green lentil has impressive nutritional benefits, particularly being high in protein and fiber. For this reason, I try to include this particular lentil in my household’s diet at least once a week in some way or form.

    This type of Dosa originated in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. In Telugu, Pesaru-bedalu = Green Moong and Attu = Dosa. Although Pesarattu is traditionally served with a filling of Upma (just like a Masala Dosa is served with a Potato filling), I choose to serve it with a variety of chutneys and podis, courtesy my MIL 😊

    Prep time6-10 hours
    Cook time2-3 minutes per Pesarattu
    Serves3-4

    Ingredients

    Lentils and Grains

    • Dry Mung Beans (Whole Green Moong) – 1.5 cups
    • Yellow Split Pigeon Peas (Toor Dal) – 1 cup
    • Rice – 1 cup

    Vegetables and Spices

    • Onion – 1 small, chopped
    • Ginger – 2 tbsp, chopped
    • Green Chilies – 2 tbsp, chopped
    • Cilantro – 2 tbsp, chopped
    • Salt as per taste

    Oils

    • Cooking Oil – A few tbsps

    Pro tip:

    Split Pigeon Peas (Toor Dal) is traditionally not added to Pesarattu. However, adding it to this recipe adds a crispness to the Pesarattu. This is due to the fact that the Split Pigeon Peas are lower in moisture than Mung Beans. They resist moisture absorption, thus enabling them to give a crispier texture to the Pesarattu. Alternatively, you can add Split Chickpeas (Chana Dal), which are equally dry leading them to crisp up (similar to making a pakoda where vegetables are dripped in a besan battter [besan is made from ground dried Chickpeas]). Did you know that Split Pigeon Peas and Split Chickpeas dont sprout for exactly this reason!?

    Method

    1. Wash all lentils and grains. Soak them for a minimum of 4-6 hours or overnight
    2. The following morning, add the soaked lentils and grains to a blender.
    3. For the first round, blend without adding any water. Use a spatula to clean the sides of the blender jar to make sure there are no lumps
    4. Then, add approx. 1/2 cup of water to blend into a smooth batter. The batter should be of dosa batter consistency, not too thick and not too thin
    5. Transfer the batter into a bowl. To this, add all the spices and vegetables and mix well
    6. Heat a non-stick pan to medium heat. Once hot, sprinkle some water on it as a cleaning mechanism
    7. Take a ladle of batter, place is at the center of the pan and slowly spread the batter in a circular motion using the back of the ladle. Don’t apply too much pressure while spreading the batter and ensure that the batter is not spread too thin
    8. Add some 1 tbsp of oil around the spread batter. Cover with a lid for 1-2 minutes
    9. Once you remove the lid, you will see brown spots on the bottom of the Pesarattu
    10. Flip it and cook the other side for 30 seconds
    11. Remove from the pan and serve with your choice of condiments

    Serving Suggestion – Traditionally, Pesarattu is eaten with chutneys, particularly, Ginger Chutney. Check out the recipe to this chutney when you make this Pesarattu

    You can also follow me on Instagram to be up-to-date with what is cooking my kitchen. If you like this recipe, do share your comments below. Don’t forget to post your version on Instagram using #foodformyloveblog.

  • Adai

    Dosa (Lentil Crepes) is the quintessential, and a staple, south Indian breakfast. All south Indians, and all Indians for that matter have grown up eating Dosas. For me, it was just one of those things that was always at home. Don’t have anything else to eat, let’s make a Dosa. Need a snack? Let’s make Dosa. Quick breakfast, let’s make Dosa. But, when I moved away from home, making Dosa became a far fetched dream, simply because of the process involved in preparing, fermenting and grinding the batter. It only took 2 years of video calls with my mum to perfect the batter.

    And then, I found the recipe to this Adai in my mum’s recipe book (which I stole :)). I had heard of Adai, and although it is more common in a Tamilian household, food has broken all boundaries and barriers. So presumably my mum got the original recipe from one of her friends and then gave it her own twist. And it is just great. Now having tried it, I wonder why it has not made its way to a single south Indian restaurant menu. I think it can compete just as well with a Dosa or an Utthapam.

    Adai falls perfectly in the category of multigrain foods and better yet, a home prepared version. Adai is a Dosa prepared using batter made from a variety of lentils. The key is to use equal parts of as many lentils as rice. The best part is, there is no fermentation involved and you really cannot go wrong with it. What I like about it is its high nutrition content. The protein and fiber from the mix of all the lentils is just perfect, just like eating a mixed dal. Furthermore, the recipe is vegan and gluten-free. The lentils, spices and herbs that are added to the batter can be customized to your preferences.

    Now, to be clear, Adai is different from an Adai Dosa. While the former involves just soaking the lentils and grinding it into a batter, the latter involves a short fermentation for the batter. Adai can be served with a variety of condiments such as chutneys, podis, saagu or even avial. Some households even serve it with honey or butter. I served the Adai with my favorite Tomato Chutney that is also my mum’s recipe. Get the recipe here. Any which way, Adai is a must-try scrumptious and high-protein dish.

    Prep time10-12 hours
    Cook time15-20 minutes
    Serves6-8 people/20 Adais

    Ingredients

    Grains and Lentils

    • Rice – 1/2 cup
    • Green Moong Dal – 1/2 cup
    • Masoor Dal (Red Lentils) – 1/2 cup
    • Yellow Moong Dal (Yellow Petite Lentils) – 1/2 cup
    • Toor Dal (Pigeon Peas) – 1/2 cup
    • Chana Dal (Split Baby Chickpeas) – 1/2 cup
    • Urad Dal (Black Gram) – 1/2 cup

    Vegetables

    • Onion – 1 small, chopped

    Spices, Flavors and Herbs

    • Ginger – 1 inch piece
    • Green Chillies – 3, slit (Adjust as per spice preference)
    • Cilantro – A handful (Optional)

    Oils

    • Cooking Oil – A few tbsp for cooking the Adai

    Ingredient notes

    • Add 1/2 cup Quinoa or Oats for added nutrition
    • Add a handful of Moringa, Fenugreek (Methi) or blanched Spinach for a green Adai and added nutrition
    • Add any other spices like Fennel (Saumph) or Cumin (Jeera) seeds

    Method

    1. Place all the lentils and grains in a bowl. Wash under cold running water until the water is clear. Add water and soak overnight (Approx. 10-12 hours)
    2. The following morning, drain the water and add the soaked lentils and grains to a blender
    3. To the blender, add the ginger, onions and green chillies
    4. Blend without adding any water. Use a spatula to clean the sides of the blender jar to make sure there are no lumps
    5. Then add 1/2 cup water to further blend into a smooth batter
    6. Transfer the batter to a bowl and set aside for 1-2 hours
    7. Heat a non-stick pan (Don’t add oil as the batter will not spread. Trust me, experience speaks!)
    8. Pour one ladle of the batter on the pan and spread it into a nice circle. Pour a tbsp of oil around the Adai. Cook for 2 minutes on medium-high heat
    9. Flip the Adai and cook for another 2 minutes on medium-high heat
    10. Transfer to a plate and serve hot Adais with choice of condiments 🙂

    You can also follow me on Instagram to be up-to-date with what is cooking my kitchen. If you like this recipe, do share your comments below. Don’t forget to post your version on Instagram using #foodformyloveblog.

  • Lentil and Cashew Dip

    One can never have enough dips. There are mild, medium and spicy salsas. Then there is Guacamole. There is even a hundred flavors of Hummus. There are fruit dips too. And a ton other. But what about lentil dips? If that does not sound good to you, try this recipe and I guarantee that it will change your mind.

    I am writing this post during a time that we will all remember for the rest of our lives. The unprecendented time of COVID-19. To say the least, this has been an emotional roller coaster for all of us. Our life has been upended with working from home, home schooling children, working with minimal groceries etc. But it has also been a time of gratitude and lots of home food to feed one and all. And this brings me back to the dip.

    With so many of us being at home, food and snacking varieties are needed to keep us all sane, healthy and satiated. And this dip checks all those 3 boxes. In my case, I am not much of a snacker, but my husband definitely needs his evening snack. I would much rather prepare a new variety for him everyday instead of him eating sugary, fatty cookies. This dip is so easy to prepare that even he can do it, unsupervised!

    With brown lentils and cashews, the dip is a powerhouse of nutrition, and is incredibly flavorful. What more does one want from a dip? 🙂 This recipe was born because I got tired of Guacamole and Hummus. I really needed something different from a texture and flavor standpoint.

    This recipe uses brown lentils. In general, lentils are amazing sources of plant-based protein and fiber. And this recipe gives you another way to eat lentils, other than the regular dal-chawal. This recipe also uses cashews, which also have great protein content along with beneficial mono-unsaturated fats and several beneficial minerals.

    The best thing about this recipe is that using the same base, you can alter the flavor using different spices, herbs or other additives like seeds. Apart from the cook time for the lentils, this recipe comes together in 10 minutes.

    Serve it with pita bread, crackers, chips or veggie sticks for your next evening snack or pre-prepare it as a portable appetizer dip for a party. This recipe will not disappoint, I promise 🙂

    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time15 minutes
    Serves2 cups

    Ingredients

    Legumes

    • Brown Lentils – 1/2 cup, uncooked

    Nuts and Seeds

    • Roasted Cashews – 10-12 (Unsalted)

    Spices and Herbs

    • Cilantro – A handful
    • Red Pepper Flakes – 1 tsp
    • Fresh Ginger – 2 inch piece, grated or finely chopped
    • Garlic – 1/4 tsp (optional)
    • Salt – A pinch

    Oils

    • Olive Oil – 2 tsbp for grinding + 2 tbsp for garnish drizzle

    Ingredient notes

    • The brown lentils can be substituted with green lentils
    • Use any herb of your choice
    • Add any other spice of your choice for additional flavor

    Method

    1. Wash the brown lentils thoroughly. Add 1 1/2 cups of water. Place in Instant Pot. Close the lid and the move the pressure valve to sealed position. Select the pressure cook mode and set the time for 12 minutes. Once done, allow the pressure to naturally release before unsealing the pressure valve. Allow the cooked lentils to cool prior to using. You can cook the lentils in a pressure cooker too for 2-3 whistles
    2. Once the lentils have cooled, add all the ingredients to a blender. Blend until you achieve the desired consistency. My preference is a chunky dip, so I did not blend for smoothness, but feel free to blend until you achieve a smooth consistency. Make sure to add a little more olive oil to achieve the smoothness
    3. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl. Either chill or drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately

    You can also follow me on Instagram to be up-to-date with what is cooking in my kitchen. If you like this recipe, do share your comments below. Don’t forget to post your version on Instagram using #foodformyloveblog.