Ingredients

• 1 cup mung dal
• 6 fresh okra, cut in half lengthways
• 1 medium size onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaves
• 3 whole black pepper
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1/4 tsp whole cumin
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/3 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/3 tsp coriander powder
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander to garnish (optional)

Method

1. Fry the mung daal in a frying pan without oil for 1-2 minutes. Make sure they don’t burn. Now wash the daal with warm water.
2. Heat up the pan and pour oil. Add onion and garlic and fry for a few minutes.
3. Now add all the spices. Cook for five minutes.
4. Now add the mung daal. Cook for ten minutes on a medium heat. Add 1 cup of water.
5. Now in a different frying pan pour 1/2 tsp oil. Fry the okra for few minutes. Then add the fried okra to the dal. Cook for 10-15 minutes on a low heat.
6. Serve with naan, paratha or plain rice.

“This is the ultimate comfort food, the Indian version of cottage pie, loved by everyone young and old, easily digestible highly nutritious, easy and economical to prepare, who could ask for more. My late father used to prepare this for me and I found this recipe in his handwritten cookbook, I hope you feel the love when you prepare it too.”

Ingredients

• 1 Cup split moong beans
• 1 cup of white basmati rice
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp of cumin seeds/ toasted in a dry frying pan for 3-4 mins
• 5 black peppercorns
• Sea salt to taste
• 2 tbs ghee (clarified butter)

Kadhi (sauce)

• 1.5 cups low fat yoghurt
• 3 tbs gram flour
• 15g jaggery
• 2 tsp ghee
• 1 de seeded finely chopped green pepper
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 5 curry leaves

Method

1. Cover the moong beans and the rice with water and soak for 45 mins.
2. Rinse the beans and the rice and add the spices and salt cover with water so that there is 2cm of water above the grains.
3. Bring to boil then turn the heat down to a simmer and cover. Cook on a low heat for approximately 10 mins, when holes appear in the rice and water is evaporated the rice is cooked.
4. Add the ghee stir through and serve.

To prepare the Kadhi

1. Combine the yoghurt and the gram flour with 3.5 cups of water and blend in the blender or use a hand whisk until completely smooth, add the crushed ginger and de- seeded chilli pepper, sugar and 1tsp sea salt, mix well.
2. Place in a saucepan and heat stirring continuously until the mixture boils. Remove from the heat and keep aside.
3. Heat the ghee in a pan add the crushed ginger and seeds when they start to crackle add the curry leaves and green chilli and mix well, remove from the heat and immediately pour over the pre-made kadhi.

Portion out the khichdi and and pour over the kadhi and enjoy super yum yum yum! Serve with papad.

You can see also see the video of her making the recipe in our Story Highlights on Instagram.

SERVES 2-3

Ingredients

• 1 cup of Mung Dal
• 2 tsp of turmeric
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
• 1 green chilli
• 3 to 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
• 1 cup of cauliflower florets
• 10 trimmed fine beans – cut into 2 inches lengths
• 1 large tomato, cut into quarters
• 3 tablespoons of ghee
• 200 ml thick coconut milk
• 1/3 cup tamarind juice
• 2 to 3 cups of water (depend on how thick you want the dish to be)
• A few stalks of coriander leaves
• Salt to taste

Spice A ( for tempering)

• 2 medium onions (around 60 g), finely sliced
• 2 inches cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 2-star anise
• 3 cardamom pods
• 1 pandan leaves, knotted
• 2 stalks of curry leaves
• 3 to 4 dried chillies ( you can cut into small pieces if you prefer spicier Dalcha)

Spice B (pound using pestle and mortar)

• 3 garlic cloves (around 10 g)
• 15g of ginger

Spice C (mix to a paste)

• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp fennel powder
• 1 tsp grounded poppy seed (optional)
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 3 tablespoons of curry powder
• 1/3 cup of water

Method

1. Rinse the Mung Dal then transfer to a heavy based saucepan. Add enough water to cover the lentils, then add in 2 tsp of turmeric, 1 garlic clove, 2 teaspoons of oil and the green chilli. Stir to mix then bring to boil on medium heat. Once boiled, turn down the heat and simmer the dal till soft. Keep an eye on the Dal just in case it goes dry and skim off any white scum that forms.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in another large saucepan and then add in Spice A (tempering spices). Let it infuse for a few seconds then add in Spice B; stir continuously so it doesn’t stick to the pan. Once fragrant, add in Spice C and continue stirring till the curry paste is cooked and the oil has separated.
3. Add the spice paste to the cooked dal and add in the potatoes and 2 cups of water. Bring to boil on high heat. Once boiled, turn down the heat and simmer till potatoes are half cooked. Add in the rest of the vegetables (you can use other ones, these are just the ones I like to use), coconut milk, tamarind juice and salt. Bring to boil again and simmer till vegetables are softened. If the Dal is too thick, add in the last cup of water. If you are happy with the texture of your Dalcha, leave it out.
4. Finally, add in the coriander leaves, check for seasoning and turn the heat off.
5. Enjoy!