Masala Dalia and Chaas – a loaded breakfast!

I love breakfasts.
It’s my favorite meal of the day. It’s so much fun to experiment with and to start my day with cooking. Usually for me, I also try to make it as healthy as possible, it being the first meal of the day. A balanced meal for breakfast and I’m set for the day.
You know what annoys me most? It’s people who do not take their breakfast seriously! They first get an earful from me, and then a mouthful. These days, it’s my mother, of all the people.
I’m sure we’ve heard the adage a gazillion times, “Breakfast like a King, lunch like a Prince and dine like a Pauper” Skip breakfast a day and I’m bound to be miserable.
But you know what I dislike more than no breakfast? It’s a boring breakfast!
Come on, there’s got to be some imagination and spunk in your first meal for the day.
Now Dalia is a family favourite, eaten in the traditional way, cooked in water and served with cold chaas. But the Rajasthani in me, ever so fond of spices, finds it rather bland and boring.
So this is my way of spicing up the versatile Dalia and making it even more yummy, Served with a glass of cool masala chaas, it’s the perfect breakfast meal that is super easy to make, and even easier to eat.
The benefits of Dalia are common knowledge. Low in fat and cholesterol, high in iron and fibre, a good portion of carbs, it is mainly given to people recovering from an illness. Although I feel that’s solely because it is easy to digest. Nothing to do with this tasty recipe I’m going to share with you.

Dalia, essentially cracked wheat is a nutritious way of consuming wheat that is not polished, add to it a bunch of your favourite vegetables and some masala and you can create a sumptuous meal.

Here’s how you make Masala Dalia

Ingredients
1 cup Dalia
1 cup of chopped vegetables (peas, carrots, cauliflower, gourd, potato, beans)
1 medium onion sliced
2-3 green chilies sliced
1 medium tomato chopped
a pinch of haldi (turmeric)
a tsp red chilli powder
a tsp dhania powder
salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
a tsp jeera (cumin)
water

Method
In a pressure cooker, add the oil and heat on medium flame. Add the jeera and let them sputter. Then add in the onions and green chilies and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add all the vegetables and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add all the spices and salt. Mix well. Add the chopped tomatoes and then the Dalia. Cook for about 2-3 minutes.
Add enough water to cover the Dalia and vegetables and shut the cooker. Wait for a whistle or two and let it cool before you open. Garnish with chopped coriander.

Here’s how you make cooling Masala Chaas (Buttermilk)

Ingredients
½ cup Dahi (Yoghurt)
½ cup cold water
a tsp of roasted and ground jeera (cumin)
a small bunch of coriander leaves
a pinch of sendha namak (Rock Salt)
Method
Put all the ingredients and blend till they are mixed. Serve cool.
Buttermilk should be sipped in between meals for better digestion. It’s benefits are multifold.
Health Note:
Sendha namak or Rock Salt added to Dahi (yoghurt) works wonders for digestion as I recently found out by an Ayurveda expert. Exchange common salt with Rock Salt over your salads, in chaas (Buttermilk) and wherever else possible. It is unrefined, non-iodized and without added anti-caking agents. It is white to pink to blue in color. This salt is lower in sodium than regular table salt and contains 94 trace minerals as opposed to just 3 of these in the common table salt.
This is the simplest breakfast cooking there can be. Dump everything in a cooker and eat a balanced, tasty meal. Purely for its versatility, you’ve got to give Dalia shelf space in your life.

Delicious Masala Dalia is ready to be served with a cooling glass of Masala Chaas!

Until my next breakfast posting, happy eating!

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