Moong Dal Sambar

Ingredients
1) Moong Dal - 1cup
2) Tamarind - 10 gms
3) Green chillies - 4
4) Curry Leaves - 3
5) Coriander  Leaves - 5gms
6) Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
7) Onion - 1 small
8) Drumstick - 1
9) Methi powder - 1 table spoon
10) Black Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
11) Red chilli - 1
12) Oil - 1 table spoon
13) Hing - 1 pinch
14) Garlic - 2 cloves
14) Salt - as per taste

Procedure
1. Wash Moong dal, add half teaspoon turmeric powder and then boil it. (for pressure cooker 3 whistles).
2. While dal is getting boiled , soak tamarind in water.(almost 1/2 litre) and also boil finely chopped onion and drumstick(cut int 4 pieces) in a separate bowl for 10-15 mins.
3. Take the boiled dal in pan and then pour half litre tamarind water in it and heat it in medium flame.
4.  Add boiled onion and drumstick to dal mixture.
5. Add half spoon turmeric powder, salt, curry leaves, finely chopped green chillies and garlic to it and boil all the ingredients in high flame.
6. Add methi powder, mix thoroughly and heat it for 3 mins.(add water for consistency in case needed)
7. Add coriander to it and put off the flame.
8. Now take a small frying pan, add oil , mustard seeds, red chilli, hing to it and heat it until they splutter.
9. Pour the above tadka into the dal mixture.
10. Moong Dal Sambar is ready and serve hot.

Note: In telugu it is Pappu Pulusu.

Slideshow : here

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Jones Doyles River

We had done hike to Jones/Doyles River on 31st July . It is located in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia State.
Hike Location
Name: Jones/Doyles
Distance: 100 miles from Richmond(approx)
Total hiking distance: 6.6 miles.
Elevation Gain: 1300 ft
Hike Team: Sandeep and his wife, my wife and me.
Hiking Experience: Started around 6:00 am in the morning. Picked Sandeep and left to our destination around 6:30 am. Took a halt at rest area around 7:30 am. We reached the Brown Gap parking lot(out destination) around 8:30 am. We saw only couple of cars at the parking lot. Climate was sunny. We had our breakfast at the parking lot at nearby huge rocks under the shade of trees. We started our hike around 8:45 am. The trail was broad covered by huge trees on both the sides. We were hiking down the hill and for first couple of miles it seemed easy. Being covered with huge trees we have not experienced the heat of Sun. We were hiking in the middle of the jungle. Being famous for its waterfalls we have met many fellow hikers along the trail. Reached the first waterfalls(Jones) around 11:14 am.
The falls were amazing. They were not huge but spectacular. There were colourful butterflies at the waterfalls. We enjoyed the little rays of Sun falling on the trail through the gaps of the leaves. The trail became narrow and steep increased gradually. we slowly hiked further until we reached second waterfalls. These were taller than the first and we were able to touch the falls. Water was very cold. We had our lunch at the falls around 1:45 pm. We spent sometime at waterfalls, filled our bottles with pure water of the falls. We continued our hike around 2:25 pm. The steep increased as we hiked further the narrow blue blazed trail.

Then we reached an intersection and we followed the yellow blazed trail. The trail is wide and steep reduced. The trail is in open area and experienced the Sun heat. The trail is a fire road and was not much like an actual hike trail. we reached Browns Gap parking lot around 3:42 pm. Started from there and halted at popcorn shop near the entrance of the Park. Left for home around 4:49 pm. Reached home by 6:08 pm. The trip was very memorable and waterfalls were very nice and amazing. All is Well.

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