Peyaj Mushuri Dal is a classic Bengali dal/dahl. It is mild on the tummy and gets a hint of sweetness from the caramelized onion. With just 5 INGREDIENTS, this masoor dal is a hearty starter to a Bengali meal. You can enjoy it like soup or pair it with some crispy fried veggies or fish and rice.
lentil
Daal is an essential part of the Indian meal. It helps you balance your diet along with rice as well as sabzi (vegetable stir fry) or curry. The pulses can be cooked with different vegetables, spices or herbs to form either a thick stew or a thin soup-like consistency. It’s our comfort food and there are probably a thousand different ways in which you can make a delicious bowl of daal. This Masoor Palak Daal (Red Lentil Spinach Stew) is a hearty, nutritional lentil stew. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice on the top, pair it with cooked rice, thinly slice…
Samosa is my absolutely favorite teatime snack. That flaky crust and filled with spiced boiled potatoes, always so tempting. I don’t even need a dipping sauce, just a cup of piping hot masala chai. With the festive season in full swing, we look for treats that can be made in advance and served right away when the guests arrive. Dry fruit samosa fits right in for such a situation. And I love it as much as the traditional samosa while pairing it with a cup of tea.
I come from a food enthusiast family and whenever we meet, there is always a lot to eat. Mom being Mom would forever be busy in the kitchen cooking up a marathon and taking extra effort to prepare everyone’s favorite dish. I never saw her getting tired of cooking or entertaining. Some energy she always has!
I am not a big admirer of lentils or rice but on some days, that’s just what I need. And when these two are mixed together, slow cooked to a luscious porridge, seasoned with whole spices and clarified butter, it turns into a super hearty meal! This dish has got several names - khichdi, kichuri, khichdee, etc. depending on the different regions in India. There are also several ways to prepare the dish. It can be prepared with different kinds of lentils. Sometimes vegetables are added to make it more filling and sometimes, it’s left to just rice and lentil.…
Out of the ample varieties of deep-fried food that my Mom prepares, the red lentil fritters have always been my favorite, especially on a cold afternoon. She would fry the fritters right before lunch and serve with piping hot yellow lentil soup (dal) and steamed rice. We call these fritters Daler Bora and they are quite common in Bengali food culture. It can be prepared with different kinds of lentil but red lentils are most frequently used. This time, I gave my own little twist by serving these crispy lentil fritters in a non-traditional way with bright green garlicky chimichurri…
Every now and then, when I am chitchatting with my friends, the very first question is always about food. They like to discuss what I made for dinner, which recipe would I be sharing next and if it would be sweet or savory. Some even desire to be in my shoes and wish they could appreciate cooking as much I do. They share stories about how I encouraged them to bake a cake or make a simple soup. They always motivate me and I feel blessed!