Lemon Bars

Lemon Bars

I wanted something on the sweeter side and before I begin my class work. Thats when I scoured the refrigerator for something and spotted these lemons in the fruit tray buried deep under. I decided to give the lemons some justice. Moreover ever since I tasted the lemon bars I have been aching to make some. 

Lemon Bars

To tell truth I was very skeptical about tasting lemon bars. After setting my eyes on ton of pictures around the blogs and reading their description about their taste reviews, I became curious. I already fabricated a mental picture of how it tastes in my head... It was around that time I got an opportunity to taste it...Excited was the first feeling I got... Yes I like lemon bars too... How can I not...I am the person who used to drink a big tumblr full of lemon juice everyday when I was doing my undergrad... 

Here instead of typing the recipe, I will provide the recipe link from Joy Of Baking, which comes with a video and few extra tips as well...

Here you go Recipe: Lemon Bars

Unlike the most desserts which always screams sweet, Lemon bars really have a strong lemony flavor which comes with its tangy taste and is perfectly balanced with the powdered sugar, eggs and  the bottom shortbread crust.

These are  easy to make too... A perfect way to spend a serene and peaceful hour...Whipping some eggs, beating some sugar ... mixing some flour... scraping some lemon zest....A nice background music...

Lemon Bars

Simple Tomato Dal

Have you ever wondered if given a chance to look in to your future, will you recognize yourself...?

I often wonder about that... I think few years back if I get a chance to leap into where I am right now, I might give myself a shock or at least a scare...

Every time I visit new places.... or at times when I wait at the college staring at the buildings through the window...or every time I pick up a new habit ... I often ask myself about this..

One thing I am sure is that after the initial shock, my past-self will be extremely proud of what I am....

Its crazy if you really think about it... How quickly life changes...How experiences over time gives a new outlook of life... How priorities have  changed over the years ... The new things you started doing... New food started eating....

I always wonder about that and  I will continue to wonder ... I think its a good thought process to have....

There I said it...I have given a peek of what is happening in my head...

If anybody finds me staring somewhere lost in memories...then you can guess, I will be thinking something along this way...

So today when I was making Dal, my thoughts were these exactly.... My past-self would be totally shocked wondering 2 thing !!! How come I am cooking... That tooo Dal !!!

Few years back I wouldn't even allow any kind of Dal curries come anywhere near my mouth...In fact few years back then I was pretty convinced I would never like Dal in my life....

I call this simple dal because it really is very simple to make... If you have a pressure cooker at hand...I learned to make this from my MIL...

This dal makes its' appearance quite often into our dinner menu...

Recipe :

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Inspired from Mummy's Dal

1. Dal                       -  1/4 cup  (Toor dal  or  Moong Dal)
2. Tomato                 - 2 medium sized, cut into half  or 2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes
3. Turmeric powder    - 1/4 tsp
4. Green chili             - 2 small , slit into half
5. Coriander leaves     - a handful
6. Salt
7. Lemon squeezed    - 1/2 of medium
8. Water                   - 1 cup

Heat a pan, add dal and roast on high heat for a minute or two, a good aroma comes from the roasted dal.

Set up the pressure cooker, add everything except lemon juice.

Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles. Switch off the heat, let it sit until all the pressure is gone.

Open the lid,  whisk everything together to lightly mash. It forms a thicker consistency.

If the consistency is still thin, transfer to a sauce pan and heat and simmer till the required consistency is attained.

Check for salt and squeeze some lemon juice as per taste.

Now go ahead and have this dal with some rice and yoghurt...:)