1,000 Indian Recipes (196 page)

2.
Add the onion, ginger-garlic paste, green chile pepper, coriander, cumin, paprika (or cayenne pepper), and sugar, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the dal is soft and creamy, about 15 minutes. Remove to a serving dish, cover, and keep warm.

3.
Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the red chile peppers, stirring, about 30 seconds (stand back in case they burst). Then add the panch-phoran; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Immediately, pour over the hot dal and swirl lightly to mix, with parts of it visible as a garnish, and serve.

Green Lentils with Sautéed Onion
 

Saabut Masoor Dal

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Even to the most fussy and unadventurous palates, the introduction of Indian spices opens up a whole new range of tastes that are subsequently difficult to ignore. This particular recipe—similar to the lentil soup of many cultures, is the perfect way to introduce a novice to Indian food. Westerners will notice the absence of flavor from the ham-bone (unthinkable in India, except to a small minority of Christians), yet will be pleasantly surprised by new, complex, and delicious flavors.

1
¹
⁄
₄
cups green lentils (saabut masoor dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

4 to 4
¹
⁄
₂
cups water

1 (1-inch) stick cinnamon

2 black or 4 green cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

1 large clove fresh garlic, coarsely chopped

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1medium onion, finely chopped

1
¹
⁄
₂
tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger

1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds

1
¹
⁄
₂
tablespoons ground coriander

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground cumin

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground paprika

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon garam masala

1.
Place the dal, water, cinnamon, cardamom pods, garlic, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and salt in a pressure cooker. Secure the lid and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook 30 seconds more. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully open the lid and check to see if the beans are very soft and some of them are broken; if not, cover, bring up to high pressure again, and cook another 30 seconds. Or cover and boil until soft, about 30 minutes more. Remove to a serving dish, cover, and keep warm.

2.
Heat the oil in a small nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the ginger and green chile pepper and cook about 1 minute, then add the coriander, cumin, and paprika and stir a few seconds. Transfer to the dal and swirl lightly to mix, with parts of it visible as a garnish. Sprinkle the garam masala on top and serve.

Variation:
For a different flavor, try this recipe using green mung dal instead of the lentils. (Both these dals are interchangeable in most recipes.)

Roasted Green Lentils with Tomatoes

Bhunni Saabut Masoor Dal

Makes 4 to 6 servings

With just one tablespoon of oil and a whole lot of flavor, this dish is an excellent choice for those who are watching their fat intake. For an authentic presentation, use the small-grained Indian or French varieties of green lentils. However, even the regular brown lentils sold in supermarkets, as well as green mung
dal
, work well in this recipe.

1
¹
⁄
₄
cups green lentils (saabut masoor dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

1 tablespoon mustard oil

4 whole dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon garam masala

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds

¹
⁄
₈
teaspoon ground asafoetida

2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger

1
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoons minced garlic

1 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

1 tablespoon ground coriander

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground paprika

4
¹
⁄
₂
to 5 cups water

³
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped

¹
⁄
₄
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1.
Place the dal in a large nonstick saucepan and stir over medium heat until dry. Add the oil, red chile peppers, garam masala, fenugreek, and asafoetida and cook, stirring, until the dal is golden, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat if too much smoke arises. Add the ginger, garlic, green chile pepper, coriander, and paprika and stir another 5 minutes.

2.
Add the water and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the dal is soft and creamy, about 1 hour, adding more water if it dries too quickly. Mix in the tomatoes and cook until they are quite soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, mix in the cilantro, and serve.

Split Pigeon Peas (
Toor Dal
)

South Indian Sambar

Made authentically with split pigeon peas
(toor dal)
,
sambar
(pronounced
saambar
) is to most south Indians what
mung dal
preparations are to the north Indians—frequently made, light, easily digested staples. Served mostly as a complement to rice and other south Indian specialties, such as
iddlis
(steamed fermented rice cakes) and
dosas
(griddle-fried, fermented rice and lentil crepes),
sambars
are meant to be soupy, spicy hot, tangy soups—with different communities adding their unique subtleties.

You begin
sambars
by first cooking the pigeon peas until they are very soft. Then a core blend of seasonings is added, including
South Indian Sambar Powder
, which includes red chile peppers, coconut, coriander, and fenugreek seeds, plus tamarind, and a
tarka
(a sizzling flavor topping) of black mustard seeds, asafoetida, and fresh curry leaves.

Punjabi-Style Split Pigeon Peas