Nuchinunde - Steamed Lentil/Dal Dumplings

This is an authentic Karnataka breakfast/brunch/lunch item. It's loaded with proteins because of the dals. My Amma would make this on Nagarapanchami (without the onions, ofcourse!). I'd never eaten it then thinking it was boring food. For a long time, she never made it on any other day too. One Saturday, Appa insisted he wanted Nuchinunde and so Amma had to make it the next day. She added onions to it since it was no festive day. The onions give that special taste to it and that did the trick. I started loving these yummy and nutritious dumplings from then! Like my Appa, I suddenly started craving for nuchinunde one rainy day. It was also a potluck in a friends place and I was wondering what I could take that was different and unique. All I had to do was call Amma for the recipe and realized it is so very simple to make. I could not take a picture of the steamed nuchinunde because I took it the potluck and it was over in minutes. I promise I will post a picture the next time I make it(I'm pretty sure I will be making it very soon!).

Ingredients:

• Togari bele/Toor dal - 1 cup, soaked overnight
• Kadle bele/ Channa Dal - a little less than half a cup, soaked overnight along with Toor dal
• Onion - 1, finely chopped
• Ginger - 1 inch, grated
• Cilantro - a few sprigs, chopped
• Black pepper and cumin powder - powder both together, 1/2 tbsp
• Green chillies - about 5(depending on spice level needed)
• Salt - to taste
• Coconut - 2 Tbsp, small pieces (I ran out of coconut pieces, so I added grated coconut)

Procedure:

• Carefully pour out as much water as possible from the toor dal and channa dal.
• Grind the dals together without adding any water. Make sure you grind it to a coarse consistency and NOT a smooth paste.

• To the ground dal, add finely chopped onion, coconut, green chillies, ginger, black pepper and cumin powder, cilantro and salt.

• Mix all the ingredients well.
• Make small golf sized balls(as shown here) and place them in greased idly plates.

• Place the idly stand in a pressure cooker and cook in steam for about 10-12 min.
• Remove the nuchinunde from the idly plates and serve hot with coconut chutney.