Bengali Style Moong Dal AKA "kaancha moonger daal"

This was a day when I was particularly craving for the bengali styled food. Then again I'm thoroughly lazy so I realised, moong dal is the answer to all my woes.



Things you will need:
Dry red chillis :2
Cumin seeds: 1 tbsp
Dal : 1 small cup
Water: 4x the measure
Salt: 1-1/2 tsp
Oil: 2 tbsp
Ginger: 1 tbsp
Green Chilli: 1

Wash the moong dal and add some water and keep it doused on the side.

Now start the cooking.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a deep pan. Once the oil is hot add the jeera seeds, wait for it to stop crackling or at least when you can hear the crackling seperately.Now switch off the gas, drain the dal; add it to the jeera and red chillis and switch the heat back on.

Stir the dal till the dal is almost musical when it brushes against the pan almost a faint jingle sound.By this time the dal would have started to look almost split. Add water, simmer and cover.


In the meanwhile, grind the ginger and green chilli into mulch.


Once the dal is thoroughly cooked, add this paste to the dal and cover for 10 minutes post taking it off the heat.

Your delicious Bengali style moong dal is ready!

My fav Palak Dal recipe

This is my all time go to recipe when I don't want to make a dal and subzi - this is a two-in-one goto dal.

Ingredients:

• moong dal
• 500 gm spinach (uncut)
• 1 dry red chilli
• cumin seeds
• ginger
• garlic
• 2 green chillis
• oil

I have this tiny measure, I take that and immerse the dal in a boat load of water till I get on with other things.
 

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a kadhai. Add 1 tsp. jeera seeds, then add 2 dry red chillis. Once they're fried add only the soaked dal and fry till it sounds tingling against the kadhai.


Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp ginger powder. Add twice the amount of water than the dal. I got a 500gm spinch bundle and cut out spinach leaves from the stems and washed it thoroughly to remove alll the mud.


Simmer and cover. Aft 10 minutes or so, check if dal is done, should have completely lost its structure. Now grind 2 chillis and about 8 cloves of garlic, add and take it off the heat and cover.


The dal should look something like this.


ENJOY!