1,000 Indian Recipes (201 page)

1.
Place the dals, minced ginger, green chile pep-pers, cardamom pods, cinnamon, turmeric, salt, and 4
¹⁄
₂cups water in a pressure cooker. Secure the lid and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook 1 minute 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, with some of them broken; if not, cover, bring up to pressure, and cook under pressure another 15 to 20 seconds. Or, cover and boil until soft, about 30 minutes, adding water if needed. Transfer to a serving dish, cover, and keep warm.

2.
Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onion and ginger matchsticks until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the coriander and cumin, stir a few seconds, then remove from the heat and add the paprika. Lightly swirl everything into the dal, with parts of it visible as a garnish. Sprinkle the garam masala and cilantro on top, and serve.

Stir-Fried Black Urad Beans

Bhuni Saabut Urad Dal

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Most recipes call for cooking the
dal
until soft and creamy, but in this recipe the
dal
is cooked until each bean is tender and soft, yet remains separate. We then combine it with a spicy
masala
to make a salad-like dish that is spectacular over a bed of wilted greens.

1
¹⁄
₄cups black urad beans (saabut urad dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

5 to 6 cups water

¹⁄
₂teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹⁄
₈teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon olive oil

¹⁄
₂teaspoon cumin seeds

¹⁄
₄teaspoon black cumin seeds

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

1 large clove fresh garlic, minced

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

¹⁄
₈teaspoon ground asafoetida

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 cup finely chopped tomato

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¹⁄
₂cup finely chopped scallions

¹⁄
₄cup finely chopped cilantro

1.
Soak the beans overnight in water to cover by 2 inches. Drain and place them in a large saucepan. Add 5 cups of water, salt, and turmeric, cover the pan, and boil over high heat, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook until the dal is very soft, each bean bursts open to reveal its white interior, and most of the water has evaporated, about 1
¹⁄
₂hours. (Add more water if the dal dries out sooner.)

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the ginger, garlic, and green chile pepper and cook about 1 minute. Add the asafoetida and coriander and stir a few seconds.

3.
Add the tomato and stir until most of the juices evaporate, about 2 minutes. Then add the dal and lemon juice, cover the pan, reduce the heat, and simmer over low heat about 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Transfer to a serving dish, lightly mix in the scallions and cilantro, and serve.

Kashmiri Fennel-Flavored Black Urad Beans with Yogurt

Kashmiri Saabut Urad Dal

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Whenever my friend Sunil Vora makes this, his special-occasions-only
dal
, he reminisces about his childhood in Kashmir—the snow-clad Himalayas, the countryside full of flowers in spring, and his mother's cooking.

Yogurt plays an important part in Kashmiri foods, as we see in this
dal
dish. The
dal
is first cooked in salted water until tender, then combined with yogurt, ground ginger, and fennel seeds—the two must-have spices in Kashmiri cuisine.

¹⁄
₄teaspoon
Kashmiri Garam Masala
or garam masala

1
¹⁄
₄cups black urad beans (saabut urad dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

5 to 6 cups water

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground turmeric

1.
Soak the dal overnight in water to cover by 2 inches. Meanwhile prepare the kashmiri garam masala. When ready, drain and place the dal in a large saucepan. Add 5 cups water and salt, cover the pan, and boil over high heat about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook until the dal is soft and very little water remains in the pan, about 1
¹⁄
₂hours. If the dal softens sooner, uncover and cook over high heat until most of the water evaporates. Add more water if the dal dries out sooner.

2.
Add the butter, yogurt, fennel seeds, ginger, and turmeric and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly to prevent the yogurt from curdling. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer until each bean bursts open to reveal its white interior and starts to break apart, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.

Punjabi Black Urad Beans

Dhaba ki Saabut Urad Dal

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This filling and powerfully flavored
dal
, served at roadside eateries called
dhabas
, has satisfied millions of hungry travelers who pass along the interstate highways of the Punjab in northwestern India. It is a time-honored and simple way of cooking black urad beans. Serve it with slices of raw or marinated onions, a side of fresh okra, cauliflower, or eggplant, and fresh
paranthas
(griddle-fried breads).

To cook it faster, put all the ingredients in a pressure cooker, then follow the pressure cooker directions for
Smoked Black Urad Beans
.