Kakdi Mag Ni Dal Nu Shaak (Cucumber and Moong Dal)

Couple weekends ago, we had gone to Costco to buy some grapes. We're trying to eat healthy food. While there, I also decided to buy some cucumbers and tomatoes. We're on a big sandwich kick these days so I figured we'd use them all.. Well, that didn't happen. So I needed to figure out what I was going to do with these cucumbers that I had. Growing up, my mom often made "Dudhi mag ni dal" (Bottle Gourd and Moong Dal). I figured that cucumbers and dudhi were in the sorta in the same family so, I could just substitute one with the other. I was mostly correct. What I learned though that cucumber isn't as tough as dudhi, so it cooks much faster. Something to remember for next time. Overall the dish tasted really nice. We ate it with the last of the theplas that we had gotten from India and some malaysian parathas.

Here is the Recipe

Ingredients:

1 Chopped Cucumber
1/2 Cup Moong Dal
1/4 Tsp Turmeric
1/2 Tsp Corriender Cummin Powder
1/2 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/4 Tsp Hing
2 Tbsp Oil
1/2 Tsp Ginger
2 Tsp Chopped Cilantro
Salt to Taste
Sugar to Taste

Method:

1. Soak moong dal in water for 1/2 hour or so
2. Cook the moong dal and cucumber in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles
3. Let the pressure in the cooker drop naturally so that you can open the cover easily.
4. Once you've opened the cooker, if the dal was cooked directly in it then add some water to it so that its at the desired consistency. If the dal is cooked in cooker containers then transfer it to a pot and add water.
5. Add turmeric, cilantro and cumin power, red chilli power, ginger, salt and sugar to dal and cucumber and stir well.
6. Let this cook for a few minutes till it is simmering
7. Heat the oil for tempering and add hing when the oil is sufficiently hot
8. Once Hing has cooked (about 10 s or so) add it to the dal and stir well
9. Add Cilantro leaves and stir well.
10. Serve hot with roti or rice

Two Dreams, Two Hearts, Joined Together in Friendship and Love.....

Here are the wedding photos...

May 26th, 2009 - Lagna Geet Na Hindola (Wedding Songs while pampering Tanvi)
This is a non-traditional event which was held at my aunt's home.. She decorated the swing that she has in her living room with flowers for me to sit on. And, then people sang songs for me and fed me sweets.

Hindola

June 1st, 2009 - Tanvi's Mehendi (Bridal Henna)
This was at our home. Took 24 man hours (6hours * 4 people) for my henna to be done. And took 4 man hours (2 people * 2 hours) each for my mom's and Sapan's mom's henna to be done. The photos are from half way through the process.

TanviMehendi

June 2nd, 2009 - Raas Garba (Dance Party)
This was in the evening couple days before the wedding. We all danced the night away.. Started with a few choreographed dances and then the dance floor was open to everyone. We had the traditional "Raas", stick dancing for a while and then switched to popular bollywood dancing.

Raas Garba

June 4th, 2009 Morning - Grah Shanti (Pre-Wedding Ceremony)
This started at 7:00am with a small ceremony of my leaving "home" to get married. The rest of the ceremonies to pacify the "planets" for the day were held at the wedding hall.

GrahShanti

June 4th, 2009 Afternoon - Wedding
The wedding went on for four hours or so. The ceremony was both based on what our family does and what his family does. Key events include, me garlanding Sapan at the entrance of the wedding hall, us holding our hands for the first time, us going around the fire, us making seven vows with rice, us garland each other again, sapan giving me the traditional necklace, sapan putting vermilion in my hair.

wedding

wedding2

June 4th, 2009 Early Evening - GharBharavni (Home Welcoming Ceremony)
This was done at Sapan's home after the wedding. They formally welcomed me into their home during this ceremony.

Wedding Ghar Bharavani

June 4th, 2009 Late Evening - Reception
This is basically a receiving line where we greet the guests and take pictures with them.

Reception

Reception2

June 6th, 2009 Afternoon + Evening - Ankleshwar Reception
This was in Ankleshwar, Gujarat at my Dad's factory. We had an afternoon lunch reception for the factory workers in our factory lawns. The evening reception was for the Ankleshwar friends at Hotel Shalimar.

Reception at Ankelshwar