The Café Spice Cookbook: 84 Quick and Easy Indian Recipes for Everyday Meals (16 page)

Place the split pigeon pea lentils, salt, and remaining curry leaves in a medium saucepan and cover with the water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the lentils become soft and mushy. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface during the process. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the mustard seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and the remaining dried red chili peppers. Stir in the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, for a minute. Add the water, cover, and boil until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the cooked lentils and tamarind paste and bring to a boil. Adjust the water if needed. Stir in the fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.

Buttery Black Lentils
Dal Makhni

Traditionally, in restaurants, this lentil dal is simmered overnight on a tandoor oven, which enhances the flavors of the dish. I find that soaking the lentils a little longer than usual does the same. I usually soak them in the evening when I need to make this dish for the next day’s lunch. Otherwise you can use a slow cooker if you have one. A low-calorie version is very easy. Replace the cream with 2% milk. Cooking it for a long time makes it rich tasting and creamy even without the cream. Try it; you won’t miss the high-calorie version. This recipe requires slow cooking for the best result. It reminds me of my days at Bukhara restaurant, one of the top restaurants of the world, where this dish is known to be the best. I was an intern there, and my job was to stir a big pot of the dal to prevent it from sticking. But I will never forget the compliments on this dish from the guests to the kitchen.

Serves
4

Prep time:
15 minutes, plus 8 hours for soaking

Cook time:
1 hour 30 minutes

2 cups (400 g) whole dried black lentils (urad dal), soaked overnight and drained

8–10 cups (2–2.5 liters) water

1 cup (250 g) tomato paste

1 teaspoon Asian red chili powder or cayenne pepper

2 fresh green chili peppers, slit

Salt, to taste

4 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste (page
22
)

3 tablespoons butter

1 piece fresh ginger, ½-in (1.25-cm), peeled cut into thin strips

1 red onion (about 5 oz/150 g), chopped

¼ cup (65 ml) cream

1 teaspoon Café Spice Garam Masala (page
22
)

Handful of fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves with stems, chopped

Bring the soaked lentils and water to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 1 hour.

When the lentils are tender, add the tomato paste, chili powder, green chilies, salt, and the Garlic-Ginger Paste to the pan. Stir well and cook for another 30 minutes. Keep an eye on the pan and give it an occasional stir, as the lentils have a tendency to settle and stick on the bottom.

In a separate small saucepan over low heat, add the butter. When hot, add the onions and sliced ginger and cook for about 4–5 minutes, until translucent. Stir into the lentils along with the cream and Garam Masala. Cook for another minute and served garnished with fresh coriander.

Black-Eyed Pea Curry
Lobhia Dal

The black-eyed pea is a versatile pulse that beautifully absorbs the spices added to it, making it succulent and tasty. Better known as
lobhia
in other regions of India, this bean is packed with proteins and micronutrients. I prefer the dried beans to the canned ones because you get the best nutrition from them. Black-eyed peas are high in fiber and rich in potassium and iron. They’re also a rich source of protein, so it’s good to include them in your regular diet if you are following a vegetarian diet. Preparation of this curry is unusually quick. Serve it with Whole Wheat Griddle Bread (page
122
) to complement.

Serves
4

Prep time:
15 minutes plus 8 hours soaking time if using dried black-eyed peas

Cook time:
55 minutes (1 hour 15 minutes if using dried black-eyed peas)

1 cup (175 g) dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and drained, or 1 can black-eyed peas, 15½-oz (439-g), rinsed and drained

4 cups (1 liter) water plus ½ teaspoon salt for cooking dried peas

¼ cup (65 ml) oil

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 cinnamon stick, 1-in (2.5-cm)

1 red onion (about 5 oz/150 g), chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 lb (500 g) tomatoes, blanched, peeled, and chopped (about 2½ cups/500 g)

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon asafetida (optional)

½ teaspoon paprika

Salt, to taste

3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

If using dried black-eyed peas, bring the soaked and drained peas, water, and ½ teaspoon of salt to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Cover and simmer over low heat until the peas are tender, about 45 minutes. Drain the peas, rinse with cold water, and drain again. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cinnamon stick and let them sizzle for 10 seconds. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, asafetida (if using), paprika, salt, and a little water, if needed. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, until tender.

Add the cooked or canned black-eyed peas to the tomato mixture and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in the fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Homestyle Dal with Pumpkin
Kaddu Ki Dal

My grandmother was an excellent cook, and this particular recipe was one of her favorites—and mine as well. She traditionally made it using an Indian variety of orange pumpkin, but any kind of pumpkin (especially sugar pumpkins) or a hard squash (such as butternut or acorn) will work well. The result is always a hearty, healthy soup with a lovely edge of sweetness.

Serves
6

Prep time:
15 minutes

Cook time:
45 minutes

2 cups (350 g) dried masoor dal or split lentils of your choice, washed and drained

8 oz (250 g) pumpkin, peeled and diced into ¾-in (2-cm) dice

7 cups (1.75 liters) water

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1½ teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons oil

2½ teaspoons cumin seeds

2 dried red chili peppers, broken in half

6–8 fresh curry leaves

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

2 fresh green chili peppers, minced

1 tomato (about 5 oz/150 g), diced

1 teaspoon Asian red chili powder or cayenne pepper

4 tablespoons minced fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

Juice of ½ lime

Bring the lentils, pumpkin, and water to a boil in a heavy pot. Remove any surface scum that collects on top. Add the turmeric and salt and reduce the heat to low. Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and simmer gently for 20–30 minutes or until the lentils become soft and mushy and the pumpkin is fully cooked. Stir often to prevent sticking. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 3–4 seconds. Add the dried red chili peppers, curry leaves, garlic, ginger, green chili peppers, tomatoes, and Asian red chili powder or cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the cooked lentils and pumpkin to this mixture. Mix well, adding more water as needed. The consistency should be like a soft porridge. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.

Stir in the fresh coriander leaves and lime juice. Transfer to a serving bowl, serve hot.

Chapter 5
VEGETABLES AND CHEESE

The trend toward a healthy lifestyle is steering many of us to join the “Vegetarian Revolution.” And people interested in low-fat food are looking for great flavor, delectable appearance, and wide variety in the foods that they eat. This is where Indian cuisine really shines! Indian food has unique, interesting, and strong flavors derived from spices, seasonings, and nutritious ingredients such as leafy vegetables, grains, fruits, and legumes. Typically, vegetables are either braised or sautéed, combined with garlic and spices, and served with rice or curries.

For vegetarians and meat eaters alike, vegetable dishes are a key part of every Indian meal. Indians have truly perfected the art of vegetarian cooking. From the simplest of vegetables, they create a mouth-watering variety of food. A fixture in most parts of India, a typical
thali
is a seemingly endless procession of vegetable dish samples—sometimes with unlimited servings. These include vegetables cooked in aromatic spices, a variety of crisp fried snacks, staples like rice and rotis, and an array of delectable confections. You can mix up several simple vegetables mentioned in this chapter in small portions and delight your guests and family with a
thali
dinner on any special occasion!

Paneer is a fresh cheese common in Indian cuisine. In eastern parts of Indian subcontinent, it is generally called
chhena
. It is an unaged, acid-set, non-melting farmer cheese or curd cheese made by curdling heated milk with lemon juice, vinegar, or any other food acid. Dating back to ancient India, paneer remains the most common type of cheese in traditional Indian cuisine. It is also used for making sweets and desserts in some parts of the country. The use of paneer is also common in Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh owing to the prominence of milk in their cuisines.