Lentils Rice Recipe
Dal rice or lentil rice is a comforting and traditional vegetarian meal popular in South India. Dals are fat - free and highly nutritious. The tempering is what makes the dal more exotic and delicious. Ghee used here changes the flavor and taste of the seasonings.
Coming to Arisiyum Paruppu Sadam, I'm a big fan of this rice. Because I did my most of my schooling in Coimbatore. All my friends bring this rice in lunch box, almost once in a week. So I am really fond of this rice. In Coimbatore and Erode district, this dish is a soul food, they have this rice anytime for breakfast or lunch or dinner. I still remember in school days, during vacation, I stay in my close friend's house, her mom makes this rice for dinner along with yogurt and rice crackers. We all sit together in outer verandah and eat under moon light ..those are unforgettable moments..but this recipe I got it from neighbor grandma...she makes the best lentil rice. So here is the recipe.Try this healthy, easy one pot meal and enjoy...
Ingredients
3/4 Cup of Rice
1/4 Cup + 1 Tbsp of Toor Dal
1 Big Red Onion, Finely Chopped
3 Whole Small Onions
1 Tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste
2 Green Chilly, Slit it lengthwise
1 Large Tomato, Finely Chopped
2 Tsp of Sambhar Powder
Salt to Taste
2.5 Cups of Water
To Temper
1 Tbsp of Oil /Ghee
1 Clove
1 Medium Size Cinnamon Stick
1/2 Tsp of Fennel Seeds
1 Red Chilly
1 Tsp of Mustard
1 Tsp of Urad Dal
Few Curry Leaves
Pinch of Hing
To Garnish
2 Tbsp of Chopped Coriander Leaves/ Cilantro
Method
Tips
Health Benefits of Dal and Rice
Dal rice or lentil rice is a comforting and traditional vegetarian meal popular in South India. Dals are fat - free and highly nutritious. The tempering is what makes the dal more exotic and delicious. Ghee used here changes the flavor and taste of the seasonings.
Coming to Arisiyum Paruppu Sadam, I'm a big fan of this rice. Because I did my most of my schooling in Coimbatore. All my friends bring this rice in lunch box, almost once in a week. So I am really fond of this rice. In Coimbatore and Erode district, this dish is a soul food, they have this rice anytime for breakfast or lunch or dinner. I still remember in school days, during vacation, I stay in my close friend's house, her mom makes this rice for dinner along with yogurt and rice crackers. We all sit together in outer verandah and eat under moon light ..those are unforgettable moments..but this recipe I got it from neighbor grandma...she makes the best lentil rice. So here is the recipe.Try this healthy, easy one pot meal and enjoy...
Ingredients
3/4 Cup of Rice
1/4 Cup + 1 Tbsp of Toor Dal
1 Big Red Onion, Finely Chopped
3 Whole Small Onions
1 Tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste
2 Green Chilly, Slit it lengthwise
1 Large Tomato, Finely Chopped
2 Tsp of Sambhar Powder
Salt to Taste
2.5 Cups of Water
To Temper
1 Tbsp of Oil /Ghee
1 Clove
1 Medium Size Cinnamon Stick
1/2 Tsp of Fennel Seeds
1 Red Chilly
1 Tsp of Mustard
1 Tsp of Urad Dal
Few Curry Leaves
Pinch of Hing
To Garnish
2 Tbsp of Chopped Coriander Leaves/ Cilantro
Method
- Soak rice and dal in water for 30 minutes. Drain the water and wash it in tap water.Keep this aside.
- Heat oil / ghee in a pressure cooker, add all the ingredients under " To Temper " list, add one by one in the same order, after mustard seeds splutter, add both the onions and little salt, fry for 2 mins until it changes color.
- Add ginger garlic paste, fry for a min until raw smell goes off.
- Add green chilly and chopped tomato, saut'e until it turns soft and mushy.
- Add sambhar powder, fry for a min.
- Add toor dal and rice, fry well with the masala for a min.
- Add enough water, check the salt and close the lid. Wait for 5 whistles and turn off the stove.
- Open the pressure cooker, mix well, if you need salt, you can add it. Finally garnish with chopped cilantro / coriander leaves.
- Serve this hot yummy rice with cool raita or rice crackers or potato chips or pickle.
Tips
- You can add dal and rice ratio in two ways.
- 3/4 Cup of rice + 1/4 Cup of dal, I used this ratio in my recipe.
- 1/2 Cup of rice + 1/2 Cup of dal
- You can increase or decrease the spiciness according to your taste buds.
- If you don't like clove, cinnamon in your recipe just add mustard and urad dal and curry leaves in your tempering.
- You can enrich the taste by adding ghee.
- For a great taste, add lots of small onions instead of big onion.
Health Benefits of Dal and Rice
- Lentils are high in fiber and protein, and low in fat. Eating lentils that are rich in soluble dietary fiber can help decrease high cholesterol
- A dish of rice with toor dal combines carbohydrates, protein, fiber and fats for a healthy, balanced meal. The rice provides carbohydrates for quick-release energy.
- Toor dal is useful in the treatment of internal organ swelling.
- Toor dal contains folic acid, good for women health.
