Spicy Zucchini n vegetable Dal/ Roasted Yellow Lentil with Spices, Zucchini and Other Vegetables

Ever since I saw this dal at Sangeeta’s blog I knew I have to try it. Though its not new for me, as in winter it’s a staple in most Bengali homes to have dals with veggies like carrots, cauliflowers, beans, peas and tomatoes. My Maa also makes an awesome lauki dal (bottle gourd) with coconut and a little hint of ghee. But this bright summery yellow colour of sangeeta’s dal with those velvety pieces of zucchinis tempted me enough to go to the market and bring home another couple of my new friends. In Bengal Yellow lentil or Mung Dal is never cooked raw, it is first dry roasted till aromatic then washed and cooked in various ways. This dry roasting gives it a nice nutty aroma, which I always love. As a kid veggie dal was something my maa used to serve before we left for school. She used to make it in numerous ways. Sometimes with raw papaya or with bottle gourd or bitter gourd or with a medley of vegetables. Maa almost always added some freshly scraped coconut and bhaja masla to it. I still can remember the smell of those morsels with veggie dal, rice, omlette and tomato chutney that Maa or Baba used to feed us before leaving for school. So guided by that nostalgia, I wanted to make something that would be little spicy and would be laden with the goodness of vegetables. My plan was to wrap up my lunch with rice and this dal or mostly with some tomato pickle at the sides. So I searched again in the blogosphere and stumbled upon Souganya’s vegetable dal with roasted spices. That was exactly what I was looking for. So with these two healthy lentil dishes as my inspiration, I created my own and here is what I made.

Spicy zucchini and vegetable Dal

Ingredients:

Yellow lentil (Mung Dal): 1 cup

Zuchini and other vegetables: chopped 4 cups (I used carrots, beans, zucchini, cauliflower, peas bottle gourd,and potato)

Grated Ginger: 1” piece

Turmeric

Salt

For tempering:

Cumin seeds: ½ tsp

And dry red chillies: 1 piece

Spice mix:

Urad dal: 1tsp
Bengal gram lentil: 1 tsp

Cumin: 1 tsp

Coriander: 1 tsp

Red chillies: 3

Black pepper: ½ tsp

Grated Coconut : 4 tbsp

Oil: 2 tsp

Method:

Heat a pressure cooker and roast the tallow lentil till a fried aroma comes. This should be done by continuously stirring, as yellow lentil is very prone to burning. Wash the dal and pressure-cook with 3 cups of water on medium for one whistle. Switch off the heat and dissipate the steam either by holding a spatula under the pressure or by holding the cooker under cold running water. Remove the lid.

Now add the washed veggies, grated ginger, turmeric and salt. Cook for 7-8 mintes or till the veggies are cooked and soft. Keep aside.

While the veggies are being cooked heat 1 tsp oil and roast the spices under spice mix except coconut. Roast for 2-3 minutes or the spices change colour. Add the coconut and roast for another minte. Grind to a coarse powder.

Now heat the remaining oil and add the tempering spices. Once they start to splutter pour the lentil mixture. Give a quick stir.

Adjust seasoning and bring to a boil. Before taking off from heat mix in all the ground spices. Mix well and serve with rice or Luchi (puri).

Sending this to MLLA:24 a monthly legume recipe event started by Susan and this time hosted by Diana of Spain in Iowa.                                        Vegetable Marathon: carrots an event started by Silpa and this time hosted by PJ at Seduce your taste buds.

Tags:

Bengali dal. Lentil, Lentil with vegetables, carrot dal, zucchini lentil, veggies lentil, coconut, coconut with vegetables, coconut in lentil, coconut with roasted spices, roasted spices, bhaja masala, bengali spices, bottle gourd, pumpkin, yellow lentil, yrad dal, mung dal. moong daal, mug dal, dal chawal, lentil with rice, freshly ground spice mix, cumin, red chillies, Indian Dal, Indian Lentil.cauliflower.