KADALAI CURRY /BLACK CHICKPEAS CURRY

This is one of my mother-in-law’s preparations. She had learnt this from their family friend, who is from Kerala. My father-in-law and mother-in-law still fondly remember of the days they had spent with their friends and the vacations they had gone together. I like this particular curry since this is not too spicy and has a different flavor and taste compared to the usual channa masala or the black chickpeas masala I make. This also does not have a lot of masalas. If you are bored with the regular channa masala and looking for something different, then this is your dish. We all love this black chickpeas curry with puris.

INGREDIENTS
1. Black chickpeas, 1-1/2 cup (soaked overnight or for 8 hours).
2. Onion, medium size, 1.
3. Curry leaves, a sprig.
4. Salt as per taste.
5. Dried red chilies, 2.
6. Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.

To roast and grind:
1. Channa dhal, 1 tablespoon.
2. Coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon.
3. Peppercorns, ¼ teaspoon.
4. Cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon.
5. Dried red chilies, 4-6 depending on spice level. (I have used the less spicier long variety).
6. Peeled small onions, 4.
7. Grated coconut, 1 tablespoon.

PREPARATION:
Cook the soaked chickpeas with some salt and keep aside. I used a pressure cooker for up to 3 whistles to cook the chickpeas. Dice the onion finely. Roast the channa dhal, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cumin seeds, red chilies, grated coconut(until it changes to brown color) one by one and add the small onions in the end. Sauté for a few minutes until the onions turn translucent and let the mixture cool. Once cooled, grind it into a smooth paste. Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, break the dried red chiles, and curry leaves into it and fry for a few seconds. Add the diced onions and sauté for a few minutes until the onions turn brown. Then add the ground paste, along with the cooked chickpeas, salt, and enough water to immerse the whole mixture. Let it cook for 10-15 minutes until the desired thickness is reached. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice, chappathis, idlis, dosas, or appams.

OATS VEGETABLE MASALA UPMA

I am back from my week-long road trip to Pittsburg, Niagara Falls, and New York. The babies managed the trip very well and they actually enjoyed the water spraying on their faces at the falls. This is our first long trip with the babies, a tedious one with the packing and unpacking but we did enjoy it, especially my in-laws.

The thing with oats is you either like it or you don’t. Some of my family members still wrinkle their noses when I say that I prepare a couple of Indian recipes with oats. Today when I was mentioning to my mil that I am planning to prepare upma with oats, the first thing she asked was “will it not be too mushy, how are you eating that stuff” but when both my father-in-law and mother-in-law tasted this upma they seemed to like it. I usually toast the oats in a pan or in the microwave until they are all toasty and while cooking, I will usually stir the oats just once until everything is mixed and let it cook under low-to-medium flame. This way the oats is whole and doesn’t turn mushy…well if you like the upma to be a little mushy, you can go ahead and add a little water and keep stirring it just as with any other upma.


INGREDIENTS:
1. Rolled oats, 1 cup.
2. Onion, medium size, 1.
3. Roma tomato, 1.
4. Green chilies, 2.
5. Mixture of chopped vegetables like carrot, green beans, capsicum, cauliflower, green peas, 1 cup. (I have used red bell pepper, carrot, and green peas)
6. Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
7. Chili powder, 1 to ½ teaspoon depending upon preferred spice level.
8. Mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon.
9. Cinnamon, a small stick.
10. Bay leaf, 1.
11. Fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon.
12. Clove, 2.
13. Curry leaves, 3-4.
14. Chopped cilantro for garnishing.
15. Salt as per taste.

PREPARATION:
Dry roast the oats under low-to-medium flame for 5-7 minutes and let it cool. Chop the onion and tomato and slit the green chilies into 2. Heat a thick-bottomed pan with a tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cloves, and fennel seeds and fry for a few seconds. Add the chopped onions now and sauté for a few minutes until the onions are tender. Then add the chopped tomatoes along with the green chilies, curry leaves, and salt and keep sautéing until everything is well blended. Add the chopped mixed vegetables along with chili powder and keep frying under low flame for 2-3 minutes until the chili powder loses its raw smell. Add 2 cups of water now and let it come to a boil. Once the water starts to boil, reduce the flame and add the oats. Mix everything once and cook closed for10 minutes under low-to-medium flame. Do not stir in between, this helps the oats from getting too mushy. Garnish with chopped cilantro once the upma turns dry and the vegetables have been cooked and serve hot with pickle.