Veg recipes: No onion-garlic | Mix Vegetables with Yellow Lentil

It's said if we incorporate Daal (Lentil) and Vegetables with Rice in a meal - we are enhancing the nutrient value multiple times balancing carb and proteins. This recipe is simple and complies by this thumb rule. Simple & healthy ingredients make this one of my go-to recipes for busy days. 

We need:

• Vegetables of your choice & Yellow Lentil or Moong Daal - I have taken Carrot, Cucumber, Radish, Potato. 
• Green Chilli: We won't be using any red chilli powder - so adjust green chilli as per the heat & taste. 
• Ginger - grated or finely chopped.
• Whole cumin seeds: 1 tea-spoon
• Whole red chillies: 1-2 
• Cloves: 1-2
• Turmeric & Coriander Powder
• Salt & Sugar to taste.
• Oil or Ghee: 1 tablespoon.

Process:

1. Dice up the vegetables - not that small. We want the vegetables to cook with daal & don't want them to get mushy in the process. 

2. Dry roast the Lentils in a pan till it gives a nice aroma. Take out and wash properly. Keep aside. 

3. Take a sauce pan or Kadai - add oil or ghee. Once heated, add whole red chillies, cloves & Cumin seeds. Let them splatter. Add half of the ginger at this point, quickly stir without burning it & add the chopped green chilli.

4. Saute & add vegetables. While adding the vegetables, keep in mind the time they take to cook. Like cucumber takes less time to cook so add them at the last. Leafy vegetables really don't go in this. Root vegetables, pumpkins, squashes, peas etc blend well & give the desired taste. 

5. Saute the veggies for 3-4 minutes so that they absorb the flavours from oil. Add salt, turmeric & coriander powder. Mix and put on lid. Let it cook for sometime in medium heat. The veggies will release water and will get soft meanwhile.

6. Once the veggies are half done & water is absorbed, add the lentils. Mix & add some water just enough to cook the lentils. The lentil should be cooked but should remain intact. We don't want a proper daal kind of texture. Add more water later if you want more gravy.

7. Put the flame on high. Add rest of the ginger now. This will give the required flavour. Avoid this if you don't like ginger much.

8. Once the whole thing comes to boil. Put on the lid again and let it cook on medium heat.

9. Check the lentil after sometime. It should be soft and cooked properly by now. Add little bit of sugar to balance all the spices. At this point add salt if needed. 

10. Serve with plain boiled rice with a dollop of ghee or butter.

I love this recipe for its humble flavours, it is also called Daal chetano sabji. No garlic no onion & not much spices used. I don't pressure cook this as I find it difficult to get the correct texture. All the vegetables and lentils should retain their shape but nicely cooked - that's best achieved in Kadai or a sauce pan. Happy cooking :)