Al Lentilo Pulavo
When I am cooking something for entertaining guests at home… I prefer to cook in larger quantity always and store it in the freezer if excess as, 1. it saves time 2. saves energy while using it in your meal next time and 3. saves your face in the event that my guests soooo love what I have made and eat it like there is no tomorrow… and I never know when I have to make a second batch of it. 
Recently we had some friends over for dinner and they had asked for authentic gujju food, especially gujju dal which they soooo associate with gujju cuisine. (recipe coming soon) As expected, I pressure cooked the dal in excess, cooked half and froze the other half of it.
Few days later, a good one big cup of the frozen dal was still staring at me, pleading to get rid of it since it was fighting for space with other frozen boxes in the freezer!! Now the hubby is not really fond of dal’s or for that matter anything liquid! He will take dal only to wet the rice….. where as my rice will be swimming and drowning in it! With that quantity of thick pressure cooked dal I would have entertained 5-6 guests easily, so I had to think of something where by my entire batch of dal gets used up and the hubby also does not cringe his face. 
This is what I did:
1 cup of pressure cooked toor dal
+ 8-10 cubes of frozen basic gravy
+ a few spices thrown in (1/4 tsp garam masala, 1/4 tsp turmeric …… salt was already added to the dal and the gravy)
+ heat till it all becomes one homogenous thick liquid (no need to boil… you will know why!)
= 2 cups of thick dal, ready to be poured into anything!….. or even eaten on its own.
- While the dal was heating, I pressure cooked 1 cup of rice.
- I used my bread tin to assemble it all together… you can use any baking dish kind of a thing.
- Preheat the oven to 180 C.
- Grease the baking tin and layer it alternately with rice and dal, beginning and ending with a layer of rice and just throw it in the oven to let it all set together for about 10 min.
- And now if you want to show that you have done a lot of work, while the dal+rice is cooking in the oven, caramelize finely sliced onions (I already have it frozen and stored in small serving sized batches… so I just had to thaw it) and some cashews.
- Once the rice+dal is cooked in the oven, get it out …..invert it upside down on your serving dish and sprinkle the onions and cashews over it.
- THATS IT!!
Making dal and rice……… 15 min
Assembling it all together and cooking in the oven……. 15 min
A comfort meal …….. ready in 30 min TIMELESS!
And now give it a name like Al Lentilo Pulavo so that you have an answer when the hubby asks, “What’s for dinner today??”
This goes as my 2nd entry to Summer express cooking to Mallugirl!
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40 Responses to “Al Lentilo Pulavo”
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Coffee
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~ COFFEE!!
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How cool is that freeze dal! I sometimes put it in a ziplock bag bag in the freezer.Pulao looks like loaf cake,very nice and looks yummy to me.Great entry and quick (ie if you have all those already frozen) indeed!:)
True… quick only if you have those helpers in the freezer….. which I have it most of the times.
In my house… you will find better things in the freezer than in any other cabinets! 
Cool name Al Lentilo Pulavo… sounds very exotic
And at the same time, so very simple…!!!
Good Pic!
When you want to sound impressive….. cook up names along with dishes as well!
<p>same is the case with us Coffee… I like runny dal and S likes it dry. Just a wee bit :-)</p>
Thanks for a great recipe.</p>
<p>I am definitely going to try this as I also have loads of dal in the fridge.
You’re welcome dear.
Came here wondering what this Arabic+Italian+Indian named dish was!!
LOL@ the name!! 
Smart idea
Thanks!
Now when I say there is dal and rice for dinner….. it just becomes any ordinary meal….. so have to do such naming ceremonies
Coffee, in 30 min you made a beautiful presentation. very impressed girl :razz: I thought this is your JFI entry.
Loved the name 
Thanks Sharmi…..Don’t worry…. authentic rice recipe coming to you…. this is more of using up the left overs… and more apt for this theme… JFI deserves something with a better status.
wooooooow thats very cool and a wonderfull idea! great entry
Thanks!
Coffee…. this is such a simple, quick and tasty recipe….and makes good use of leftovers too:)
YES! Towards the end of the week I am in a fridge cleaning mission… and I come up with these kinds!
OMG…you are just too much..I am laughing away at the name
Now you are the resident chef at not only Panera but also at the Italian Fast Food joint 
hihihi… I think I should stop lecturing and start chefing…. err cooking now
Cool name
I always cook to the mark and make sure that there are no leftovers.
Loved your frozen basic gravy.
And I always cook more so that I have leftovers…. so that I save my time and energy next time… lazy bum that I am…… but it comes in very handy if you are someone like me who is out of the house for 12 hours.
Cofee. I should learn “smart cooking ” from you !!! I am bowled over !!!!!
As Sandeepa recommended, I an going to stop lecturing and start cheffing soon!
I will start a lesson on smart cooking as well. :P
Hey Coffee, thats hurting my eyes and tongue! You are a Genius!!!!
Hahaha! Thanks dear.
al lentilo pulavo? does your hubby need a name for everything?
looks very good. 
no he doesn’t.
Slurp! Its looking super good, yaar!
Aa jao khane ko.
Amazing post and amazing recipe! My mom used to cook dal and rice together in the cooker itself with some tadka and seasoning…your version looks more chic in front of guests…will try it next time i have someone over
Yeah…. its the same old dal chawal put up in a nicer way.
al-lentilo-pulavo……. LOL
coffee, u really are hilarious
al… looks ready to be eaten up, yum!
Hihihi.
it looks quite phoren, if that’s the effect you were aiming for with that title :razz:
it also looks beautiful and the layering is an unusual idea for rice and dal!
I am aiming for my dal to get over… thats it! And I did!!
Hi coffee!
al-lentino-pulav!!!! what a name ? that’s a very nice pic! looks very tempting!!!!!
Thanks Usha.
Al Lentilo Pulav!!!
Too good!! :idea:
.. God.. my tummy is growling!! and all i have for my lunch box today are some grapes and strawberries :mad: … I wish I could eat this pulav…
Manasi, forget dieting….. or else you will die eating!!!
Never had this before but it certainly look delicious. Wish I can have a taste of it. yum yum
You sure can!
Wow that rice and dal combo looks like Lasagne. I just loved the idea and am going to try it tommorow itself. Hey and thanx for the onfo about who has done those veggie carvings. I did not know though I did wonder who the artist was.
Do come over for my Event :Blog Picnic: Fun in the Sun
All your photographs are gorgeous
i can eat dal in any form………oven toasted is cool
this sure was comfort food
wish i can rob ur freezer :twisted:
This one looks like a huge slab of pastry……love the recipe….makes me hungry
Yeah! Looks like a cake!
The pulavo is bellissimo! Who would think that the gorgeous work of art you have on the plate is good ol’ dal-chaval?! Genius!
Thanks Nupur.
Wow what an exotic name for dal-rice. Since my son doesnt like dal or rice, next time I can present it as Al-lentilo-pulavo !
Yeah…. its good to fool them!
Al-lentilo-pulavo…
.. loved the fancy name!
Hihi… thanks!
A masterful creation from the hands of an innovative cook.
I am blushing!
What an awesome meal! and great tasting pulav..beautiful and bright pictures and post, tx for sharing!~
My Pleasure!
Coffee when I read the name of the recipe for a moment it sounded Italian and then I read it again
You foooled me :oops: Your meal is excellent . I would not have got such a brilliant idea after seeing the cooked dal :roll: :mrgreen: 
:idea: :oops:
Hahaha…. thanks Archana.
Hey Coffee I liked your avatar picture too Coffee Bean. It is certainly looking better than the previous one :razz: :roll: :twisted: :mrgreen: :?: :!:
Thanks dear.
Lovely pics and great recipes…..
Thanks.
That is a great idea. Great entry.
Thanks Hima.
mucho niceo entrieo
Thanko youo! :P
you almost fooled me with the name
this sounds like a perfect meal to try when I am lazy to cook
Oh yes!
Quick and delicious!
haaa ingenious… and cool way of making dal chawal… im sure baking it makes it more yummy
…….my hubby knows that i make up hi-fi names too… and after i tell him whats for dinner, his 2nd question is what r the ingrdients… 
he’s been fooled too many times… 
Haha… thats very smart!!
Coffee you are great. Never freeze anything dear. All fresh only
But i just love this post. the plate looks so cute. Viji
I know what you mean Viji. Fresh is fresh….. nothing like it! But talking the whole day at school and travelling nearly 3 hours a day, drains me out totally!
I barely manage to heat the food!
Al Lentilo Pulavo looks awesomeo.
Thanko!
WOOOO This pulavo is looking amazing…..Lovely recipe…..Great pictures….Love them all……
kya baat hai!! love the name.. i almost fell for it. can i hav eth epassword to ur freezer.. it looks like u have a goldmine in there. did u really freeze the dal in the ice tray?
Just wanted to thank you so much for the idea. Daal Chaawal is a very commonly made dish, but the presentation was excellent, n i tried it on yesterday itself. I garnished it with pomegrante & corriander leaves & my husband just looved it.
Thanks