Amba Dal - Mango flavoured dal relish

So the other day I get to my Music Class. I really look forward to being a student again. Learning, pushing myself stretching my limits to understanding what is being taught. I love Music and have been eager to learn to sing without being afraid of putting myself off Music. A lovely friend finally cajoled me into joining. My Music teacher is not just an accomplished singer, a wonderful teacher , but also an amazing cook. So every session ends with a treat coming out of her kitchen. Just as much as we enjoy the Music class, the treat that follows is thoroughly relished.
This week was a gruelling session , add to that being taught to play the  harmonium. At 45, its a bit unnerving to venture into new territory. However we get through the difficult part and out comes the food tray with a cheerful looking salad. Its yellow, happy looking and smells of raw mango. It just cant get any more tempting. What was being served is a delicacy every Maharastrian Brahmin household has served on special days. Vatli Dal or Amba Dal is basically a non cooked , relish made with raw mango, split chick pea dal and tempering. Garnished with fresh dessicated coconut and green coriander , its enough to make anyone drool.

While I shamelessly devoured the Amba dal , I was mentally crossing off a checklist of the ingredients I had at home. Thankfully , I had everything I needed Well then , not a moment to be lost. That was what I was making for next days dinner. That with a light tomato sar (tomato soup with a tempering of cumin seeds) and shallow fried Alu Wadi ( Steamed colacassia leaves with a chick pea flour filling) , was what was going to be a fantastic Maharashtrian light dinner menu.

Quickly the simple list of ingredients
1 cup of split chick pea dal , picked , washed and soaked for an hour
1 tsp each of mustard seeds, turmeric powder, salt
a pinch of asafoetida
2 small green chillies split
8-10 curry leaves
1 tblsp oil
2 tblsp each of fresh dessicated coconut and finely chopped green coriander leaves
2 tblsp of grated raw mango

Wash and drain the Chick pea

dal . Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. add in the asafoetida, then the mustard seeds. Once the seeds pop , add the green chillies, curry leaves and the turmeric powder. Fry for 10 seconds. Add the chick pea dal and cover the pan. Take the pan off the flame and let it cool. Meanwhile in a chopper , finely chop the grated mango , add the seasoned dal and salt to taste. Chop it up coarsely. Garnish with fresh dessicated coconut and green coriander leaves. Add a dash of lemon of you like it a bit sour ( I DO!)

This can be served as a Chutney , a salad ( you can even add finely chopped cabbage to this) or can be just eaten on its own. Do it your way . Try this out this summer.

Garlic and Sesame Noodles

Small touches make a lot of difference in cooking. Using a single condiment and with a complementing flavour , takes a simple dish to a higher level. Noodles are an all time favourite at our kitchen table. Its a preferred vehicle to deliver the required vegetable and fibre quota per meal. Its easy to cook and can be turned into a one dish meal , just be adding certain sauces and optionally meats/ eggs.

I have used:
1 bundle hakka noodles
2 cups sliced vegetables ( carrots, french beans, capsicum, cabbage, mushrooms, spring onions )
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons sesame oil / regular cooking oil of choice ( rice bran, sunflower, olive oil, canola)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon vinegar/ chilli infused vinegar

 Boil the hakka noodles as per instructions on the pack ( different noodles have different cooking time. Make sure the noodles are just about cooked) , strain . In a wide wok , heat the oil add in garlic. Once it turns pink add the sesame seeds. As the seeds start spluttering add in the vegetables and toss around on high heat. Add the Noodles.

Add in the salt and pepper to taste , finish with a splash of vinegar.

If you want to make this into a one dish meal , in a small bowl mix 1 table spoon oyster sauce ( mushroom sauce is the vegetarian option) , 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon tomato purée , 1 teaspoon sugar. Mix the sauces and add to the vegetables, before adding the noodles to the wok.

The same can be made with instant noodles. Replace the hakka noodles with instant noodles , which have been boiled for just one minute. Immediately strain and add to the vegetables.Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes on low flame . The moisture from the vegetables will further cook the noodles, without making them mushy.If kept on the flame without the lid for another 2 minutes, the noodles at he bottom of the wok will start getting crispy. This recipe is great for students who need to cook on their own.