The Food We Eat

Masoor Dal with Spinach

 

This type of dal is East Indian comfort food at its best. It is something like 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' the Indian way. It comes together in less than 30 minutes and is inexpensive, nutritious, and filling.

If you don't have Masoor dal on hand, you could go ahead and substitute another type of Indian lentil, or you could also go ahead and use the regular supermarket variety brown lentils (these will take a bit longer to cook though). As go the greens, you could use other leafy greens instead, but if you ask me, there is something very special about the silkiness of spinach in this dal.

The last step of this recipe calls for tempering. This is called 'tadka/vaghaar/chounk' in Hindi, and basically involves heating ghee or oil with spices and then adding the intensely flaovored oil to the dal as a final touch. I cannot explain the magic of tempering. It is a must to elevate this simple dal to something spectacular.

Masoor Dal with Spinach

Serves 4 - 6

1 tbsp peanut oil (or other vegetable oil)

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

1 serrano chili pepper, chopped

1 tbsp minced ginger

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 large bunch fresh spinach, washed and chopped

1 cup masoor dal

4 cups water

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp salt (plus more to taste)

Tempering:

1 tbsp ghee or oil (ghee highly recommended)

1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

3 dried red chilis (broken in halves)

1 pinch asafoetida (or hing)

6 - 8 curry leaves (kadipatta)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a deep saucepan. Add onions, chili pepper, ginger, and garlic. Saute till fragrant. Add turmeric and saute 1 minute longer.

2. Add spinach and cook till wilted. Add washed dal and water. Add salt and sugar. Bring to a boil and cook till done, approx 20 minutes. Check seasonings. Add  more salt if needed.

3. For tempering, heat ghee/oil in a small saucepan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and red chilis. Heat till seeds splutter. Add asafoetida and curry leaves. Wait 10 seconds. Pour the seasoned oil on the dal, mix, and serve with rice and/or roti.  

Dhaba (roadside eatery) ka Dal

Ok, so many of you have been not so happy with me as I do not have a post up on my blog for 'Dal' yet. What's my excuse? Nothing really. Its just that Dal is such an everyday thing at our house (I could practically make it in my sleep). No, I'm not showing off, Dal really is an everyday thing if you grow up in an East Indian vegetarian family. It is the main source of protein. Also, dal is an amazingly inexpensive way to feed a crowd (and boy, is it nutritionally dense or what?), so it is a staple of the East Indian diet. Oh, you're not sure what dal is? Check it out here.

But, the reason why we all love dal is not because it is cheap, or it makes nutritionists do the approving nod. It is simply because it is comfort food at its best. For hubby and me, nothing beats hot dal and rice when we are feeling very tired, gloomy, cruddy, or have just returned from a trip. In fact, J counts on me making dal for him when he returns from a business trip. I've told him that the day he comes home from a trip and finds a turkey sandwich for dinner, he knows he is in DEEP trouble :-)

Many of my friends ask for my standard dal recipe. However, it is a bit more complicated than that. There are over 25 varieties of dals that I make. Each uses a combination of, hmmmm lets see --different type of lentil, different seasonings, different vegetable matter, etc. So, how about this. I propose to familiarize you with many different types of dals over the next few months. Now that winter fall is here in Seattle, I can promise you we will be eating a lot of dal to cure the SAD.

Anyway, without further delay, below is the recipe for a delicious dal called Dhaba dal. The name comes from the fact that you see this combination of lentils very often in roadside huts or 'dhabas' in India. The Urad dal used in this particular preparation lends a very comforting texture. Might take some getting used to, but I promise, it is quite addicting in a mom's cookin' sort of way.

Oh wait! One last, but important thing before the recipe.This is regarding the proper way to cook dal. Most Indian households own a pressure cooker. If you don't have one, PLEASE get one. They are great! If you don't want to use one, be prepared for long cook times, or use one of those slow-cooker thingies. I am all for making dal occasionally in this stove-top fashion, but if you eat it as often as we do, you gotta go get a pressure cooker. If you do, it is sheer magic. Soak the beans overnight, and you can have dal on the table in 30 minutes. Bet Rachel Ray can't beat that!

Dhaba ka Dal

Serves 4 to 6

Adapted from Tarla Dalal

1/2 cup dried urad dal (split black lentils), with skin on

1/2 cup chana dal (split bengal gram)

1/4 cup dried rajma (kidney beans)

1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste*

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion

2 serrano or thai chilis, split in half

1 cup finely chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp red chili powder

2 tsp fresh cumin powder

1 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 tbsp vegetable oil , or ghee

2 tbsp salt (more/less to taste)

Method:

1. Clean, wash, and soak the urad dal, chana dal, and rajma in 6 cups water overnight (or at least 6 hours).

2. Drain the soaked dals and rajma. Add 5 cups water and pressure cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the dals are completely cooked. If not using a pressure cooker, cook on stove top in a large thick-bottomed pan, covered. You want the dals (and rajma) to be completely cooked, otherwise the texture of the finished dal suffers.

3. Heat the oil. Add the ginger/garlic paste, onions, and green chilis. Saute for 5 minutes, till the onions are slightly pulpy and golden brown in color. Add the turmeric, chili powder, and cumin powder, and saute for 1-2 minutes more.

4. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook over a high flame till the tomatoes get mushy, approx. 5 minutes.

5. Add the cooked dals with the cooking water (if you have too much water, reserve some. You can always add it back later, but overly-thin dal is not good). Mix well, add the kasuri methi, and simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Add the cilantro, heat another minute or so, and serve with roti and/or rice.

* I make my own ginger-garlic paste. Take equal parts ginger and garlic. Puree in a food processor, and freeze flat in a ziploc bag. Break off what you need, and you're good to go. If you really really really must, use the bottled ginger-garlic paste. I can't stand the stuff. Smells chemical-ly to me. I think you'd be better of using fresh minces ginger and garlic.

Spanish-style Swiss Chard with Garbanzo Beans

After a long break, I am happy to report that I am back in the kitchen. We returned from a fantastic, low-key, yet highly soul-soothing vacation to India a couple weeks back. I had grand plans of taking just a few days to tackle jet-lag, and then cooking up a storm (you see, I really did miss cooking while I was on vacation. I helped mom, but didn't really cook). But alas! A nasty viral bug chose to adopt my body as its favorite host (my guess is on the plane), and my well-laid plans of culinary rediscovery were thwarted. Unless you count chicken noodle soup from a can (organic, of course) and Ramen noodles as culinary achievements.

So anyway, all is better now. A is off to school (first grade, can you believe it?) and R is back in preschool. I am feeling a heck of a lot better, and I'm sure J is excited to have me back in the kitchen. The poor guy! Went from being presented with a veritable feast every meal for 5 weeks in India to chicken noodle soup with toast! What a nasty shock to the poor taste buds!

Okay - go on say it. I have let you down. I go on and on about coming back to the kitchen, and you are expecting some mind-blowingly complicated recipe, and I present you with a humble vegetarian dish?? Is that the best you can do, you ask? Well, my dear friends, don't dismiss this humble offering quite so fast. It is simple, yes, but that is what makes it so beautiful. The flavors are simply sublime. And what better way to use up a whole bunch of swiss chard from the farm?

So, let me plug in my locavore thing here. Dishes such as this are meant to show off nature's bounty. So the end result is only as good as the quality of the ingredients you put in it. Ever wonder why food in Italy, Spain, France (heck, most of Europe) tastes so damn good? Well, it is in large part due to the fantastic quality of the stuff they put in. So go ahead, please use good, organic, local stuff. I promise you, it is well worth the trouble.

My six year old, A, gobbled it up saying "Mom, could you drizzle some more olive oil on mine? I love my stew with extra oil on top". If you knew this kid when he was 2 and 3, you'd never believe me. A was the pickiest eater you've ever seen. Who woulda thunk it. This kids eats anything now. R reluctantly ate up his portion and then piped in "Yummy, with some fresh organic water". Makes no sense? You're not alone. Welcome to the  world of a 4-year old...

You can serve this dish with rice, couscous, or even a nice crusty loaf of bread. This version is an adaptation of Madhur Jaffrey's recipe for espinacas con garbanzos, a Spanish tapas dish served in tapas bars across Seville. I liked the slight bitterness that the swiss chard lends, and I think it works especially well when you serve this as a main course alongwith rice or couscous. That said, I really like the original recipe using spinach too.

We had some whole-wheat couscous in the pantry, so that is what I served. Couscous is extremely quick and ridiculously simple to prepare. I like to use a 1:1.5 ratio of dry couscous:water, or even better, use chicken broth instead of water. Bring the water or broth to a rolling boil, add 1 tbsp olive oil. Then add the couscous, stir, cover and take off the heat. Let the pot sit undisturbed for 5 minutes (don't peek). Then take the cover off, and fluff lightly with a fork. That is it! Ta Da! I told you it was ridiculously simple.

To serve, spoon some couscous on a plate. Top with the stew. Drizzle some good quality olive oil on top. Scatter a few marcona almonds on top and Voila! A glass of red wine to accompany (I still have remnants of a cold, so sadly no wine for me) and here's to a good hearty meal.

Spanish-style swiss chard with garbanzo beans

Adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian

2 bunches swiss chard (about 20 leaves)

1 15oz can organic garbanzo beans, washed and drained

1/4 cup olive oil

5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 tsp freshly ground cumin

1 tsp freshly ground coriander

1 1/2 tsp spanish paprika (Pimenton)

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 - 1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup water

Method:

1. Wash the swiss chard well. Remove the stalks from the leaves. Set aside. Cut the chard leaves into ribbon-like shreds. Finely chop the stalks.

2. Heat the oil and add garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute till garlic smells fragrant. Add the swiss chard stalks and saute for a few minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, and salt. Saute a few minutes till spices smell fragrant. Add the swiss chard leaves and saute till the leaves wilt. Add the garbanzo beans, tomato sauce, and water. Stir well.

3. Cook on medium heat, uncovered, for approx. 30 minutes. Stir occassionally. Cook until there is just a bit of juice left at the bottom of the pan.

4. Serve hot or warm. I like to drizzle some olive oil on top just before serving. Garnish with marcona almonds for a nice crunch.

Dinner tonight - Blackeyed Peas Curry (and Mushroom with Peas for the kiddos)

Hope you are all having a great Memorial day weekend. Ours has been busy, but in a fun, relaxing way. Today was catch-up on chores day. Hubby (god bless) is laundry man, and that my friends, is no ordinary feat, given the ridiculous amount of laundry this family of four creates. I have no idea why and how we manage to have this many soiled clothes in one week. Anyway, I just had to get around to our friendly neighborhood Home Depot to get some fix-it up stuff, some more paraphernalia for our garden, etc. Older kiddo decided to accompany me while dad and little one stayed home and bonded.

Anyway, all day went by, and then before you know it, dinner time coming up. J wanted Indian food, I didn't seem to have a preference, so Indian it was. No carnivorous Memorial day shindig this time -- instead, a humble vegetarian meal and a quiet night with a movie (God Bless you, Netflix).

I love blackeyed peas for many reasons, but the reason they got picked tonight was because these do not require an overnight soak, so are perfect for a spur-of-the-moment bean fix. How so, you ask? The key is my trusted Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker. I have no fear of these devices, in fact, no true Indian does. I grew up with the first generation pressure cookers. Yes, the jiggle top, ear-piercingly loud, burst and kill you ones. But pressure cooker technology has come a long way from grandma's times, and the ones now are slick. I could sing the virtues of these miraculous devices all day long, but seriously, if you're looking to add to your kitchen collection, give these a try! Money well spent.

The Mushroom with Peas curry is a kid-friendly take on the classic Indian Mattar (peas) -Mushroom curry. As with all East Indian curries, you can make it as easy or complex as you want. The complexity comes with the masala. As you can see below, I have kept  it very simple. The kids still haven't developed a palate for very strong masala flavors. Me, I just get extra heat from some spicy homemade pickle, or some serrano peppers on the side.

Blackeyed Peas curry

(Makes a generous amount with plenty of leftovers. This curry is even better the next day...and the day after)

2 cups blackeyed peas

6 cups water

1 large yellow onion, chopped coarse

6 cloves garlic

1 inch piece ginger, chopped coarse

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped coarse

2 tbsp canola oil

2 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)

1 tbsp cumin seeds

2 black cardamon pods (bada elaichi)

1 tsp black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

10 cloves

1 roma tomato, chopped fine

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp salt (suit to taste)

1 tsp turmeric

2 tbsp cumin powder (home ground, preferable)

2 tbsp coriander powder (home ground, preferable)

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp Amchur (ground sour mango powder, optional)

Method:

1. Coarsely grind the onions, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno pepper together.

2. Add oil + ghee to pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, and cloves. Add onion mixture and brown well. Add turmeric, stir well. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and cook few more minutes.

3. Add washed, drained blackeyed peas and water. Add cumin + coriander powder, amchur (if using), salt and sugar.

4. Bring to boil, and pressure cook on high pressure level (15 psi) for approx. 15 minutes. If you are partient, wait for pressure to release naturally. If you're like me, release pressure. Check seasonings, add cilantro, and serve.

Mushrooms with Peas curry

1 lb white button mushrooms, sliced

1/2 onion, chopped very fine

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 cup frozen green peas

2 tbsp heavy cream

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cumin powder

2 tbsp oil

2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

Method:

1. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add onions and garlic. Brown well. Add mushrooms and cook till brown and mushrooms release all water and dry out.

2. Add cumin powder, turmeric, tomato paste. Stir well. Cook for a few minutes.

3. Add green peas. Add just enough water to make a thick curry (2 - 4 tbsp should do it). Cover and cook 10 - 15 minutes.

4. Turn heat to low. Add heavy cream. Just heat through. Turn off heat, add cilantro and serve.