Easy Roast Potatoes

This is an easy and healthy way of making roast potatoes. It needs only half or even less than half the amount of oil usually used to make roast potatoes on the skillet. I  used a herb called Rosemary (seen in the photos like small twigs), just cause I had some. Its not required if you don't have it. It has a very strong taste, but smells good.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes - Chopped into chucks (about 1 inch) How many ever u need.
• Salt - 1 Tsp or to taste
• Chili powder - 1 1tsp or to taste
• Rosemary - 1/2 tsp (optional) 
• Oil - 1 tblsp

Steps:

Step 1 - Brown potatoes in pan.

Step 2- Transfer to baking tray and bake for 10mins, at 375 & 400 degs

• Preheat oven to 375 deg.
• In a wide pan, heat 3/4th of the oil. When hot add potatoes and stir well till oil adheres to all the chunks.
• Add salt and chili powder and stir well, again till all the potato chunks are coated well. with your finger, touch a chunk and taste the seasoning, if u feel you need more salt or chili powder add some. Add dry rosemary.
• Stir ocassionally, let the potatoes brown at least on 2 sides.
• Once ready transfer to an oiled baking tray. Cover with foil and bake for 5-7 mins.
• Carefully remove the foil, it will let out a lot of steam. You can see if the potaoes are cooked by putting a knife thru it. If you want to cook it more, replace the foil and cook for few more mins.
• When cooked, crank up the heat of the oven to 400 deg and place the tray back inside uncovered this time, for 5-7 mins. It will dry any moisture and make a a tasty roast.
• Take it out and sprinkle some salt.

Chickpeas Sundal

Chickpeas, kondai kadalai, channa... Call it what you want, on a rainy spring day, hot sundal and ginger tea is enough to relax in the evening. Sundal can be made with peas, chickpeas, green gram etc. It means simply tempering with mustard seeds.

Ingredients:

• Dry chickpeas - 1 Cup
• Water - enough to cover the chickpeas, around 2 cups
• Salt - 1 tsp
• asafoetida powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

For tempering:

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Oil - 2 tsp.
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Dry red chilies - 2 
• Ginger - grated 1 tsp
• Coconut - grated 2 tsp 

Steps:

• Soak chickpeas for 2-3 hours.
• In a pressure cooker add soaked chickpeas, water, salt, cumin seeds and asafoetifa powder and cook for 10 - 15 mins.
• After the chickpeas are cooked, heat a pan. Add oil. when oil is hot add mustard seeds, let it crackle. 
• Then add urad dal, red chilies and ginger.
•  Add chickpeas and coconut, turn off heat and stir well.

Carrot and Moong dal Salad

This is for all the salad haters! yup, I am not a big fan of salads too, but this salad changed my mind. I saw this recipe long time back at http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/, but just passed it cos it looked like the side dish I make with carrots, only difference was all the ingredients were 'raw'. But my husband saw it sometime ago and wanted me to make it, yeah, he likes salads. I was very sceptical about it, becos my past attempt in making a salad with apples, raisins and yogurt on my husband's request was not very successful...lets just say I will not be posting that recipe anytime. But this salad is a keeper. I did very little changes to it. Try it and enjoy. 

Tip: You need at least 15 mins to set the salad. And make sure the dal is cooled completely before adding the carrots. You dont want to wilt them in the heat. 

Ingredients:

• Moong dal (Split green gram) - 1/4 cup.
• Carrots - Shredded 2 cups.
• Coconut - Shredded 1/4 cup. (fresh or dry. If dry, soak it in hot water for sometime and then use it)
• Cilantro (Coriander) leaves - 2 tblsp, chopped
• Oil- 2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Lemon juice - 2 tblsp 
• Ginger - 1 tblsp, finely shredded
• Green Chilli -1/2, finely chopped
• Salt - 1 Tsp
• Black pepper - 1/4 tsp
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Steps:

• Wash moong dal till the water runs clear and soak it for about 2-3 hours. 
• In a small bowl mix lemon juice, ginger, green chilli, salt, black pepper and sugar to make dressing and set aside.
• In a pan heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the cumin seeds as seeds crack add the moong dal.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring continuously. Don’t over cook that will make dal dry.
• Turn off the heat and remove the pan, let the dal cool.
• Now mix the carrots, cilantro, coconut and dal and the dressing together really well. I used my fingers ;) its easier to get through the shredded carrots.
•  Let it sit for about fifteen minutes before serving.