Tangy Lentils tempered with Curry Leaves and Red Chilies

January 5, 2013 4 Comments

 

If you are expecting the first post of the year to be reflective, this one probably will not disappoint terribly.  These lentils were one of the last meals that I had made for all of us. Simple, nourishing and full of the citrusy fragrance of curry leaves.

I did not think that I would post before I reached back to the US, on the 7th, but I guess I missed the space and was sorting through some pictures when this recipe called my name.

Chances are I would love have a steaming bowl of these lentils waiting for me once I return, but one of the downsides of being the houses resident chef is that nothing really waits for me until it is made.

This trip to India, was interesting for me since I actually did not stop in Kolkata, but rather was in Delhi and spent a lot of time travelling. I will share my travels with you over time as I do, in my own lop-sided way.  Landing at the airport still brought with me the tightening of my chest knowing that there was no Dad waiting in anticipation for my call letting him know that I had arrived. Some glimses of emotion will not go away.

  I did not really explore much of the food scene in Delhi, but did make stops at Nirula’s where I loved their ice-cream sunday and savored their chole bhatura but was rather disappointed by their chili chicken. Not surprisingly, Indo-Chinese remains a Kolkata speciality.

A meal at Sarawana Bhavan, left me almost returning for more the next day. Those flavors rocked in their finish and clean and pure simplicity. The kids loved their dosa so much they actually had one and a half each. I enjoyed my Thali, cannot help wondering why all restaurants do not have a thali concept. For those unfamiliar with a thali, it is the India version of a plated meal where all the course are served together in small bowls on a large plate called the Thali. I did some stops at Old Delhi, this one I will cover at a later point.

Now, that I have stimulated your senses do I really expect you to get excited about a simple dal recipe, actually I do. Lentils on the Indian table have a hallowed presence. They are both the simplest and the the deepest of meals, soulful and comforting. This recipe has notes of South India, in their simple flavors. It gets done almost effortlessly in the pressure cooker. This version is made with Tuvar Dal or Pigeon Pea lentils, also known as Arhar Dal.

 

 

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Tangy Lentils tempered with Curry Leaves and Red Chilies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

A tangy creations with lentils, tomatoes and a simple South Indian style tempering.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils)
  • 1 and 1/2 cups water
  • 1 medium sized onion, finely diced
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger paste
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/3 teaspoon red cayenne pepper
  • Salt to taste
    • To temper and finish
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
  • 1/8 teaspoon asafetida
  • 10-12 curry leaves
  • 2 to 3 dried red chilies broken
  • 1 lemon or lime
  • Cilantro to garnish

Instructions

  1. Place the lentils in a pressure cooker, with the water, onion and ginger paste.
  2. Add in the tomatoes, turmeric, red cayenne pepper and salt and stir and cover and cook until pressure for 15 minutes.
  3. Cool and remove the cover and mix the lentils well.
  4. Heat the oil in a small pan for a couple of minutes.
  5. Add in the black mustard seeds and wait for them to crackle. Add in the asafetida followed by the curry leaves and dried red chilies and cook for a few seconds.
  6. Pour the oil into the lentils and mix well.
  7. Squeeze in the lemon juice and add some chopped cilantro.
  8. Serve with steamed rice.
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Filed Under Grains and Lentils, Regional Indian, Uncategorized Tagged With Dal, Gluten Free, lemon, Lentils, Pigeon Pea Lentils, Tuvar Dal, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter

Homey Lentil and Quinoa Kichari and Routines

June 29, 2012 Leave a Comment

 Most days whether in the kitchen or outside, I like a sense of routine. This does not mean, I do not like to do things differently especially in terms of cooking, but I relish a general sense of control, of understanding what is happening in life. Most of all I love the window of quiet time, that I have built into my life through my morning commute.

My crazy quiet corner is a jogging, jostling and moving corner. An unlikely corner and yet it is a corner where I am left alone with a keyboard and my thoughts. There are so many who tell people to find a quiet spot to share their thoughts and find a designated spot to write and share their thoughts. I am not a writer and yet I like to write, I would hear these thoughts and then wonder about finding the time in the midst of the crazy work day, among all the hustle and bustle of work, home, dinner, homework and the day ending. I searched and looked for this quiet spot to write, my dedicated corner, but could never find it.

My weekday mornings start with a predictable routine, that I have come to love for its planned predictability. Many moons back, nine years ago when we were blessed with a lovely girl, and then two moons later my little boy, we agreed that the only thing that we could control was the routine of our house. To control the crazy chaos outside, we imposed a structure inside. This seemed alien at first, but now I love the idea of waking before the others, some days just by a few minutes. I almost always draw the curtains to look outside. It is this fleeting action that allows me to process the seasons, in winter the skies are still dark, in summer bring and now it is the right share of gentle light that brightens as I get organized. I move around to arrange breakfast, pack snack bags and get dressed and usually am greeted somewhere in the midst of this my smiling son. He is the only morning person in our house, he greets the morning with enthusiasm. Once settled and done with breakfast, I put him on the bus and head to work.

Heading to work consists of taking the train toNew York City. I usually get on the third platform and find a designated window seat. For those of us who do the same morning commute understand the unspoken ritual of the morning routine. People do not like others taking their designated seat. As with all things in life, my “designated seat” has a couple of possibilities. Usually ones that I keep designated tend to be ones which afford me the space to spread out just enough to look out at the seasons and fuss on my electronic toys as needed – laptop (no, I am not a tablet kind of girl), kindle and sometimes just the space to take in the golden sun dancing on the little rivulets that make their way in an out of the creeks that flow into the Bronx River

On occasion, I like to look up and take in the scene, and sometimes love to catch snatches of conversation. Yes, those people in Date Night, there are variations of them in real life. I am one of them. In fact, my husband used to be rather surprised at my eavesdropping in the early days, he is used to it now and even on occasion enjoys other people’s conversations through my ears. I hear about work issues, fights, childrens and get glipses of networking all that take place on a moving train. Today back home seemed prime for a simple wholesome comforting meal. I adapted a recipe for rice and lentils (khichari) using quinoa. This is my favorite childhood rice and lentil medley all grown up.  I usually do not make this on a warmer day, but there are exceptions to every rule. It worked perfectly and the added bonus was feeling somewhat virtous eating a nice bowl of comfort food.

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Homey Lentil and Quinoa Kichari and Routines

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup red split lentils (masur dal)
  • 1/3 cup white quinoa
  • 4 cups of water
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 11/2 teaspoons fresh ginger paste
  • 2 green chilies minced
  • For the tempering
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 red onion, finely diced
  • For the garnish
  • 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Instructions

  1. Place the red lentils and quinoa in a pressure cooker.
  2. Add in the water, salt, turmeric, ginger paste and the green chillies.
  3. Cook under pressure for about 25 minutes.
  4. While the mixture is cooling, heat the oil in a heavy pan over medium heat for about 1 minute.
  5. Add the cumin seeds and wait for 30 seconds for them to sizzle lightly.
  6. Add in the onions and cook on medium low heat for 10 minutes until the onions are a dark golden brown color.
  7. Remove the pressure cooker and mix the lentil mixture well, it should have a soft and creamy consistency.
  8. Add in the onion cumin mixture and stir well.
  9. Squeeze in the lime juice and garnish with the cilantro before serving
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Filed Under Bengali, Cilantro, Cumin, Grains and Lentils, Weeknight Cooking Tagged With Bengali, cilantro, Cumin, Gluten Free, Khichari, Khichuri, Lentils, Lime, Mushoor Dal (Red Lentils), Pressure Cooker, Qunoa, Vegan, Vegetarian Main Dishes

Dal Vada – Lentil Fritters

March 15, 2012 Leave a Comment

There are many things that I have gotten used to over the course of more than half my life in the Northeast, but really cold weather is not one of them. In winter, I retreat into my shell and indulge in activities like cooking, reading, knitting, and did I say cooking?

My hibernation phase also deprives me of the little nuances of nature that I count on for daily inspiration, making the advent of spring, warmer and more pleasurable.

 

This week has been a predictably long one however I have been nurtured, nourished and inspired by the advent of spring. Not major changes, just small things like the two robins dancing about as I paused at the stop sign on the way to morning ride to the station. Enjoying the vestiges of evening light, before the orange sun sets just in time to capture the corner crocuses and possibly the highlight of this week, is getting these daffodils before they opened and bloomed. Less that two minutes of time, but not even a few hours too soon, since we I returned home in the evening, they had bloomed in all their glory. It is these small triumphs that make the interaction with nature meaningful.

 

In the vein of small triumphs, there is also small mini getaways, right here at home. Sometimes alone, sometimes with the husband a little picnic. A few days back this was about crisp lentil and onion fritters (vadas) and a great glass of wine. These vadas are lighter than some I have made, lovely crisp addictive texture. You can actually reuse the leftovers (there are rarely any) to make a curry.

Crisp White Lentil and Onion Fritters

 These simple fritters are almost everything that one can hope for in a snack, and if I did not fry them, I would delete the word almost. They get done in a flash, crisp, spicy, tasty, versatile, vegan and gluten free.

 A simple concoction carried over from my childhood, these fritters work for me on busy evenings, simple events with a wine on the side and the left over fritters can actually be tossed into a light curried sauce.

 I use a good grape seed or light olive oil for frying them and a nice wide frying pan, which allows me to complete them in two batches. I have offered this recipe with black lentils, but they can be made with yellow split moong lentils as well. The consistency is important and it should be a paste not a batter. One can add some chickpea flour to the batter if you feel that you have added too much water.

 Prep Time: 2hours (mostly for soaking the lentils)

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Makes 15 medium sized fritters

 Ingredients

 ¾ cup black lentils

Water for soaking the lentils

½ cup water for grinding the lentils

3 pods of garlic

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

2 green Serrano chilies, very finely chopped

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro

1 cup oil for frying

Chopped baby spinach to garnish

 Method of Preparation

 1. Wash the lentils well and soak in water for at least 2 hours. It does not hurt to soak them longer.

2. Drain and rinse the lentils and place in a blender, with ½ cup water.

3. Add in the garlic pods, salt and turmeric and grind to a smooth paste, the consistency of this should be a smooth, somewhat wet paste rather than a batter.

 4. Place the paste into a mixing bowl and add in the chilies, onions, thyme and cilantro and mix well.

5. Heat the oil in a flat frying pan, for about 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Test the temperature with a small drop of the mixture, it should sizzle to the top.

6. Add about 2 tablespoons of the mixture in a few spaces, spreading them to allow enough room to let the fritters fry without overcrowding each other.

7. Fry them for about 3-4 minutes on each side until a nice shade of golden.

8. Drain on paper towels.

9. Arrange on a serving platter and toss with the spinach leaves before serving.

 On a note of trivia, I have often wondered where the term spring fever came from. Chances are most of us want to step outside and walk, run or even sit outdoors just to enjoy the extra sunlight that the evening offers. So logically, this is bound to make us healthier rather than cause any fever.

 

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Dal Vada – Lentil Fritters
Recipe type: Appetizer
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 8
 

Ingredients
  • cup black lentils
  • Water for soaking the lentils
  • cup water for grinding the lentils
  • 3 pods of garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • teaspoon turmeric
  • teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 green Serrano chilies, very finely chopped
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
  • 1 cup oil for frying
  • Chopped baby spinach to garnish

Instructions
  1. Wash the lentils well and soak in water for at least 2 hours. It does not hurt to soak them longer.
  2. Drain and rinse the lentils and place in a blender, with ½ cup water.
  3. Add in the garlic pods, salt and turmeric and grind to a smooth paste, the consistency of this should be a smooth, somewhat wet paste rather than a batter.
  4. Place the paste into a mixing bowl and add in the chilies, onions, thyme and cilantro and mix well.
  5. Heat the oil in a flat frying pan, for about 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Test the temperature with a small drop of the mixture, it should sizzle to the top.
  6. Add about 2 tablespoons of the mixture in a few spaces, spreading them to allow enough room to let the fritters fry without overcrowding each other.
  7. Fry them for about 3-4 minutes on each side until a nice shade of golden.
  8. Drain on paper towels.
  9. Arrange on a serving platter and toss with the spinach leaves before serving.

Filed Under Grains and Lentils, Uncategorized Tagged With Appetizers, Chilies, Lentils, Spring, Vegan

Idli – Steamed Indian Sourdough Rice and Lentil Buns

January 18, 2012 Leave a Comment

  

 Idlis are now in the list of family dishes that have been gracing our household table pretty frequently in the last month. I usually make these sourdough steamed rice and lentil buns more often in summer, when the weather is more conducive to the natural fermentation that the the base needs. However, this is one of the things in the shortlist that my daughter seems to be able to tollerate, so we have been enjoying these light and snowy creations with her. Actually, I have had a bunch of them left over from batches that I have used up in two creative recipes, that I am pleased about.

It is actually going onto month two with my daughter being under weather. We are finally scheduled to have an Endoscopy this Wednesday.  It has been a little unnerving to think of her going through a procedure where she needs to be anethesized, but I hope that at the end of the day, they are able to identify and fix the problem. In general, I have started the year feeling uneasy about health. I have been good about getting on the treadmill, ignoring the fact that it takes me a long time to even do a basic routine. Today, I was able to do the baseline 35 minute run/walk. It is not a marathon, but all races have to start somewhere.

Making an idli, is not difficult, nor does it need a lot of attention, the sourdough however, does need preparation time for soaking and fermentation. So, just plan for 36 hours before cooking them. Also, if you live in the northeast like me, you need to identify a warm place in your house. It can be your oven, assuming you are cooking on the stovetop. In our case, I the prepared batter in the boiler room and forget about it for 18-24 hours. I have played around with the composition as well, while using a proportion of the rice and lentils in this batter. While a basic proportion of using 2 parts rice to 1 part lentils is the best, I tend to like the texture and softness with about 2 and 1/4 cups rice to 3/4 parts lentils the best.

It is essential to use a short grain parboiled rice, rather than the long grain basmati rice, this can be found in Indian stores sold as Idli rice.

The recipe is otherwise relatively simple,

Idli – Steamed Sourdough Rice and Lentil Buns

Prep Time: 36 hours (mostly unattended)

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups shortgrained parboiled rice

3/4 cup white lentils (urad dal)

1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1/4 inch fresh ginger

1 teaspoon salt

Water for soaking and grinding

Light oil for greasing the moulds

Method of Preparation

1. Soak the rice and the lentils separately overnight for at least 12-14 hours.

2. Wash and drain the grains.

3. Place the rice in the blender with about 1/2 cup of water and add in the fenugreek and ginger and blend in a blender for about 5-7 minutes, pausing if needed to ensure are smooth paste with just a hint of texture.

4. Place the liquid in a large container with a lid and enough space to allow the batter to ferment and expand, much like bread dough.

5. Place the white lentils with about 1/4 cup of water and blend, until smooth. This should not take very long.

6. Gently mix this into the rice mixture, the batter should have the consistency of thick pancake or waffle batter.

7. Let the batter rest undisturbed for at least 15-20 hours.  At this point the batter should smell yeasty, fruity and be a mass of soft frothy bubbles.

8. Lightly oil the idli moulds. Pour the batter into the mould till about 3/4 full, allowing a little room to let the buns rise.

9. Add about 2 inches of water in a large stock pot, or a pressure cooker (note, I use this because it is the largest pot with a lid in my house that fits the idli moulds.

10. Bring the water to a simmer, gently lower the filled idli moulds and cover and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the idlies rest for about 10 minutes, before gently un-molding them and serving.

 

 

 

 

 

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Idli – Steamed Indian Sourdough Rice and Lentil Buns
Author: 
Recipe type: Main Dish
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 6
 

A steamed rice and lentil preparation of buns using a natural method of fermenting to produce a gluten free sour dough.
Ingredients
  • 2¼ cups short grained parboiled rice
  • ¾ cup white lentils (urad dal)
  • ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • ¼ inch fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Water for soaking and grinding
  • Light oil for greasing the moulds

Instructions
  1. Soak the rice and the lentils separately overnight for at least 12-14 hours.
  2. Wash and drain the grains.
  3. Place the rice in the blender with about ½ cup of water and add in the fenugreek and ginger and blend in a blender for about 5-7 minutes, pausing if needed to ensure are smooth paste with just a hint of texture.
  4. Place the liquid in a large container with a lid and enough space to allow the batter to ferment and expand, much like bread dough.
  5. Place the white lentils with about ¼ cup of water and blend, until smooth. This should not take very long.
  6. Gently mix this into the rice mixture, the batter should have the consistency of thick pancake or waffle batter.
  7. Let the batter rest undisturbed for at least 15-20 hours. At this point the batter should smell yeasty, fruity and be a mass of soft frothy bubbles.
  8. Lightly oil the idli moulds. Pour the batter into the mould till about ¾ full, allowing a little room to let the buns rise.
  9. Add about 2 inches of water in a large stock pot, or a pressure cooker (note, I use this because it is the largest pot with a lid in my house that fits the idli moulds.
  10. Bring the water to a simmer, gently lower the filled idli moulds and cover and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the idlies rest for about 10 minutes, before gently un-molding them and serving.

Filed Under Grains and Lentils, Regional Indian, Uncategorized Tagged With Fermenting, Gluten Free, Lentils, Rice, Rice and Pasta, Sourdough, Vegan

Sri Lankan Lentil Curry

December 19, 2011 Leave a Comment

The kids are into playing with the globe and learning about states, cities, countries, continents and capitals. They keep asking us to quiz them on the places. Whenever it is my turn, I ask them about relatively obscure places, exotic places and places I would love to visit if my time were my own. Sri Lanka is definitely on that list. I picture the island country and beautiful beaches and they call my name.

Unfortunately, it does not look like that trip is on the cards anytime soon, but fortunately, it does not stopping from exploring the cuisine. The cuisine is sharp and well seasoned with the peppercorns and cinnamon that are native to this beautiful island and there are some similarities with the food of Tamil Nadu the state in the Southern peninsula of India. In my enthusiasm, I scoped out a few dishes that I would like to cook over the next few weeks.

The first one of these dishes, is these delightful lentil curry that uses the radish greens that were fresh from the garden this weekend. This definitely was the last harvest. The farmers market has wound down down for the season.  I spent a few minutes talking to the farmer at the first stall where I tend to buy most of my stuff and he was telling me they have a lot of prep work before the season.

I can certainly see, some of the things that go on in our house, with the husband getting the catalogues, scouring through the seeds and all that good stuff.

Back to the Lentil curry, I put this together by loosely chatting with the chef at Banana Leaf, where we ate a lovely lunch, recently. I shall tell you about the meal one of these days, but these lentils are going to be quite perfect to warm the cockles on some of the cool winter nights that we shall be having.

Sri Lankan Lentil Curry

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

3/4 cup orange lentils

4 cups water

1 large stick cinnamon

1 teaspoon garam masala powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon red chili powder

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 onion, finely chopped

2 pods of garlic

1 cup of light coconut milk

3 cups of chopped radish greens (can be spinach)

To temper

4 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

10-12 curry leaves

2 dried red chilies

1 onion, thinly sliced

Method of Preparation

1. Place the lentils, water, cinnamon, garam masala powder, salt, red chili powder in a pot.

2. Add in the diced onion and garlic and simmer the mixture on low heat until the lentils are soft, mushy and almost a smooth consistency. This will take about a half an hour to 40 minutes. The mixture should have thickened at this point.

3. Add in the cocconut milk and increase the heat and cook for another 10 minutes. Add in the radish greens and cook until the greens have wilted and softened.

4. Heat one tablespoon of the oil on medium heat for 1 minute and add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and the red chilies and wait till the seeds begin to pop.

5. Pour the oil over the lentils.

6. Heat the remaining oil and cook the onion until soft and gently browned.

7. Pour this mixture over the lentils and stir lightly. Serve the lentils with steaming hot rice.

3.

 

Filed Under Black Pepper, Grains and Lentils, Uncategorized Tagged With Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Coconut Milk, Lentils, Radish Greens, Sri Lanka, Vegan, Vegetarian

A homey winter lentil stew

December 16, 2011 Leave a Comment

It has been a challenging weekend! Much as I complain about the activities I sometimes thing that they keep the household grounded. Go figure! The kids have been sick, once too often this year, a plethora of stomach viruses that have taken the spunk out the kitchen. The kids have needed a lot of running around and doctor’s visits. Deepta has needed to be dropped to school over the past month, resulting in Anshul getting in late to work. In general, it is a household that has not been functioning in its usual even keel manner. So, I am glad it Monday..

The week forces us back to a rountine.The routine hopefully will offer a modicum of normalcy to life as I know it. When I am stressed out, I tend to clean and organize. Bereft of anything else, I have started picking on this poor blog. Of course, all things considered this could be cleaned up. I do not have an uncontrollable number of posts and the earlier posts were extremely unwieldy and frankly it is mostly about the pictures. I continue to learn and grow in this area. One of my goals for the upcoming year is to re-work some of the old posts, the tested and tried staples.

This weekend the honor belonged to my homey lentil stew. This is a soft comforting medley of lentils and vegetables, seasoned with fenugreek and cumin. It is great over rice but also wonderful with some toasted crusty bread. One of the best things about this homey stew is that is works well for the children as well.

 

Homey Winter Lentil Stew

 

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes (mostly unattended)

Serves 6-8

 

Ingredients

 

¾ cup of moong (yellow split) lentils

3 cups of water

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon red chili powder

1 teaspoon ginger paste

2 tomatoes, chopped

½ cup chopped cauliflower

½ cup chopped carrots

½ cup chopped rutabaga or turnips

1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)

3 tablespoons oil

2 pods pressed garlic

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 lime

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

 

Method of Preparation

 

  1. Place the lentils, water, salt and turmeric and red chili powder in a large cooking pot.
  2. Add in the ginger paste, tomatoes and bring the lentils to a simmer and cook for 1 hour (note, this can be done in a slow cooker for 2 hours)
  3. At this point the lentils should be very soft. Stir the mixture well.
  4. Add in the cauliflower, carrots, rutabaga and the dried fenugreek leaves and simmer the mixture for 30 minutes.
  5. Mix well.
  6. Heat the oil for about 1 minute on medium heat, add in the pressed garlic and cumin seeds and cook for about 30 seconds until the cumin sizzles and the garlic turns a pale golden shade.
  7. Pour this seasoned oil over the lentils and mix well.
  8. Turn off the heat.
  9. Cut the lime and squeeze in the juice.
  10. Mix in the cilantro and enjoy this as a light satisfying meal.

 

 

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A homey winter lentil stew
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 6-8
 

A lively one dish stew with earthy lentils, herbs, spices and vegetables.
Ingredients
  • cup of moong (yellow split) lentils
  • 3 cups of water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • cup chopped cauliflower
  • cup chopped carrots
  • cup chopped rutabaga or turnips
  • 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 2 pods pressed garlic
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Instructions
  1. Method of Preparation
  2. Place the lentils, water, salt and turmeric and red chili powder in a large cooking pot.
  3. Add in the ginger paste, tomatoes and bring the lentils to a simmer and cook for 1 hour (note, this can be done in a slow cooker for 2 hours)
  4. At this point the lentils should be very soft. Stir the mixture well.
  5. Add in the cauliflower, carrots, rutabaga and the dried fenugreek leaves and simmer the mixture for 30 minutes.
  6. Mix well.
  7. Heat the oil for about 1 minute on medium heat, add in the pressed garlic and cumin seeds and cook for about 30 seconds until the cumin sizzles and the garlic turns a pale golden shade.
  8. Pour this seasoned oil over the lentils and mix well.
  9. Turn off the heat.
  10. Cut the lime and squeeze in the juice.
  11. Mix in the cilantro and enjoy this as a light satisfying meal.

Filed Under Fenugreek, Grains and Lentils, Slow Cooking Tagged With carrots, Cauliflower, cilantro, Fenugreek, Garlic, Lentils, One Dish Meals, Slow Cooking, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter

Yellow Lentils with Brocolli and Cauliflower (Bhaja Mooger Dal)

October 26, 2011 Leave a Comment

 Simple, lentils finished with a hint of tempering is the Bengali idea of comfort food. I love this on a cool evening like the ones we have been having this past week. Fall is finally here. It is also the time we start getting the bits and pieces from the garden before it finally winds down. This week, what I recieved was a lot of tender brocolli and then I think it is done for the season. Now, we like brocolli especially when it is as tender as the ones we harvested over this past season, but there are others who will treat it much like Green eggs. Anyhow, if some of them are amenable to lentils, I will tell them to try it, try it, for you will see that the mild brocolli almost dissolves into the earthy lentils leaving them nicely tinged with green.  These lentils are best with steaming rice and we also had a side of red swiss chard and eggplants, I shall save the recipe with you at some point.

 The kids has gone to a pumpkin painting party and are determined to make carved pumpkins this year. I am generally feeling a little overwelmned at the tought of adding another activity to what seems to be an already packed weekend, so I did not make any promises. We shall see, who gets the last word this weekend.

I did have the first meeting with Priti, who returned my work all marked up, I sometimes wonder if it is some form of self punishment that met me want to go through the process.

Now back to the lentils, here is how I made them,

Yellow Lentils with Brocolli and Cauliflower

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35-40 minutes (mostly unattended)

Serves 4

Ingredients

3/4 cup split yellow lentils (moong dal)

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon turmeric

2 green chilies slit lengthwise, stems intact

1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste

1 cup chopped cauliflower

3/4 cup chopped broccoli

1 teaspoon ghee or 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji or kalo jire)

Method of Preparation

1. In a cooking pot, lightly roast the lentils on medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring the lentils frequently until the lentils are very gently golden and smell aromatic.

2. Add in about 3 cups water, salt, turmeric, ginger paste and the green chilies and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook the lentils for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are soft but still hold their shape.

3. Add in the last cup of water with the brocolli and the cauliflower and simmer for another 10 minutes, at this point the cauliflower should be tender and the brocolli should had broken into very small pieces around the lentils.

4. Heat the oil or the ghee  on medium heat until it is very hot and add the nigella seeds and cook until the seeds sizzle.

5. Pour the hot seasoning over the lentils and stir lightly. Serve with rice, but this can also be eaten with hot buttered toast.

This entry is my submission for MLLA (a monthly legume celebration) started by Susan and being hosted this month by Veggie Platter.

Filed Under Bengali, Weeknight Cooking Tagged With Bengali, Brocolli, Cauliflower, Fall, Garden, Lentils, Moong Dal, Vegan, Vegetarian

Watching Storm Clouds – Trying to Cook

October 4, 2011 1 Comment

Animals learn to recognize weather symbols early, maybe it is there experience living outdoors with the elements.  There was unfortunately that same uncanny sense of realization, when my father paid the last visit to us over two years back. I knew I needed to get back as much as I possibly could. Every visit was with a sense of frustation expecting and knowing that the end would come and yet when it came it still left me startled. I have realised watching the clouds and seeing them there does not still take away the effect of the storm when it comes. The rain still lashes and drenches. The wait makes the experience settle in deeper often without realizing it.

The scared dog or cat hides for a long time before they can come out.

The signs of the strom linger and hit you when you least expect it. I remember watching our garden recover from the recent bout with Irene. Some of the plants did die and then there were others we thought that would never make it, but they did eventually come back to life.

The past few days, I have not been able to get into the kitchen, this has been unsettling for the kids so I went in last evening to put together a simple one dish meal. There is a lot of comfort in trying to find simple soulful food, something that nourishes without taxing the senses.

A dish from the Southern state of Karnataka, it is a variation of what is more popularly called kichari is other parts of India. This recipe is essentially a medley of the hearty lentil stew called sambhar featured as an almost daily item in South India and rice making it an infinitely well suited one-dish meal.

Also, cooked best in the pressure cooker, the recipe gets done in under about 30 minutes, using the cooker. Despite using the pressure cooker, I cook this recipe in stages because I think it is essential to preserve the essential character of the spices and retain the natural texture of the vegetables.

Bisi Bele Bhaat – Rice and Lentils Seasoned with Tamarind and Sambhar Masala

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes (using a pressure cooker or about 2 hours without)

Makes 10 servings

A rice and lentil dish from Karnataka, India

Ingredients

1 cup yellow pigeon pea lentils (toor dal, preferably the oily variety)

6 cups of water

1 teaspoon salt

2 tomatoes chopped

1 tablespoon sambhar masala

¾ cup rice, preferably a short grain variety

2 tablespoons tamarind paste or ½ cup tamarind water

1/3 cup chopped green beans

1 small eggplant, chopped

1 small carrot, peeled and chopped

½ cup green peas

For the tempering

1.5 tablespoons ghee

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon black split urad dal (split mapte beans)

½ teaspoon channa dal

1/8 teaspoon asafetida

2-3 dried red chilies

10 curry leaves

To garnish

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

Method of Preparation

1. Place the toor dal and half the water at the base of a pressure cooker. Add in the turmeric, salt and tomatoes and cook under pressure for about 15 minutes. The texture of the lentils should be soft and creamy with flecks of the tomato in the mixture.

2. Add in the sambhar masala and the rice and the remaining water and cover and pressure cook the mixture for about 10 more minutes, at this point the mixture should still fairly thin, but the rice should be almost cooked through.

3. Add in the tamarind paste and the vegetables and continue cooking on medium heat for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the mixture is thick and smooth. The color should be a somewhat dark yellow color.

4. Heat the ghee on medium heat for about 1 minute until the ghee has melted and is fairly hot.

5. Add in the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and within 15 seconds once the mustard seeds are done crackling,Add in the black urad dal and the channa dal and cook for another 10 seconds to allow the seeds to darken a little.

6. Add in the asafetida, red chilies and the curry leaves and allow them to crackle a little and pour the spiced butter over the lentils.Gently mix in the seasonings and simmer the mixture another 3-4 minutes before serving.

Filed Under Grains and Lentils, Regional Indian, Uncategorized Tagged With carrots, Green Beans, Indian Regional Cuisine, Karnataka, Lentils, One Dish Meals, Rice, Sambhar Masala, South India, tamarind, Toor Dal, Vegetarian

Black and White Wednesday – Tiffin

September 22, 2011 1 Comment

 Another Wednesday smack in the middle of a crazy week. It has been a rainy cool day and I came home negotiating a very crowded and disorganized city.

This combination of Medhu Vada, Coconut Chutney and Sambhar was our dinner. A good South Indian Tiffin offering, that I am sending Susan’s way for her Black and White Wedneday collection for the week.

Filed Under Grains and Lentils Tagged With Black and White Wednesday, Lentils, Medhu Vada

Lentil, Rice and Bay Scallop Pilaf with Spinach

August 14, 2011 Leave a Comment

To pack for this unexpected somber sojourn, I was traveling with a suitcase that was so light that it surprised almost anyone who lifted it, and to keep me company a whole bunch of camera SD cards. I have more little memory gizmos than most people, it really is for the most part a way to keep track of different pictures. Work being rather busy, I packed a few things to work on. I was amazed and grateful to everyone at work for their support and unconditional acceptance of the situation. I am also grateful that I can try to keep myself fulfilled through the process of things that are tedious but allow me to stay distracted especially when times are not so good.

 I had embarked on this trip kicking and screaming and frankly feeling very unsure and strangled, it is not always easy to want to come and see a parent who is so ailing, or even watch them through the unpleasant transition, I felt particularly lost without the safety of my little ones. It is amazing how therapeutic the presence of your children can be. The interesting and amazing part of life is that we have an amazing resilience and inertia to get used to most situations and things.

 This recipe was a surprisingly comforting creation, that I had concocted in early fall last year. It actually is a good rainy treat as well, it borders along the line of a good kichri, that is a rice and lentil medley, the trick dimension here is there is a generous amount of spinach and some small wild caught scallops folded in. It is a part of a series of scallop recipes that I developed to deal with my joy when I realized that my 8-year liked the scallops.

Lentil and Bay Scallop Pilaf

 Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35-40 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

 4 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 small onion, cut into a small dice

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

4 green cardamoms

1 large stick cinnamon, broken

1/3 cup split yellow moong lentils

½ cup buttermilk

¾ cup basmati rice

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

4 cups of water

½ pound of bay scallops, rinsed and patter thoroughly dry

1 cup finely chopped fresh spinach leaves

2 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter

1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil on medium heat and add the cumin seeds and wait for about 30 seconds for the seeds to darken and turn very aromatic

2. Add in the onion and ginger and stir for about a minute.

3.Add in the cardamom and the cinnamon and stir well.

4.Add in the buttermilk and the lentils and bring to a simmer.

5.Cover and cook for about 6-7 minutes, until the buttermilk is absorbed and the lentils are still separate.

6.Add in the rice, salt and turmeric and mix well.

7.Add in the water and bring to a simmer.

8.Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, until the grains are soft but not mushy and the rice is almost cooked.

9.Remove the cover and add in the scallops, spinach and the ghee and mix well with a light hand.

10. Turn off the heat and cover tightly and let this rest for about 15 minutes.

11.Remove the cover and fluff and garnish with the cilantro before serving.

Filed Under Local and Backyard Cooking Tagged With Fall, Fish on a Weeknight, Indian Food, Lentils, Local Indian, One Dish Meals, Pilafs, Rice, Rice Dishes, Scallops, Spinach
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