Carrot Kootu | Carrot and Lentil Curry
by Jiya Jesh ·
Carrot Kootu – comforting South Indian style stew of carrots and lentils in a coconut based gravy.
Ingredients
1 cup chopped carrots
1/3 cup toor dal ( split pigeon pea / thuvaram paruppu )
1 onion small
1 tomato medium-sized
2 large garlic cloves
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
5 tbsp grated coconut
1-2 green chillies
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp split urad dal (without skin)
A few curry leaves
1 tsp oil
Instructions
Wash toor dal and soak the dal in enough water for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile peel the skin of carrots and chop them into small cubes. Also, finely chop onions, garlic and tomatoes.
Grind the grated coconut along with chopped green chillies to a fine paste by adding little water and set this aside.
Drain the soaked water from dal. Pressure cook the soaked dal along with chopped onions, garlic, tomatoes, carrots and turmeric powder with 1 cup water for 2 whistles on a medium flame.
Once the pressure gets released from the cooker, remove the lid of the cooker and mash the dal slightly.
Heat oil in a kadai or pan. Add mustard seeds. When the seeds splutter, add urad dal and curry leaves.
Once dal turns brown, add the cooked dal-vegetable mixture and mix.
Add the ground coconut paste and salt and mix well.
Add 3/4 cup water and let the gravy simmer on low heat for 4-5 minutes.
Once the gravy thickens to desired consistency, remove from heat.
Carrot kootu is now ready to be served.
Notes
The curry will thicken with time. So cook to consistency required.
Carrot kootu tastes great when served with rice and a dollop of ghee. Add ghee when you are serving to kids. It tastes good when served with rotis / chapathis too.
Radish Greens Dal | Mullangi Keerai Kootu Recipe
by Jiya Jesh · Updated on August 16, 2022 Curries/ Gravies
Radish greens dal recipe is an easy Indian style curry of radish greens with lentils. Radish greens and split yellow lentils / moong dal come together in this simple dish.
I was able to get hold of some radishes with their leaves and got to make this curry. This dish can be served with rice or rotis / chapathis.
Radish leaves are edible and have a peppery taste. They remain fresh for only a couple of days in the refrigerator.
They are nutritious as they are a great source of vitamin C and vitamin A. These leaves are also a good source of calcium and are low in calories.
Radish greens do have a slightly bitter taste. Combining them with lentils does mask the bitterness slightly. So next time don’t throw away the radish leaves and instead try this delicious dal.
Category:Side Dish
Cuisine:Indian
Author:Jiya Jesh
Serves:2-3
Prep Time:10 mins
Cook Time:15 mins
Total Time:25 mins
A simple and healthy recipe of radish greens with split yellow lentils ( moong dal ).
Ingredients
2 cups chopped radish leaves
1/2 cup moong dal / split yellow lentils / pasi paruppu
1 small onion
1 small tomato
2 green chillies
1/2 tsp finely chopped ginger
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds / jeera
A few curry leaves ( optional )
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Instructions
Wash the radish leaves thoroughly. Then finely chop the washed leaves and set aside.
Wash moong dal. Pressure cook the dal with 1 1/2 cups water along with salt and turmeric powder for 2-3 whistles.
Once the pressure gets released, mash the cooked dal slightly.
Meanwhile, finely chop onions and tomatoes. Slit the green chillies lengthwise.
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds splutter, add cumin seeds.
When cumin seeds start to crackle and slightly change color, add in the chopped onions, chopped ginger, slit green chillies and curry leaves.
Saute till onions turn light brown in color.
Then add in the chopped tomatoes and fry for a minute.
Add the chopped radish leaves and salt.
Cover with a lid and cook on medium low flame for 2 minutes.
Now add the cooked dal along with 1/2 cup water.
Let the dal cook on a medium low flame for 4-5 minute or until the gravy reaches desired consistency. Remove from heat.
Radish greens dal is ready to be served hot with rice or rotis.
Notes
Moong dal gets cooked fast. So instead of pressure cooking moong dal you can even cook it with enough water and then use in the recipe.
Butternut Squash Lentil Curry
from Dishing Up the Dirt
1 cup dry brown, or red lentils
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed (1 inch pieces)
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 tbs coconut oil
1 cup vegetable broth
1 1/2 tbs red curry paste
2 tsp of curry powder
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
dash of cinnamon
dash of pepper
1/3 cup full fat coconut milk
Preheat the oven to 400. Place the squash cubes on an oiled baking sheet and drizzle with a little oil salt and pepper. Roasted for about 20 minutes. Or until fork tender. Remove from oven.
Cook the lentils in a large pot of boiling water for about 20 minutes (or until tender). Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat saute’ the onion in the coconut oil. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the cooked squash and vegetable broth. Let the mixture simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Reduce heat. With an immersion blender blend everything together. (you can also use a blender for this).
Add curry paste, curry powder, tumeric, cinnamon, salt, and coconut milk to the pan. Mix well to combine. Add cooked lentils.
Serve over your favorite rice! Adjust seasonings to your taste.
Creamy Celery Soup
Excerpted from “Six Seasons” by Joshua McFadden (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2017.
45 mins
Makes 4 servings
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 head celery or 10 stalks of celery, cut into 1-inch pieces, leafy tops chopped and reserved
1 small onion diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups vegetable stock or water
1 cup heavy cream
For the garnish:
1/2 cup roughly chopped, lightly toasted walnuts
1/2 cup raisins, plumped in water for 15 minutes and drained
1 teaspoon celery seed
Extra-virgin olive oil
Put the butter, celery and onion in a large pot over medium heat. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook the vegetables slowly until they have begun to soften and release their juices, about 8 minutes. Don’t let the vegetables brown at all.
Add the stock, adjust the heat to a simmer, and cook until the celery and onion are completely tender, about 30 minutes. Let the soup cool a bit, then process in a blender to make a smooth puree. You might need to do this in batches.
Meanwhile, toss together the reserved chopped celery leaves, walnuts, raisins and celery seed in a bowl and moisten with a few drops of olive oil.
Return the puree to the pot, add the cream, and bring everything to a low simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes to soften the raw cream flavor. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Divide into serving bowls and top with the walnut-raisin mixture.
Note: This soup is so simple and pure in flavor I often serve it unadorned. Make a simple topping with a few torn croutons, a grating of Parmigiano, or a swirl of extra-virgin olive oil, or go all the way with the unexpected sweet and nutty topping.
White Beans & Greens
Ingredients
2 cups dried cannellini beans
2 shallots, peeled and quartered
1 garlic bulb, top evenly sliced off
1 fennel bulb, chopped, stalks and fronds cut into large 4-inch pieces (the tops will be removed toward the end)
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1 (3-inch) piece kombu, rinsed, optional*
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
Red pepper flakes, optional
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves torn
Crusty bread, for serving
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Place the beans in a large bowl. Sort through them and discard any stones or debris. Cover with 2 to 3 inches of water and discard any beans that float. Soak at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse well.
Place the beans in a large pot and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Skim any foam off the top, then add the shallots, garlic, fennel bulb and stalks, salt, lots of freshly ground black pepper, and the kombu, if using. Continue simmering until tender, up to 2 more hours, stirring occasionally. The timing will depend on the type and freshness of your beans (older beans will take longer than fresher beans). I typically check them every 30 minutes. Add more water to the pot, as needed, as it starts to evaporate.
When the beans are tender, remove the garlic, fennel stalks, and kombu. Discard the garlic papers. Use the back of a knife to mash the soft garlic cloves into a paste, then return it to the pot. Stir in the olive oil and lemon juice and season to taste. I like to add ½ to 1 teaspoon more salt, more pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Add the chard leaves and cook until the chard is just wilted. Season to taste and serve in bowls with drizzles of olive oil and crusty bread. Sprinkle with parsley.
Notes
*The kombu is optional, but it helps the beans become more digestible. Kombu can get bitter if boiled, so be sure to keep the beans cooking at a gentle simmer after you add it.