Masoor Usal

Ingredients

1 cup sabut masoor (lentils)
1 medium onion - chopped
1 tomato - chopped
6 cloves garlic - chopped
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 teaspoon dhania jeera powder
a pinch of turmeric
1 teaspoon kashimiri chilli powder
salt to taste
1 tablespoon oil

Method

wash and soak the massor for atleat 3 hours. In a karahi, add the oil. When it gets hot, add the mustard. Once the mustard starts to splutter, add the cumin. Immediately add the garlic and the onions. Fry till the onions are transparent. Add the turmeric, chilli powder, dhania jeera powder, garam masala powder and the tomatoes and mix well. To this mixture add the soaked masoor and 3 cups of water. Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Check if the lentils are cooked. If the are not cooked - then cover and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with rice, rotis or even bread.

Dabeli

Last month I had Dabeli twice - Once at a potluck party and the other time at a send off party. Well, as they they if things happen 2 times, it is bound to happen the third time. Well, I thought - why not make the third time in my kitchen itself.

Ingredients
8 bombay pavs
4 medium potatoes
1 medium onion - chopped
1/4 cup chopped coriander
mint chutney
sweet tamarind chutney
butter
masala peanuts
pomegranate (I substituted that with chopped black grapes)
dabeli masala
salt to taste

Method

Boil and peel the potatoes. mash them well. To this add 5 to 7 heaped teaspoons of dabeli masala and the chopped coriander and very little salt and mix well. make eight equal portions of this mixture.
Now to arrange these dabelis - Cut the bombay pav in half. Spread butter on each side and then spread the chutneys - mint chutney on one side and tamarind chutney on the other side. Place the mashed potato mixture on one side of the pav - to this add some chopped onion, masala peanuts, pomegranate/grapes. Now place the other side of the pav on top of this. On a hot tava (medium heat), place the made dabeli and let it just get hot on both the surfaces.
serve hot.