www.tarladalal.

com
 INTRODUCTION

Dear Readers!
I'm presenting you with a series of Zero Oil cookbooks, of which, “Zero Oil Dal -Chawal” is
the third.
In our culture, dal and chawal are almost an inseparable part of the main course, during lunch
and often at dinner as well. These, unknowingly add a lot to the fat to our diet. But dals hide
within them a lot of undesirable, fat-laden ingredients like the oil / ghee used for tempering,
coconut, cream etc. On the other hand, pulao and biryani are traditionally royal foods made
using lots of oil, ghee, dry fruits, rich gravies, cream, coconut, curds, paneer etc. Even simple
delicacies like khichdi, though cooked in very little oil / ghee are served with ghee poured over
them!
These do add to the taste of the dish, but well-knowing that these add to the calories, we feel
guilty and eliminate them entirely from our diets! But why lose out on your favourite dishes?
Moreover, it is not at all fair to cut them out entirely. Dals for example are a rich source of
protein and minerals, and must be added to your diet and fats and oil are actually good
sources of energy, aid absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like A, E, D and K, and provide
lubrication to joints. This is the reason why nutritionists and health experts advise people to
consume only 3-4 teaspoons of oil per day, which most of us find difficult to balance.
Not to worry. This book will help you keep a check on the calories that you inadvertently
consume during the main meals, without missing out on the dishes you are fond of. It contains
39 recipes divided into sections like Chawal (with subsections like Pulao, Biryani and Khichdi),
All time Favourites, Dals, Accompaniments and Basic Recipes, all cooked without oil. We
have modified traditional recipes to a zero-oil form as well as developed a few new recipes to
suit the Indian palate. But it is no easy task either! Cooking with zero oil involves careful
selection of ingredients, tweaking the proportions accordingly and using appropriate
cooking methods.
I have researched, along with my team of chefs and nutritionists, and compiled recipes from
different cuisines, using different cooking styles like steaming, roasting, baking, and using
non-stick cookware. All-time favourites like Masoor Biryani, page 16, Jalfrazie Layered
Brown rice, page 22, Shahi Korma Biryani, page 25, Creamy Mushroom Risotto, page 47,
Khatti Meethi Dal, page 67, have been modified using healthy ingredients like low-fat milk
and milk products, brown rice and lots of vegetables. I have also used dals innovatively to
make a variety of delicacies from various cuisines such as Maharashtrian, Punjabi, Gujarati,
South Indian etc. Adding vegetables to the dal adds to its nutritional content and flavour.
Not to forget the accompaniments like chutneys, papad and pickles without which no Indian
thali or any Indian meal for that matter is ever considered complete! Surprising as it may
sound, we have put together a gamut of oil-free and healthy options for these as well.
We have also shown you how to prepare a few basic pastes that help perk up the flavour of
these recipes. These pastes can be made in bulk and refrigerated for few months, thereby
making your cooking easy and fast. Usually, to make pastes we use unhealthy ingredients like
coconut, dry fruits etc. Here you will find healthier alternatives. Basic rice recipes like Milk
Rice, page 100 and Jeera Rice, page 101, make cooking convenient and can also turn even
simple dishes into colourful, richer and more flavourful treats!
Really, this collection of your favourite recipes cooked without oil is sure to bring a smile to
your face and encourage you to put on your chef's cap and treat yourself and your family to
more joyous, healthier, tastier meals!
But remember that just because you have discovered a bounty of zero oil recipes does not
mean that you should cook only these and remove all oil from your cooking! In fact, the ideal
way is to include a few zero-oil dishes as part of your daily food intake and continue with the
rest as usual. For example, if you choose a zero-oil dal and chawal on a day then opt for a zero-
oil snack or a subzi the next day. Explore other recipes in my previous titles - Zero Oil Rotis
and Subzis and Zero Oil Soups, Salads and Snacks.
Warm regards,
 CONTENTS
PULAO & BIRYANI
Brinjal Rice............................................. 10
Hara Bhara Subz Pulao........................ 12
Palak Chana Pulao ............................... 14
Masoor Biryani ..................................... 16
Paneer Mutter Biryani ......................... 18
Jalfrazie Layered Brown Rice ............. 22
Shahi Korma Biryani............................ 25
KHICHDI
Handi Khichdi ...................................... 28
Tarkari Khichdi .................................... 30
Fada ni Khichdi..................................... 32
Bharvan Baingan Khichdi ................... 34
Bohri Khichdi ........................................ 39
Bengali Khichdi .................................... 42
ALL TIME FAVOURITES
Mexican Rice ......................................... 45
Creamy Mushroom Risotto................. 47
Palak Kofta Rice.................................... 49
French Casserole................................... 51
DALS & KADHIS
Rajasthani Dal ....................................... 53
Shahi Dal................................................ 56
Palak Chana Dal ................................... 58
Moong Dal Sultani ............................... 60
Dahiwali Toovar Dal............................ 62
Dhan Saak Dal ...................................... 64
Khatti Meethi Dal ................................. 67
Vegetable Toovar Dal .......................... 69
Baitha Varan.......................................... 71
Khatta Urad Dal.................................... 73
Masoor Dal ............................................ 76
Roz ki Dal .............................................. 78
Darbari Dal ............................................ 80
Suva Masoor Dal .................................. 82
Subzi Kadhi ........................................... 84
Palak Kadhi ........................................... 87
ACCOMPANIMENTS
Papad ki Churi ....................................... 89
Masala Papad......................................... 90
Fruit and Vegetable Raita ..................... 91
Beetroot, Cucumber and
Tomato Raita.......................................... 93
Crunchy Vegetable Pickle .................... 94
Instant Lemon Pickle............................. 96
BASIC RECIPES
Green Paste............................................ 98
Red Paste ............................................... 99
Milk Rice .............................................. 100
Jeera Rice.............................................. 101
Low Fat Curds .................................... 101
Low Fat Paneer ................................... 102
 Palak Chana Pulao

An unusual but amazing combination indeed a mix and match of veggies and red chana.
Milk rice enhances its flavour while spinach makes it look appetising and colourful. Red
chana is an ideal ingredient that boosts the nutritive value of this dish with its protein,
calcium, vitamin A and fibre content. Ensure that you soak the chana well in advance so
that it cooks faster and is easy to digest.

Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 10 minutes. Serves 4.

½ cup sliced onions

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
½ cup chopped capsicum
½ cup chopped tomatoes, seeds discarded
½ cup chopped spinach (palak)
¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander-cumin seed (dhania-jeera) powder
Salt to taste
1 cup soaked and boiled red chana (whole red gram)
2½ cups milk rice, page 100
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania) for the garnish

1. Heat a non-stick pan on a medium flame and when hot, add the onions and dry
roast while stirring continuously, till they turn light brown in colour. Sprinkle a
little water if the mixture starts burning.
2. Add the ginger-garlic paste, capsicum and tomatoes and dry roast on a medium
flame for 3 to 4 minutes while stirring continuously.
3. Lower the flame, add the spinach, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander-
cumin seed powder, salt and 2 tbsp of water and heat for 1 to 2 more minutes.
4. Add the chana and milk rice, mix gently and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.
Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Nutritive values per serving

Energy Protein Carbohydrates Invisible Fat Vitamin A Calcium
235 cal 7.4 gm 50.1 gm 0.6 gm 791.5 mcg 112.3 mg
Palak Chana Pulao
 Subzi Kadhi

Popular with many, this kadhi is my favourite too. Medley of vegetables make this kadhi
interesting and delicious. It is a complete meal when served with steanming hot rice as is
full of veggies, curds providing all the necessary nutrients. As being low in calories relish
this delicacy quite often without any hesitation.

Preparation time: a few minutes. Cooking time: 15 minutes. Serves 4.

2 tbsp besan (Bengal gram flour)

2 cups low fat curds (dahi), page 101, beaten
1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
2 curry leaves (kadi patta)
2 tbsp sugar
Salt to taste
½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
½ tsp mustard seeds (rai / sarson)
A pinch asafoetida (hing)
1 whole dry red chilli, broken into pieces
1 cup chopped and boiled mixed vegetables (carrots, French beans and cauliflower)
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania) for the garnish

1. Whisk the besan and curds together till smooth and free of lumps.
2. Add the ginger-green chilli paste, curry leaves, sugar, salt and 2 cups of water and
keep aside.
3. Heat a non-stick pan on a medium flame and when hot, add the cumin seeds and
mustard seeds and dry roast for 30 seconds.
4. Add the asafoetida and red chilli and again dry roast for a few seconds.
5. Add the besan-curds mixture and mixed vegetables and bring to boil.
6. Lower the flame and simmer for a few minutes while stirring continuously.
Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Nutritive values per serving

Energy Protein Carbohydrates Invisible Fat Calcium
93 cal 4.9 gm 17.3 gm 0.4 gm 171.3 mg
Subzi Kadhi
 Zero Oil Dal-Chawal is the third in my series of Zero Oil
Hara Bhara Subz Pulao & Cookbooks. This book will help you keep a check on the
Beetroot, Cucumber and Tomato Raita calories that you inadvertently consume during the main
meals, without missing out on the dishes you are fond of. It
contains 39 recipes divided into sections like Chawal (with
subsections like Pulao, Biryani, Khichdi and All Time
Favourites), Dals & Kadhis, Accompaniments and Basic
Recipes, all cooked without oil.
Cooking without oil is quite a challenge and involves careful
selection of ingredients, tweaking the proportions
accordingly and using appropriate cooking methods. I have
researched, along with my team of chefs and nutritionists,
and compiled recipes from different cuisines, using
different cooking styles like steaming, roasting, baking, and
using non-stick cookware.
Surprising as it may sound, we have put together a gamut
of oil-free and healthy accompaniments and also shown
you how to prepare a few basic pastes that help perk up the
flavour of these recipes. Here you will find healthier
alternatives to basic recipes like Jeera Rice, Milk Rice etc.
that make cooking easier.
This collection of your favourite recipes cooked without oil
is sure to bring a smile on your face while treating yourself
and your family to more joyous, healthier, tastier meals!
Warm regards,

“Padma Shri” awardee, Mrs Tarla Dalal is India's best

selling author in any field, with over 3 million cookbooks
sold to date. She is the first to launch a bi-monthly food
magazine, ‘Cooking & More’, which is the best selling
cookery magazine in India, under her own name.