Simple Lentil Stew 2 - Lal Masoor Daal

Wash 1 cup red lentils in several changes of water. Combine with 1 cup water and bring to boil over medium high heat. When boiling, add 2 medium peeled tomatoes, 1/2 tsp. turmeric and 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, reduce heat to low and cook covered for 20-30 minutes. Check to see if the lentils and tomatoes have softened. If so, mash well with a slotted spoon, add salt and cover to cook again. At this point, you can also add some more water (1/2 cup) to thin out if needed (end consistency should be between stew and soup but not runny). Keep mashing frequently to ensure all the ingredients are well blended. Once done, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. In a separate heated pan, add 2 tbsp. oil, 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds and 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds and allow to sizzle for 10 seconds. Then add 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves, 3-4 curry leaves and 3 dried red chillies (split in half) and cook till then garlic starts to brown. Pour this oil mixture over the daal and cover quickly to let it smoke and flavor. Mix well and serve with steamed rice and achaar.

Lentil stew from Hyderabad - Khatti Daal

A much loved, more elaborate preparation of lentils which is a specialty of Hyderabad. The heart of the tart dish is in the right combination of tamarind and tomatoes. This recipe is for Sana. Enjoy!

1 cup lal masoor daal (red lentils)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
2 medium tomatoes, de-skinned and pureed
1 sprig cilantro with stem, chopped
3 green chillies, slit down the middle
4-5 curry leaves
1 tbsp. tamarind


2 tbsp oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. black mustard seeds
2 clove garlic, thinly sliced
2-3 dry red chilli


Salt to taste

Serves 4 people

Bring the daal to boil in 2 cups of water on high heat.
Reduce heat to low, add the turmeric and chilli powder and cook covered for 15-20 minutes or till the lentils are soft.


Add minced garlic, tomato pulp, tamarind, curry leaves, green chillies, cilantro and salt. Add more water if needed and mash thoroughly with a slotted spoon. Cover and let cook for another 30 minutes or so till the desired consistency is achieved and all the flavors are in harmony.


Separately, heat oil on med-hi heat.
Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, sliced garlic and the red chillies, latter split in half.
When the garlic starts carmelizing (will take only a few moments), remove from heat and add to daal.
Cover the sizzling dish and smoke the daal for 10-15 seconds.
Uncover the dish and scoop two ladles of daal into the still hot pan and let it sizzle there for a few seconds before adding back to the main dish.

Serve hot with basmati rice.

Crazy Pot - Deewani Handi

This is one whimsical, colorful, crazy dish that combines winter greens and root vegetables to deliver a hearty, extremely nutritious and delicious punch. To put it simply, it is choke full of everything that is good for the body. In the recipe, I have mentioned specific greens and root vegetables. Feel free to substitute and/or add other available vegetables that falls in these two categories, i.e., kale, collard greens, parsnip, etc. This dish was eaten on cool, lazy winter days with plain, fragrant basmati rice.


1 medium potatoes
2-3 medium carrots
2 japanese eggplant
1/2 cauliflower
2 turnips with leaves (if available)
1 bunch fenugreek leaves (if available)
1 bunch spinach
1 handful dill
1 handful coriander leaves
1 cup peas
4 green chillies
11/2 tsp. tumeric
1 tsp. red chilli powder
11/2 tsp. coriander powder
1 lemon


Baghar:
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. fenugreek seeds


salt to taste

Serves 4-6 people
Prep: 20 mins
Cooking time: 40 hr

Separate the turnips and the leaves. Put the leaves aside.
Dice the potatoes, carrots, turnip and eggplant.
Detach the flower heads of the cauliflower.
Combine the above in a baking dish, toss with some oil and half of the spice mixture.
Roast in 425 degree, preheated oven for about 30 minutes.


Chop all the greens (including the turnip leaves) finely.
Toss these in the remaining spice mixture and sit to marinate for the same amount of time.


Heat oil and add the cumin and fenugreek seeds.
Allow to sizzle and then add the marinated and roasted vegetables.
Cook on med-high heat till the greens condense and liquid rises. Add a splash of water if the vegetables are sticking.
Finally, add the peas, green chillies and herbs and salt to taste.
Reduce heat and cook till the liquid reduces.
Garnish with cilantro and lemon slices.

Simple Lentil Stew - Arhar ki Daal

This daal is a regional comfort food. It has a lingering, nutty taste and is available two ways; plain or oily. I have used the plain one for this recipe. The preparation is minimalistic. It is best when eaten with plain white rice and achaar. 

2 cup Arhar daal (toor or pigeon pea lentil)
2 clove Garlic (minced)
2 tsp. crushed red chilli
4 tbsp oil
2 clove Garlic (sliced)
4-5 Red chilli (whole)
Salt to taste


Serves 4-5 people

Bring the daal to boil in 2 cups of water on high heat.
Reduce heat to low and cook covered for 15-20 minutes.
Add salt, minced garlic and the crushed red chilli flakes and mash thoroughly with a slotted spoon.
Cover and let cook for another 20 minutes or more till the desired consistency is reached.


Separately, heat oil on med-hi heat.
Add sliced garlic and whole red chillies.
When the garlic starts carmelizing (will take only a few moments), remove from heat and add to daal.
Cover the sizzling dish and smoke the daal for 10-15 seconds.
Uncover the dish and scoop two ladles of daal into the still hot pan and let it absorb the residual tadka before adding back into the dish and covering again.

Skinny Bi*ch of a book

I finally got around to reading it. It had been on my radar for some time and so, when at the airport and faced with a dearth of material, it seemed the perfect companion; easy read, seemingly witty and direct. Also, any reminder of why we should eat healthier is always welcome.

Well, it was all that and more. First thing that took me by surprise was the language; direct, crass  and funny, as in I-can't-believe-she-said-that funny! Of course, I had expected it given the title of the book and did find myself laughing out loud at points yet a bit  perturbed by the aggressiveness of it.

I also felt the book was promoted in a misleading manner. It has a vegan agenda and you become aware of it fairly quickly, say by the 4th chapter. Yet it is not marketed as such. Lulled by reading about the effects of sugar and soda, I suddenly had the dank, brutal insides of a slaughterhouse stuck in my face! It was almost as disturbing as stumbling upon "Faces of Death" in my youth when I thought we were being shown a nature documentary (true story). I agree it is important to know where your food comes from and the virtues of a vegetarian diet but I am really not interested in giving up meat or dairy completely. And I don't want to be pushed towards it by the authors' promise of a hotter body if I did so. Oh yes, there is a promotion of stereotypical body images here. Finally, I felt a number of theories laid out are unsupported, loosely researched or contradictory. The author(s) rely too heavily on a combination of shock tactics and intimidation to make their point.

So, I found it to be overall engaging and informative in bits but would advice that it be read with a grain of salt and the permission to skip over the unsavory parts. At the end of the day, all I need to know is what is on my plate and be thankful for and respectful of the nourishment it provides my body.