Dal with Three Chiles, Thank You and Happy New Year

Thank You, India 

Thank you frailty, thank you consequence, thank you, 

thank you silence

Green chile, dried red chile

Cayenne

Pink lentils (split) "dhuli masoor dal"

Simple Gujarati Dal with Three Chiles

From Suvir Saran’s Indian Home Cooking, adapted by Blue Heron Kitchen

This is quick and simple and I think it tastes better then next day(s). Pink lentils (split), called dhuli masoor dal, can be purchased at any Indian market. I love Patel Brothers.  There are many of these markets in the NY City region. Go online and look for “Indian Grocery Stores” and type in your neighborhood. Or, if you live in a neighborhood where the 'ethnic aisle' means "Old El Paso", buy your dry goods online. Try, for example, "YourIndianShopUSA" at Amazon.com. You'll find a ton of Indian dry goods there.

I use slightly less oil than the original recipe calls for; and I mix canola and olive oils. You can use all canola oil or all olive oil. 

If you’re truly Gujarati, you won’t use the garlic. Garlic and onion are not part of the Gujarati diet. Add some Asafetida or "Hing" powder (use this sparingly) or some minced, fresh ginger instead.

A bowl of dal with a dollop of yogurt (I love Fage (pronounce it this way: “Fay-ah!”) brand 0%, Greek yogurt) or raita and some salad is a perfect meal. It’s hearty, healthy, low in fat, high in protein and quite satisfying. You can have it in a bowl or over plain or fragrant (with aromatic spices) basmati rice. Or, if you feel like ‘other’ grains, try it with your favorite grain such as farro (triticale wheat) or couscous.

Namaste

Happy, Healthy New Year

2012!

peace and love,

jane

Ingredients:

1 cup lentils, picked over, washed and drained

½ tsp. turmeric (a natural anti-inflammatory!)

1 tsp. salt (more or less, to taste)

4 cups water

For the tempering oil (which adds the distinctive flavor!)

1 Tbsp. Canola oil

1 Tbsp. Extra virgin Olive Oil

Black mustard seeds are da bomb
You can get them at your local
Indian market or try Penzeys.com

1 tsp. black mustard seeds                                    

½ tsp. cumin seeds

3 whole dried red chiles

1 fresh hot green chile, minced

8 fresh or 12 frozen curry leaves, torn into pieces (optional – but try to get them because they’re extraordinary!)

1 small garlic clove, minced (if you’re true Gujarati, no garlic, no onion  – try some Asafetida -also called "Hing" – or throw in some freshly minced ginger!)

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

 3 heaping Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Juice of ½ lime or lemon

 Procedure:

Put lentils in a large saucepan with water, turmeric and salt and bring to a boil. Skim well. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, cooking until the lentils are soft. If you’re using the pink lentils, this will take about 15 minutes. “Other” lentils will take up to half an hour. If necessary, add more water during cooking. Taste for salt and if needed, add more.

They don't stay pink, silly. Turmeric turns everything yellow.

When lentils are soft, remove a cup and put into a small bowl. Mash them with a spoon and return them to the pot. If you prefer your dal ‘thick’, continue cooking. ("DALert": Because it is starchy, dal thickens as it cools. Upon reheating, you may need to add some liquid to reach the desired consistency.)

For tempering the oil: heat the oil with the mustard seeds in a small frying pan, wok or (ideally) a kadai (I bought mine at Patel’s – they’re Indian woks that have gone to charm school. They have beautiful handles and have perfect posture: they don’t need that ‘ring’ to sit upon. The kadai sits perfectly straight and still on the stovetop – no ring needed! And so far, All-Clad hasn’t produced one, so they’re still wildly inexpensive.)  Do this over medium-high head, covered. When you hear the mustard seeds popping (after a minute or two), uncover and add the cumin. Stir a couple of time for about 30 seconds.  Next step: add the dried red chiles, the fresh green minced chile, the curry leaves and the minced garlic and cook, stirring for about 30 seconds. (NB: curry leaves ‘spit’, so stand back when you put them in – or better, assert yourself and spit back.)

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cayenne pepper. Add a few drops of water to stop the cooking. It’ll steam up and go all drama and gorgeous on you.

Stir half of the tempering oil, all of the lime or lemon juice; and half of the cilantro into the cooked dal (lentils). Simmer gently for a few minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and pour remaining tempering oil over the top and sprinkle with the rest of the cilantro.

(Or wait until you’re serving the dal, (dalink): reheat the remaining tempering oil and drizzle it over the reheated dal and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro. Or, if you’re like me, just add all the tempering oil, serve it tomorrow and c'est la guerre!)

Stir-Fried Carrots with Cumin and Lime

Carrots are all over the farmers markets now. Nutritionally, carrots are rock stars. Buy multi-colored ones because they're beautiful.

The hard copy of this recipe is from Suvir Saran's great cookbook, Indian Home Cooking. It's one for your basic library. His new book, Masala Farm, will soon be available. I pre-ordered mine on Amazon. Suvir's cookbooks are written in his voice; and when working within any one of his books, you feel as if you get to know him. I have great memories of times I spent, years ago, with Suvir. But what you should know is that he is a superb chef. His generosity of spirit, warm and loving heart, humor, humility and energy are transmuted into his work and his recipes. If you aren't already familiar with any of his books, have a look at American Masala.

You can buy the spices ("masala" usually refers to roasted spices, but loosely translates to 'spice') at good markets (Fairway, Whole Foods), at any Indian/Pakistani market or, a great resource, is Patel Brothers online.

L-R and bottom to top: Whole dried red chile, cumin, fresh green chile, cumin and kala jeera, curry leaves, julienned fresh ginger

Stir Fried Carrots with Cumin and Lime
From Indian Home Cooking by Suvir Saran and Stephanie Lyness, adapted by Blue Heron Kitchen


Ingredients:
1 1/2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. black mustard seeds
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into a fine julienne
1 fresh hot green chile, minced
5 whole dried red chiles
1 1/2 tsp. whole cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. kala jeera (optional)
15 fresh or 25 frozen curry leaves, torn into pieces (optional) (substitute Thai basil or if you can't find Thai basil, regular basil, for this fantastic ingredient.)
2 1/4 pound or approx. 11-12 cups shredded carrots. (Grated on large holes of grater or using the shredding disc of the food processor)

1 tsp salt, or to taste
Juice of 1 lime (or, if you hate lime, use a lemon)


Combine the oil and mustard seeds in a large wok, frying pan or kadai (a beautiful Indian wok), over medium to high heat. Cover it, or you'll have flying, hot mustard seeds all over you and the kitchen; and you'll never want to cook with mustard seeds again. This would be tragic, because mustard seeds are phat. 


When you hear them crackle for about a minute or two, uncover them and add the ginger, fresh and dried chiles, cumin, optional kala jeera and curry leaves and cook, uncovered (don't worry, it's safer now), stirring until the ginger crisps slightly. 

Masala in the kadai

Add the carrots and cook, stirring constantly over medium-high heat, until warmed through, 3-5 minutes. Add salt and lime (or lemon, sour puss) and adjust salt to taste.


Serve hot, warm or cold.


Serves 6-8

Like a dish at the Automat!