Kattu Saaru

9 Years ago when I came to this country, it was December! My husband's best friend came to the airport to pick us up. After the immigration and baggage claiming, we walked out of the airport!! Oh! I felt so miserable! It was so very very cold, unbearable!! We sat in the car and my husband friend, was telling that everybody is waiting to see me and they are all excited to meet me..............but I could not hear any word, because all I can know and feel was, the chill, cold weather! It was only 4.30 in the evening but it seemed like 7.30 in the night, dark and cold!

My husband immediately started to go to work, and every morning I used to feel amazed looking at him, wearing layers of clothes, a long jacket, glows..............!! I used to hate and find it very hard even to wear a thin jacket, since I was not used to wear layers of clothes nor used for the cold weather!

But today, sometimes, when my husband says we will move to some place where its more warmer, like Texas.......but I say no! I am used to wear layers of clothes and have developed a bond for New York and New Jersey!

But still some how I could not develop a bond for the chilly, cold weather!!!! From past two days, its been raining and cold and this morning I went to drop my elder daughter to school at 8.30 and as soon as I opened the garage door, a gush of wind, left me feeling chilly and cold! Which I still hate!!

So on a chilly cold morning, my husband usually asks me to make "kattu saaru"!! Well how can I say no to my dear husband, so I made the spicy, tasty kattu saaru, which is my mom's recipe, hope you will enjoy it!

Ingredients:

1 cup Thoor dal

1 Small tomato

3-4 Green chillies

Salt to taste

1/4 inch Ginger

2-3 pepper

1/4 Tsp Cumin seeds

1/4 Tsp Mustard seeds

Pinch of Asafoteida/Hing

Pinch of Turmeric

Few curry leaves

Few coriander leaves

1/2 Tsp Ghee

Method:

Cook thoor dal in the pressure cooker. Transfer the cooked dal into a deep bowl or non stick utensil and mash well with the ladle or mash with the potato masher and add enough water, if you like thin consistency, add more water and turn on the heat.

Finely chop tomatoes,turmeric and salt and add that to the dal. Chop finely green chillies,ginger,curry leaves and coriander leaves.(I was running out of coriander leaves today!). Roughly ground cumin and pepper and keep aside.

Heat ghee and add mustard seeds and once it starts to splutter add the grounded cumin and pepper, asafoteida,green chillies,ginger,curry leaves and add that to the boiling dal and boil for 2 minutes and garnish with coriander leaves and serve very hot with hot rice and some pappad and pickles! yum yum!! Enjoy!