Zaiqa

One green leafy vegetable that I missed dearly once I had to leave Hyderabad was Ambaday ki bhaji (in Urdu Language) or Hibiscus Cannabinus, also called as Gongura in Telugu. This sour tasting red stemmed leafy vegetable is an Andhra specialty.

Ambaday ki bhaji

Brimming with good nutrients these leaves are good for health. Rich in protein and low in calories, Kenaf leaves have anti bacterial properties and are abundant in iron, calcium, phosphorus, lutein and Vitamin C. The tender leaves can also be used as salad greens.

The leaves are plucked washed and used in cooking, stems discarded. Pairing it along with dal in the current recipe helps reduce the sour taste of these leaves.

Ambada Dal – Sour greens with Bengal Gram
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Ambaday ki bhaji/Fresh Kenaf leaves – about 4 cups, tightly packed
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tspGreen chillies – 3, chopped
Salt – to taste
Fresh curry leaves – 2 sprigs
Chana dal – 1 cup
For Baghaar:
Canola oil – 2 1/2 tbsp
Dried red chillies – 2
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Fresh Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Garlic pods – 2, finely sliced

Ambada Dal – Sour greens with Bengal Gram

Method:

1. Wash and soak the dal in surplus fresh cool water for 4-6 hours. Drain and rinse the dal. Now pressure cook the dal in a little water until soft but not mushy. Transfer the cooked dal to a bowl and keep aside.
2. In the same pressure cooker, add the kenaf leaves, red chilli powder, green chillies, turmeric  powder, salt, curry leaves and just a little bit of water. Pressure cook until the leaves are wilted and then using a dal ghotni or in a mortar and pestle, mash them up thoroughly. Add half the amount of the cooked chana dal and mash it along until smooth. Now add the remaining dal and gently mix. Transfer to a serving bowl.
3. In a small frying pan, prepare the baghaar. Add oil and as soon as it warms up, throw in sliced garlic pods. As soon as it begins to turn into a light red color, add curry leaves, cumin seeds and dried red chillies. Once the spices pop, remove from heat and pour it hot and hissing over the above prepared ambada dal in the serving bowl. Enjoy as a side dish along with meals.

Finally I have been able to spot out two stores that sell this green leafy vegetable in Toronto. Here are the addresses of the stores:
Patel’s Cash and Carry – 416-439-9393
Rexdale grocery store – 416-749-2060
Normally Ambaday ki bhaji or Gongura is available during the months of July to October in Toronto. But they can get it from India and other parts of US.
If you are aware of any more stores that sell it, please let me know.

Luv,
Mona

Pakoday and bhajiye are the usual Iftaar snacks that I serve during ramadan other than chanay ki dal and fruit chaats. Deep fried, this kind of snacks are perfect for this monsoon season when served as a snack at tea time as well.

Moong ki Dal Kay Pakoday – Green gram fritters

Ingredients:

Dhuli moong ki dal (skinless split green gram) – 1 1/2 cup
Onion – 1, finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste – 1 heaped tbsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Green chillies – 3-4, finely chopped
Cilantro – 3 tbsp, finely chopped
Chopped curry leaves -1 tbsp
Chopped spring greens – 1/2 cup (optional)
Salt – to taste

Method:

Soak the dal for 4-6 hours. Drain and grind it adding little or no water. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Heat oil to deep fry in a kadai. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the hot oil and deep fry on both sides until golden. Continue until the mixture is finished. Drain on paper towels. Enjoy the pakoday along with mint and cilantro chutney.

This is my third entry to the The Hyderabadi Ramadan Food Festival that I am hosting on my blog: and the first entry to the event- Joy from Feasting to Fasting being hosted at Lubna’s blog-Yummy Food.

Luv,
Mona

Among all those amazing dried products that one can make during hot Indian summer days making use of the strong sunshine, dal ki badiyan are the ones I really love.

Badiyan are tiny sun dried lentil nuggets, which are nutritious and an excellent substitute for meat in curries. Many varieties of badiyan are available ready made in stores. But nothing compares to these homemade variation that I am addicted to since childhood.

Dal ki Badiyan ~ Sun Dried Lentil Nuggets

Split and skinned green gram/Moong ki Dal – 500 gms
Hari Pyaz/Spring greens, finely chopped – 3 cups (only the greens, not the white)
Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Salt and Red chilli powder – to taste

Method:

1. Soak the dal for 2 hours in fresh cool water. Later, drain and wash the dal in several changes of water. Once washed and drained, puree the dal in blender adding just enough water to aid in the process. (Note: Do not add too much water, or else the badiyan will not form properly)
2. In a mixing bowl, add the pureed dal, chopped spring greens, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt. Mix thoroughly.
3. Drop blobs of the prepared mixture on a clean and dry tray or a rimmed baking sheet using your hands or a spoon. Leave the tray in the sun during daytime and bring the tray indoors when dark. On the first night, gently scrape the partially dried badiyan and invert them so that the next day the bottoms also get nicely dried up in the sun. It usually takes 3-5 days under hot sun for the badiyan to completely get dried.
4. When completely dried, transfer the badiyan to an air tight container and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Be careful and keep away from moisture.
5. Always shallow fry a few needed badiyan in some oil until the color changes to golden brown just before consumption. Do not burn them or else their taste will worsen. Consume the crunchy shallow fried badiyan on the side to your meals, or add the shallow fried badiyan to any of your favorite curries or soups and cook for just a few minutes.

Dal Ki Badiyan Pictorial

Blobs of the mixture on tray, ready to be sun dried

Badiyan – Sun drying

Shallow fried Badiyan, ready for consumption

Preparing Dal ki Badiyan in Oven:

If you live in areas where sunlight is scarce and plays hide and seek with you, you can even prepare badiyan in the oven. Just lightly spray or brush the tray with a little bit of cooking oil, then drop the batter on the tray as shown above and place the tray in the oven pre-heated at the lowest setting. Let it bake for around 2-3 hours. Shake the tray after every hour. Keep a close eye and as you observe they are completely dried up, remove and let them cool on a rack. Once completely cool, transfer to air tight containers and store until needed. Shallow fry a few needed the badiyan in a little oil and enjoy when fancied.

Other Amazing sun dried Indian food products from this series are:
1. Sukhi Dahi Mirch – Sun dried Yogurt Chillies
2. Dhoop Nimbu ~ Sun Preserved Lemons

Its a wonderful day today in Hyderabad. The weather is the coolest it has ever been since I landed here, and my jet lag seems to be fading away gradually. So, I thought this morning as the perfect opportunity to visit the wholesale market in Hyderabad at Gudimalkapur, and indeed the visit was totally worth it. The market was a frenzy, but a treat my sore eyes. There were huge piles of fresh greens, seafood, vegetables and fruits, flowers and I bought all that I could at very reasonable prices.

Kulfa ki bhaji ~Purslane

To start with I chose Kulfa ki bhaji (in Urdu language), (Purslane in English) that I bought to cook and satisfy my long patience. It had been more than 3 long years since I had tasted Kulfa ki bhaji and many other such basic fresh vegetables and fruits available here in Hyderabad. Purslane is a succulent with thick leaves and reddish stems and a crisp citrusy taste.

Today my Ammi prepared Kulfa ki Katli, a dal preparation cooked along with Kulfa ki bhaji, tomatoes, tamarind and other aromatic spices. Aloo Methi and Khushka were accompaniments to this humble dal concoction and I thoroughly enjoyed my meal.

Kulfa ki Katli – Purslane simmered in Aromatic and Tangy Dhal

Ingredients:

Thick Tamarind concentrate – 1/4 cup
Kulfa ki bhaji/Purslane – washed and drained, tender leaves and stems chopped fine, roots discarded ~ around 3 cups, loosely packed
Tuvar ki dal – 1 cup, washed in several changes of water and drained
Red chilli powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Tomato – 1, medium sized, roughly chopped
For Baghaar:
Canola oil – 4 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 2 tsp
Dried red chillies – 2, each split into two
Garlic pods – 2, finely chopped
Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

Method:

In a pressure cooker, add the washed dal, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, tomatoes, salt and curry leaves. Add about 4 cups water and pressure cook until the dal is mushy. Once done, mash the dal with a dal ghotni, or blend it until smooth. Add the chopped purslane and gently mash just a little bit. Add tamarind and pour in more water to adjust the consistency. Let it cook on medium high flame. Meanwhile prepare baghaar, add oil to a small frying pan at medium high heat. As soon as it is hot, add the baghaar ingredients and let them splutter for just a few seconds. Immediately pour this baghaar hissing into the cooking dal. Let the dal cook for a further 5-10 minutes. Serve warm along with rice and a curry of your choice.

I have never been able to find this green leafy vegetable/herb in Toronto. If anyone of you living in Toronto has been able to spot Purslane at grocery stores, please let me know. Also, if anyone is willing to trade seeds with me, I am more than happy. Please contact me if interested.

Note: If Purslane is unavailable you can try this recipe with any of your favorite greens. I have tried this dal using baby bok choy and spinach.

Luv,
Mona

Hyderabadi cuisine is unique, a perfect marriage between the fiery South-Indian and rich North-Indian cuisines of India. Yet, sadly there are such few records in the form of cookbooks, TV shows, magazines, newspapers, blogs or even local restaurants/eateries in the city itself that dedicate to chronicle/serve the true Nizami cuisine of Hyderabad. Only those few lucky members of the Nizam Club of Hyderabad, or people who have connections with the fellow local Hyderabadi families get to enjoy the traditional lovingly home cooked Hyderabadi meals.

clockwise from bottom right~tomatoes, opo squash, meat bones, cooked dal

Daalcha is one such true Hyderabadi preparation. The Nizami cuisine of Hyderabad is not just about Biryani and Mirchi ka Salan, or an assortment of meat concoctions unlike considered. It has to its repertoire many vegetarian and especially dal (lentil) preparations that are deeply related to the inimitable flavors of Nizami cuisine. Basically, there are two variations to daalcha, one is the vegetarian version – which can be prepared with either opo squash, eggplants or drumsticks, and the other non-vegetarian version – made by adding meat bones to the tangy tempered dal. To impress your guests, serve daalcha gosht along with baghara khana and phalli gosht, the way it is served traditionally at Hyderabadi households.

I have added a few bottlegourd pieces to Daalcha Gosht, you can skip adding them if you want only meat in the dal.

Daalcha Gosht – Lentil and Meat stew

Chanay ki Dal/Chana dal – 1 cup
Green chillies – 3, chopped
Tomatoes – 2, large, chopped
Salt – to taste
Canola Oil – 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 2 tsp
Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
Onion – 1/4 cup, finely sliced
Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp
Dry red chillies – 2, each broken into two
Lamb meat with bones/Lamb shanks – 500 gms
Red chilli powder – 1 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
BottleGourd/Opo squash/Kaddu – 1, medium sized, peeled and cut into diamond shape (optional)
Tamarind extract – 1 cup
Cilantro – 3 tbsp, finely chopped

Daalcha Gosht

Method:

1. Soak the dal for 1-2 hours in fresh cool water. Later drain the dal and rinse it in a wire mesh under running water. Add this soaked dal to a pressure cooker, pour in about 3 cups of fresh cool water, chopped green chillies, tomatoes and salt. Close the lid and pressure cook until the dal is mushy. Puree it in a blender until smooth and keep aside.
2. In a separate pressure cooker at medium high heat pour in oil and as soon as it is warm, add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, sliced onion and stir fry until the onion is lightly golden brown in color. Add ginger-garlic paste and stir fry along for a minute. Add dried red chillies, lamb bones/shanks, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well. Pour in fresh cool water to cover the meat and pressure cook until the meat is tender.
3. Add bottlegourd pieces and mix well. Add little more water to cover them and again pressure cook for 1 whistle. (Skip this step if you are not adding bottlegourd)
4. Add the pureed dal mixture and mix well. Add about 2-3 cups of fresh cool water and tamarind extract to get a pouring consistency (not too thick, nor too thin) and let it come to a boil. Once boiling, simmer and let cook for 10-15 minutes. Add cilantro and stir to mix. Serve warm.

Luv,
Mona