Daal me kuch kaala- nahin, peela!

Dal with a twist

I had some sweet corn in the fridge which was drying up. I was making dal and I thought why not!
1 tbsp dal (I use mixed)
1/2 tbsp sweet corn
1 chopped onion and 1 chopped tomato
1 tsp turmeric, salt to taste
Water for daal

Wash the daal, mix all ingredients, add water and pressure cook for one whistle, simmer for 2 mins.
Once the pressure is out, take out the daal in a serving bowl. Temper with-
1 tsp mustard oil
1 tsp jeera / cumin

Serve hot with rotis / rice.
Eden Organic Green Lentils, 16-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6) 

bittergourd / karela - karnataka style!

I don't know what this recipe is originaly called. I have this recipe from my friend and colleague, Lakshmi. We work together at Ibexi. She shared this recipe after I tasted thsi at lunch sometime from her lunch box. She is a pucca Kannadiga and her Mom makes awesome Bisi bele bhath too.
I really liked this dish for how the jaggery and coconut milk sets off the bitterness of the karela. My FIL is also a fan.
Niket is allergic to tamarind, so I always use lemon juice. But I feel the goodness of the recipe comes from the swee-sour taste of tamarind!!

Ingredients:
1 onion chopped
1 tomato chopped
1 tsp ginger garli paste
2 medium sized bittergourds diced thinly
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala or all spice
2 tbsp jaggery
1 tsp tamarind paste or lemon juice
4 large tbsps coconut milk
1 tsp grated coconut
oil for frying
1/2 cup water
salt to taste

Directions:
Heat oil in a wok. Add onions, cook till they turn pink. Add tomato and ginger garlic paste, cook till the raw smell disappears. Add the diced bitter-gourd. Add all the spices, salt and cook till they turn brown. Add jaggery, tamarind paste, coconut milk and water. Cook covered till half the liquid is absorbed, roughly 10 mins. Serve with chapatis.

Mushroom and eggs bake

We had eggs and mushroom bake and corn bread for dinner, with white homemade butter :)

Ingredients:
2.5 cups mushrooms
2 onions
1 capsicum
1 carrot
1/2 cup peas
2 tomatoes
Clean and chop the veggies.

In a wok, add-
olive oil
Heat and fry the veggies.
Add-
2 tsps pepper
basil and thyme or any other herbsas per taste
salt

Cook till water from the veggies evaporates. keep aside.

2 eggs, beaten
salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheese (i subbed with sour cream)

Mix together, add to veggies. pour in a glass dish. microwave for 8 mins and bake at 170 deg for another 10.