Odiya Dalma - Maa of all Dals! :p

Dalma is a one-pot wonder that is lentil-based and can include almost any vegetable. I usually make a big pot whenever I make it and it is often! I can have one bowl of this when in mood for soup or something light to eat. Alternatively, I have it with rice or chapatti. A veggie fry on the side makes it a complete meal.

The various vegetables and the Panch Phutana (indigenous to the eastern part of India) give it a distinct flavor. Lightly mashing up a fresh green chilli for the raw heat and the smoked Lanka Jeera Gunda take it to a different level. Did I mention it was easy to make? Yes, it is - all the more reason to make it often. I often wonder how it got it's name - anyone with more info about the same, please share. The reference to "Maa of all Dals" is just me being silly - don't quote me! :p

My parents are not much into dals - so this was something I have picked up in my culinary journey as a convenient item to make when in a hurry. Hope you get to try this!

Ingredients

Toor Dal - 1 and 1/2 cup
Chana Dal - 1/2 cup
Water - 3-4 times the amount of Dal..in this mix, about 6-8 cups of water

Potato - 1 large, chopped into cubes (about 10 pieces)
Pumpkin - 1 inch cubes, about 24 pieces
Brinjal - 1/2 large, chopped into cubes (about 24 pieces)
Zucchini - 1 medium, chopped into cubes
Tomato - 2 medium, chopped in half
Coconut - 2 tbsp, grated
Ginger - 1 inch, grated (I sometimes add it chopped but a bite into it while eating is not that good!)

Turmeric Powder - 2-3 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Chilli Powder - 1 tbsp

Put all the above ingredients in the pressure cooker. Let it boil before putting the pressure lid on.
Wait for one whistle in Medium-High heat.
Reduce heat to Medium and let it continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes.
Let it sit without heat till the pressure lid opens without any push from your end.
When open, stir to mix all the ingredients nicely. Be gentle to avoid mashing everything.

For tempering (aka Chaunk aka Tadka aka Baghar)

Ghee\Canola oil - 2 tbsp
Dry bay leaves - 2-3
Dry red chillies - 2-3
Panch Phutana - 2 tsp

Heat ghee (or Canola oil, as I sometimes use). I use the type of heavy-bottomed utensil that is shown in the pic below which is specifically meant for tempering. Ghee gives it a distinct flavor when used.
Add the dry bay leaves and the Panch Phutana (more about this special spice mix below). Let it roast and splutter. Once it splutters, add it to the cooked Dal mixture available in the pressure cooker.

Let the Dal continue cooking for another 5-10 mins and absorb the flavors of the tempering ingredients. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves (optional). Add a dollop of Ghee when serving - the more generous and less health-conscious you are, the better it will taste! ;)

Wikipedia entry for "Panch Phoron":

All of the spices in panch phoran are seeds. Typically, panch phoran consists of fenugreek seed, nigella seed, cumin seed, black mustard seed and fennel seed in equal parts.[2] Some cooks prefer to use a smaller proportion of fenugreek seeds, which have a mildly bitter taste...

In the tradition of Oriya, Maithili and Bengali cuisine , panch phoron is typically fried in cooking oil or ghee, which causes it to immediately begin popping. This technique is known as "tempering", called ବଘାର (baghaar) in Oriya, ফোড়ন (phoŗon) in Maithili or বাগাড় (bagaŗ) in Bengali and छौंक (chaunk) in Hindi.

 Health benefits of this spice (Source: Tarla Dal)

• The presence of cumin may stimulate the secretion of pancreatic enzymes, important factors in proper digestion and nutrient assimilation. As with other carminative spices, cumin's digestive stimulating effects are due to its content of volatile oils.

• Mustard is a good source of selenium and magnesium and is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids as well as iron, calcium, zinc, manganese, magnesium, protein, niacin and dietary fiber.

• The seeds of the fenugreek plant are known to be great cleansers of the system and those of fennel acts as a digestive, appetite enhancer.

• Kalonji seeds have been known to have many healing properties including migraine, chronic colds, palpitations, alopecia, asthma.

"Lanka Jeera Gunda" with a click

This view caught my attention during dusk. And every time I take a look at it, I feel like humming the Hindi classic melody "Jalte hai dil yahan.." (literal translation: Heart burns here!).

Along the lines of the above click, sharing a very simple spice recipe in this post - it is a ground spice with very earthy flavors. "Lanka Jeera Gunda" means "Chilli Cumin Ground (spice)". It is used abundantly in Odiya cuisine and an essential item in my pantry. Do you have any such spice which is home-made and an integral part of your spice rack without which you have this mildly nagging feel of "I have to get this refilled soon!"? Would love to hear from you.

Without this hot spice, Dahi Vada is incomplete in an Odiya house. It is used prolifically in Dalma "veggies and lentil soup kinda" as well as any of the veggie shallow fries. Add a dash of this spice for added flavor. I usually make the amount below once a year (typically Memorial Day is the day I pick for such type of pantry replenishment tasks!) 

Ingredients:

1 cup Dry Cumin Seeds

2 cup Dry Red Chilli

Dry roast both of them separately since they both have different roasting times.

Sometime I get lazy and roast them together. In that case I dry roast the chillis first and then add the cumin seeds. Since you are roasting chillis, be very careful not to overcook them else you are sure to have the entire house having the smell, everyone going into an eye-burning sensation and sneezing. I usually try to leave the window open when doing this for easy ventilation.

Let them cool down and then dry-grind them. Voila! You have almost a year's supply of "Lanka Jeera Gunda"! :)