Pacha Payiru Kari - Green moong dal curry

Recipe Courteousy: Sashi Prakash

Green moong dal - 2 cups
Garlic - minced 1 tsp
Turmeric -1/2 tsp
Green chillies - 2 small
Red chilli - 1
Cocunut - 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1/2 tsp

For tadka
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Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 2
Oil - 2 tbl sp

Procedure:
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--Pressure cook 2 cups green moong with 6 cups water in pressure cooker with one spoon of garlic and a pinch of turmeric.
--in the blender, add some green/red chillies, coconut, cumin (jeera), garlic and blend well.
--in a pan, fry mustard seeds in oil, add curry leaves. As soon as the mustard starts popping add the paste from the blender and turn the stove off.
--as soon as the moong dal is ready, add this mixture in it, with salt and bring it to a boil...
--if the moong is not done fully, you can mash a part of it (in blender or using a beater) so that the curry is thicker

Voila, your payaru kari is ready:)

Moong Dal

Moong dal recipe:
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Ingredients:
--Moong dal (1 cup, for 3 servings)
--Ginger (1/2 inch cube, finely chopped)
--Turmeric powder (1/2 tsp)
--Salt (to taste)
--Asofetida powder (1 pinch)
--Black pepper (1/4 tsp)
--Mustard seeds (1/2 tsp)
--Cumene Seeds (1/2 tsp)
--Cilantro (finely chopped, 1/4 cup)
--tomatoes (1 medium)

Procedure:
Step 1: Take 3/4 cup (or 1 cup) of moong dal and add to pan
Step 2: Add 3-4 times water
Step 3: Add finely chopped ginger (1/2" cube finely chopped)
Step 4: Add 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
Step 5: Add hing powder (asoefetida powder, sprinkle 10 times)
Step 6: Add 1/2 tsp of salt
Step 7: Add freshly crushed black pepper (grind 5-8 times with pepper grinder)
Step 8: Bring to boil at medium-high heat
Step 9: Cover pan and simmmer at medium-low heat (if dal starts to boil outside, open lid to let steam out and cover again). Keep stirring when water level is low, to make sure the dal doesn't stick at the bottom of the pan. Add more water if needed
Step 10: Once dal is fully cooked, add chopped cilantro to garnish
Step 11: Tadka: on a smaller pan, add 1 tsp of ghee, 1/2 tsp mustard seed, 1/2 tsp cumene seeds and heat at medium flame until mustard seeds start popping. Add chopped tomatoes, and let it cook (optional). Add this tadka to dal and mix.

Done!

Tofu-Kale Stir Fry

Tofu-Kale Stir fry Recipe: Courtesy of Juliana Milo

Here's the recipe(this is about 1-2 big servings):

1 bunch of Kale
1/2 of a 16oz. container of soft or medium tofu
1/2 onion chopped
Ground Pepper
Braggs Liquid Aminos(generously use for the marinade, cooking the onion and for the kale dressing but be careful of over using it because it can get salty esp with ghee)
Lemon juice
Olive oil(you can replace this with ghee if you like)

Marinade for the tofu:
1-2 tablespoons of minced garlic
3-4 tbs. Braggs Liquid Aminos(Can also use Tamari instead. Tamari is a form of soy sauce)
3-4 tbs. Olive oil

For the marinade: cube the tofu and set it in a bowl, mix in the marinade ingredients cover and let sit for at least 15 minutes.

In a frying pan mix about 2 tbs. of olive oil, onion, a little bit of ground pepper, at least 1 tbs of braggs and cook until the onion turns light to medium golden. While you do that you can go ahead and start steaming the kale. You can also boil it until it becomes tender if you don't have anything that steams. Once the kale is tender drain and chop it up(kind of like the size of lettuce in a salad). Add at least 1 tbs. of olive oil and 2 tbs. of braggs, black pepper, and about 1-2 tbs. of lemon juice and mix.(adjust to your liking) After you're done mixing the kale add the cooked onion to it. Lastly, cook the tofu with the marinade juice until it starts to turn golden. When that is done mix it in with the kale and onion and It is ready to eat.

Indian Cooking - Shopping list

List of Items you might need for Indian cooking

Commonly used Spices
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Salt
Hing powder (Asofetida)
Dhania (Coriander powder)
Turmeric powder
Urad dal
Chana dal
Red chilli powder
Cumene seeds
Mustard seeds
Red chillies whole
Black Pepper (whole)
Fenugreek
Sambar powder
Rasam powder
Cinnamon sticks
Bay leaves
Garam masala
Amchur powder



Veggies (for garnishing )
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Ginger
Garlic
Grated coconut (frozen)
Green chillis (small)
Curry leaves
Cilantro (Coriander leaves)
Tomato
Onion


Beans/ Grains Etc
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Toor dal (yellow split pea lentil)
Moong dal
Urad dal
Chana dal (Not to confuse with Toor dal, they look similar)
Garbanzo beans (canned)
Kidney beans (canned)
Pottu kadalai (Don't know english name)


Dairy etc
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Organic milk
Organic yogurt
Butter
Ghee
Cooking oil (olive oil or sesame oil)
Paneer block

Staple food
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Rice (sona massuri)
Basmati rice
Chappati (frozen)
Paratha (frozen)

Flour
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Rice flour
Rava
Whole wheat flour
All purpose flour
Besan
Baking soda

Veggies for cooking
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Various veggies