Zaiqa

Fall’s here! My first Fall here in Toronto insallah. I love the trees in this season, with colors of the leaves ranging from red, orange, yellow and some shades of green, nature’s beauty I must say! Earlier I only got to witness these beautiful sceneries in movies, but now I am able enjoy it all right in front of my house! I love to go out on walks, perceiving it all, and I thank my God for making Earth a beautiful place to live in, with all sorts of visual pleasures for humans to enjoy, admire and be thankful.

It has also become cold, and I look forward to the winter, again.. will be my first winter here. My hubby sometimes scares me, telling me about the temperatures going very cold, and it being shivering cold here during the peak in winter. I just am looking forward to see snow all around, hoping it wouldnt be so terrible as described inshallah.

Well, this recipe is one of the most easiest recipes, a Ramadan special served at Iftaars. Its an instant light snack and very nutritious.

Tip: While you are preparing dals, it is always necessary to pre-soak them in surplus water for 4-6 hours preferably. And then to drain and discard the water and wash the dal well in fresh water. The water in which the dal was soaked should never be used for cooking and should always be thrown away coz if you use that water, chances of intestinal gas (flatulence), bloating and abdominal cramps are higher, and you do not want to end up with that. If you do not have time to presoak the dal, you can use it as it is, but you should throw away the water in which you boil the dal.. losing some of the vital water soluble vitamins, so I always only pre-soak my dals. In the later case, you need not throw away the water used to boil it, as the water while soaking them was already thrown away.

Here goes the recipe:

Chanay ki Dal – Lemony Boiled Split Bengal Gram

Ingredients:

Split Bengal Gram/Chana Dal – 1 cup
Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Black Pepper Powder – to taste
Finely chopped small green chillies – 1 tbsp
Cilantro – 1/2 cup, finely chopped
Mint leaves – 2 tbsp, finely chopped
Lemon Juice – to taste

Chanay ki Dal

Method:

1. Wash and soak the dal for 4-6 hours preferably. Drain the water away and wash them well.
2. Now boil them in warm water, taking care you do not add too much of water to it. When the dal has softened up, make sure it not mushy and still in its shape, (the water shouldn’t be there, it should be dry). So, while boiling water, add only a cup of water and if it dries up before the dal being softened, add little more amount of warm water to it.
3. Remove the dal and add black pepper powder, salt, cilantro, lemon juice and chopped green chillies. Serve it warm.

This delicious dal is my entry to the event ‘Delicious Dals from India’ being hosted by Suma at her blog Veggie Platter.

Luv,
Mona