Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Tindora and Channa Dahl Curry

Difficulty Rating 3 (Special ingredient needed, time needed)

Channa dahl – ½ cup
Chili powder – ¼ tsp.
Onion, diced – 1 small
Coriander leaves –
     1 sprig (optional)
Coriander powder- 1 tsp.
Garlic, crushed – 3 cloves
Cumin (Jeera) seeds – ¼ tsp.
Curry leaves – 1 sprig (optional)
Garam masala powder – 1 pinch
Asafetida (hing) powder –
     1 pinch (optional)
Mustard seeds (avalu) – ¼ tsp.
Oil – as needed
Red chilli – 2 (adjust to taste)
Salt – to taste
Tindora – 1 lb.
Tomato – 2 small
Turmeric – pinch

1. Boil Chana dal covered with about 1 ½ cups water until it is mostly cooked but still whole and not mushy.
2. Heat the oil. Add red chillies, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves until they pop.
3. Add garlic until slightly golden.
4. Add onion until transparent.
5. Add hing and turmeric and fry for a few seconds.
6. Add tomato, red chili powder, coriander powder. Mix and cook for a couple of minutes until the tomato starts to break down just a bit.
7. Add tindora and fry for a couple of minutes.
8. Add about ½ cup of water and salt to taste.
9. Cover and simmer until the tindora is cooked (about 15 minutes)
10. Add Chana dal with its water and garam masala and mix.
11. If desired, add about 2-3 Tbsp of butter and let simmer for another 10 minutes.
12. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.

Chick Pea (Chole) Rice

Difficulty Rating 2 (Special ingredients needed)

Rice, cooked - 3 cups
Chickpeas -1 cup
Vegetables  - 1 cup, diced(Carrot,peas,fresh corn)
Onion - 1 diced
Bay leaf - 1
Cloves - 2
Cardamom -2 pods
Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder -  a large pinch
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 teaspoon
Coriander leaves to garnish (optional)

1.  Heat oil. Add the fennel, bay leaf, cloves and cardamom until they pop.
2.  Add onion till translucent.
3.  Add salt, turmeric, veggies, chickpeas and rice and mix well.
4.  Sprinkle a little water if it’s too dry.
5.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes on low flame.
Serve hot garnished coriander leaves.