Methi Malai Dal

There’ll be times when you don’t feel like cooking or eating anything complicated or spicy and just wish for something very simple – but yet tasty. The routine Rasam and Sambhar are just too boring to give them even a thought. Cutting vegetables, grinding spices are just out of question. But then the appetite? And your wish to eat good food?

It was one such weekend, when only both of us were home. (Well, that’s when I can be so lazy as well as try any new thing without getting worried how it’ll turn out!). And I wanted to cook something very quick and get back to my relaxing mode :P. At the same time, didn’t want to disappoint Dee with boring stuff either!

I remembered a dish which I had had at a restaurant the week before – ‘Methi Malai Matar’. And there was a bowl of methi leaves left over; I didn’t want to waste it either. But I didn’t feel like using any matar that day. So, I decided to make a variant of Dee’s favorite – Dal in that style!

So I started out cooking the dal and in parallel worked on the Methi combination. And in 15-20 minutes was ready a cool new variety of dal, yummy with hot rice or chapathis. The addition of cream gives it a totally different taste.

Methi -Malai- Dal

Preparation time : 5 min Cooking time : 10 min with cooked dal Serves : 4 Ingredients: Tur dal - 1 cup Methi leaves - 1 cup, chopped Cooking oil - 1 Tsp Cumin seeds - 1 Tsp Water - 1 cup Turmeric - a pinch Salt - ½ Tsp or as per taste Green chilies - 4-5, depending on taste, chopped/slit Ginger - 1Tsp, grated Curry leaves - 10-12 Milk cream - 1 Tbsp, optional Method: • Pressure cook Tur dal with water and turmeric for one whistle and keep aside • Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, chilies, grated ginger • After half a minute, add the chopped methi leaves and sauté for 2-3 minutes • Add cooked lentils and salt and bring to boil • Turn off the heat and add milk cream and mix thoroughly • Serve hot with hot rice or chapathis Tips n Tricks: • Don’t add methi in excess as it gives the dal a bitter taste. Variations: • Onion can also be added to give a different taste