Tondli Dal Methya

Tondli Dal Methya in Marathi

Time: Prep time-10 minutes| Cooking time-15 minutes
Servings: 2 to 3

Ingredients:
1/2 lb Tondali (approx 1/4 kg)
1/4 cup Toor dal
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds (Methi Dana)
3 to 4 big garlic pods, roughly chopped
For Tempering: 1 tsp Oil, 2 pinches mustard seeds, 1/8 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp Goda Masala
1 tsp Jaggery
1/2 tsp tamarind pulp or 2 dry Kokum pieces for sourness
Salt to taste
Chopped cilantro (Coriander) for garnishing

Method:
1) Slice Tondali lengthwise (6 slices of each). Immerse them into salt water.
2) Wash and soak Toor dal for 10 minutes.
3) Heat a small pressure pan cooker over medium heat. Add oil and wait until hot.
4) Add garlic and fenugreek seeds. Saute until garlic becomes little brown. Now add mustard seeds and let them crackle. Add turmeric powder and chili powder. Add drained tondali to the pan. Saute for a minute and add toor dal.
5) Also add jaggery, goda masala, salt and kokum. Add little water (around 1/2 cup). Stir and close the pressure pan with lid.
6) Cook upto 3 whistles(Tip 1). Turn off the heat. Wait till pressure releases. Open the pressure cooker. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning.
Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with Chapati.

Tips:
1) Every pressure cooker requires different amount of whistles to cook Dal. We need toor dal to be cooked Al dente (firm and whole but not hard or undercooked). So adjust the amount of whistles.

Tendli Dalimbi - Ivy Gourd and Vaal beans

Tendli Dalimbi Bhaji in Marathi

Serves: 3 persons
Time: approx 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 to 1 and 1/4 cup Dalimbya (soaked, sprouted and peeled) (Step 1)
12 to 15 Ivy gourd (tondali)
For Tempering:
1 tbsp oil, 1/4 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds, pinch of Hing, 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
4 curry leaves
2 tbsp dry coconut, grated
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp jaggery
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh grated coconut
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Soak dry Vaal beans into warm water for 10 to 12 hours. Drain after around 12 hours. Put them into clean cheese cloth, gather all the edges and make a tight parcel. Place this parcel at a warm place for sprouting. It will take atleast 10 to 12 hours to get approx 1 cm long sprouts. Put the sprouted beans into warm water. Peel them gently without crumbling the beans. Immerse peeled beans into cold water.
2) Wash the tondli. Cut off the tips. Slice each tondali lengthwise and make 4 to 5 wedges. Immerse them into cold water.
3) Heat a pan, Add dry coconut (grated) and roast over medium heat until color changes to light brown. Remove it from the pan and add cumin seeds. Roast it until color turns to dark brown. Crush the cumin and coconut coarsely.
4) Heat oil in a wok. Add mustard seeds and allow them to pop. Then add cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric powder, and red chili powder. Also introduce curry leaves and cilantro. Saute for few seconds and add sliced tondali. Saute, cover and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat. Drain the peeled beans and add to the wok. Saute gently. Cover the pan and let the beans cook nicely. You can put steel plate on the pan and add some water in it. This will help to steam-cook the sabzi. Add Kokum and salt. Also add crushed cumin and coconut.
5) Once tondli and beans are almost cooked, add jaggery and cook for a minute.
Add fresh coconut, garnish with cilantro and serve hot with Chapati.

Tips:
1) For sour taste, little tamarind pulp can be used instead of kokum.
2) Some people prefer this vegetable with little watery consistency. To make it little watery, add little water while cooking the vegetables.
3) Add a tsp of Maharashtrian goda masala or garam masala for make the vegetable more flavorful.

Microwave Tondali Bhat

Tondali Rice in marathi

Serves: 2 to 3 persons
Time: 5 to 7 minutes to make Spice blend and tempering + 20 minutes microwave

Ingredients:
1 cup Basmati Rice
2 cups water
15 to 18 Tondali (Ivy Gourd)
Spice Blend: 1 tsp oil or ghee, 1 inch Cinnamon stick, 2 Cardamom, 4 pepper corn, 4 cloves, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds, 3 dry red chilies, 2 tbsp fresh scraped coconut
For Tempering: 1 tbsp Ghee, 1/8 tsp Mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds, 2 pinches asafoetida, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 5 to 6 curry leaves
7 to 8 cashew nuts
Salt to taste
Finely chopped Cilantro, fresh scraped coconut for garnishing
Pure ghee

Method:
1) Wash rice with water. Drain and leave aside for 15 minutes.
2) Wash Tondali with water. Cut off the ends. Cut each tondali lengthwise, into 4 quarters. Immerse cut tondali into water.
3) To make spice blend, heat 1 tsp oil and add all the whole spices. Then saute dry chilies and coconut. Saute over medium low heat and remove from heat after 2 minutes. Once this mixture becomes cool, grind it to a fine powder.
4) Heat 1 tbsp ghee into a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric powder and curry leaves. Turn the heat to low. Add cashew nuts and tondali. Saute for a minute. Now turn off the heat.
5) In a microwave safe bowl, add 2 cups of water. Microwave for 2 minutes over high power. Add washed rice, salt, sauteed tondali mixture (Step 4), and spice blend (step 3). Mix nicely.
6) Microwave over high power (100) for 5 minutes and over medium power (40) for 15 minutes. While microwaving, give a nice stir after 10 minutes.
Transfer cooked rice to serving plates. Garnish with cilantro, coconut, and pure Ghee. Serve hot.

Tips:
1) 2 cups of water is enough for 1 cup of rice. However, some people like little moist Rice. For that, you can use 1/4 cup more water to microwave the rice.
2) The Tempering (Step 4) can be done in the microwave. However, tempering prepared in a pan over stove-top has more flavor.
3) This Rice can be prepared in a deep pan over stove-top. Follow first 3 steps from the above recipe. Prepare tempering (Step 4) in a deep pan, saute washed rice for a minute. Add hot water, spice blend and salt. Mix nicely and cook covered over medium heat.