Roasted Moong Dal

Ingredients:
1 cup Moong dal
1 tablespoon ghee also called clarified butter or use oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon panch phoron
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 green chilies or to taste
1 teaspoon grated ginger
3 cups water or as needed
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
a few chopped cilantro leaves(Hara dhania)
3 cups water or as needed

Preparation:  Roast the moong dal on medium heat until it is golden brown.  Let it cool and then wash it.

To a pressure cooker on medium heat with the clarified butter, add the cumin seeds and panch phoron, heat until the mustard seeds in the panch phoran pops.  Add the green chilies and ginger saute it for a few seconds, add the turmeric powder and garam masala saute it for a few seconds.  Add the roasted and washed dal add water, cover the cooker and cook for 10 minutes or until the dal is cooked.  When the steam has subsided, open the cooker and check to seed if the dal is cooked.  Add water as needed and salt to taste.  Let it come to a boil, add the cilantro leaves and turn the heat off and it is ready to serve.  Serves 4.

Mullu Murukku - Ridged Thengural

Ingredients:
2 cups rice flour
3/4 cup moong dal
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoon channa dal
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder
1 teaspoon salt to taste
5 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups of water approximately adjusted to need
oil for deep frying

Preparation:  Roast the moong dal and channa dal separately until it turns brownish and a roasted aroma is given out.  Keep it aside to cool and powder them separately to a fine powder.

Prepare the dough:  To a bowl with the rice flour add the powdered moong dal and channa dal and mix.
Add the cumin seeds, asafoetida and salt and mix.
Next add the butter and mix it well with the dough.
Last of all add the water slowly enough to make a firm dough.  The dough is ready to make murukku.

To make the murukku use a food press with the star disc.
Assemble the press and fill it with some dough.  To a pan on medium with with some oil, press the dough into the hot oil carefully spreading it around.  The oil needs to be on medium heat, if it is too hot the outside will be overcooked and the inside will not be cooked.  Let is cook for some time until the sizzling has come down and it feels firm, then turn it around and let it cook on the other side.  When the sizzling come down some more and the murukku had turned reddish in color take it out of the oil and it is now ready.

Mullu murukku is a crunch and tasty South Indian snack.

Mixed Nuts recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups roasted and unsalted peanuts
1 cup roasted and unsalted cashews
1 cup almonds
1 cup walnuts
1 cup pistachios
1/2 cup raisins
1 tablespoon butter
A few teaspoon thyme leaves
A few mint leaves
A few sage leaves
A few rosemary leaves
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Preparation:  Take a baking tray.  Mix all of the nuts and bake at 375 degrees F or 190.6 C in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.

To a bowl with 1 tablespoon of butter add the herbs, paprika and salt.  After the nuts are baked.  While it is still hot add it to the bowl with the butter and herbs and mix and serve.

Okra Pachadi

Ingredients:
8 oz or 227 gm okra
3 tablespoon oil
1 green chili or to taste
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
a few chopped cilantro leaves
1 cup yogurt

Preparation:  After washing remove and discard the top and bottom of each okra.  Rest of it cut into small round bits.

Place the cut okra in a microwaveable bowl add a tablespoon of oil mix it and microwave it for 5 minutes and keep it aside.

Prepare the seasoning:  Heat a pan with 2 tablespoon of oil to it add the mustard seeds and wait for it to pop.  When the mustard seeds pop add the green chilies saute it and add the microwaved okra, mix and cook for a couple of minutes until the sticky strings disappear.  Turn the heat off and add salt and cilantro leaves mix and transfer it to a serving bowl.  Before serving add the yogurt mix and serve.