Moghlai Dhal ( A lentil and Kidney bean curry)

   Moghlai Dhal served with Naan and pickle.                                        

                                                               Soak the lentil overnight.

                   

Prepare the ingredients.

                                          

Serves 6

The black gram and the kidney bean curry is referred to as Dhal.

Whole black gram [urad sabut]           1 cup

Red kidney beans [rajmah]                 ¼ cup

Water for cooking                               3 cups

Soda bi carb                                        ¼ tsp

Salt                                                      1 ½ tsp

Turmeric                                              ½ tsp

Green chilies                                       2, or to taste

Garlic                                                  6 – 8 cloves, finely chopped

Onions                                                 1, chopped (⅓ cup)

Oil                                                       2 tsp

*Tomatoes                                           3, medium, blanched, skinned and chopped. (About ¾ cup)

Extra hot water                                   ¼ to ½ cup

Curd or yoghurt                                  ¾ cup, well mixed

                                   

Melted butter or ghee                         2 Tbls

Ginger                                                 1 ½” piece, finely chopped, (2 Tbls)

Green chilies                                       2, sliced

Garam masala*                                    ½ tsp

Chilli powder [opt]                             ½ tsp

Lime juice                                           1-2 Tbls

Fresh cream                                         ½ cup

Chopped coriander                             1 Tbls

                                   

Method

Pick and wash the black gram and the red beans in several changes of water and soak over night. Wash again, add the next 8 ingredients and cook in a pressure cooker for 30 minutes. Remove from heat.

Mash the cooked dhal until evenly blended and creamy. Put the dhal back on medium heat, add the tomatoes and bring to a gentle boil. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes form part of the gravy. The extra water may be added at this stage if the dhal becomes too thick. Blend in the well-mixed curd and simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from fire and keep warm.

In a separate pan, heat the butter or ghee gently. Add to it the chopped ginger and green chilies. Stir until aromatic and crisp. Add half of this fried mixture and garam masala along with the chilli powder and the limejuice to the cooked dhal.

Stir and simmer gently for a few minutes. Remove from heat, check seasoning, stir in the fresh cream and sprinkle the chopped coriander and the rest of the fried mixture on top.

Serve hot with parathas or any other Indian bread.

* Tomatoes can be grated as well. Cut into half and grate all the pulp into a bowl. The skin can then be discarded. Use this method only if you are using a couple of tomatoes in your cooking. It is easier to blanch, skin and chop a larger quantity.

* Garam masala: I suppose one can call this a generic term since every state in India has its own wonderful blend of aromatic spices. Individual preferences can also come into play. I like to use equal quantities of cloves and cardamom and a bit more of cinnamon in my blend of garam masala.

Roast small quantities of the spices. Grind. Sieve and store in an airtight container.  

Something fishy!

 Try out this recipe. It is delicious and has never failed to impress people ! Serve it with a fresh salad and stir fried vegetables.

                         
 Indian seafood a la creme                         

Fish fillets ¾ kg

Marinade
Oil                                  1 Tbs

Salt to taste          

Pepper                          1 tsp

Lime juice                     1½ - 2 Tbs

Flour                              1 Tbs
Thick cream                  ½ cup
Grated cheese             50 gms 
*Garlic butter                25 gms

Spring onions              4 – 6 chopped fine

Green chillies               2, chopped fine

Coriander leaves        ½ cup, chopped fine

Method
Wash and dry the fish fillets thoroughly. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade and marinate the fish fillets in this mixture for a couple of hours in the fridge.

Gently heat approximately 15 gms of the garlic butter and sauté the chopped spring onions and the green chillies until limp. Remove from the heat and blend in the chopped coriander leaves.

Line a well-oiled ovenproof dish with the sautéed vegetables.

Coat the marinated fish fillets lightly with flour and place on top of the vegetables.

Pour the cream over and sprinkle with the grated cheese.

Dot all over with the remaining garlic butter.

Bake in a moderately hot oven [375-400° F or 190- 200° C] for about 25 to 30 mins or until golden brown.

The fish fillets will flake easily when poked with a fork.

*Garlic butter: Pound 2 cloves of garlic fine. Blend into 100 Gms of salted butter, (room temperature). Chill.

Hung curd. The guilt free choice for dips!

I am always looking for a tasty butter substitute not just to spread on my morning toast but something that I can snack on anytime during the day without feeling guilty!

Flavoured hung curd / yogurt is my answer!  

You can use your imagination when it comes to flavouring hung curd for dips or spreads! The sky is the limit.

You can use finely minced vegetables, fresh herbs, dried herbs, bacon bits or just plain salt and pepper! You could even flavour hung curd with garlic salt, onion salt, celery salt and even truffle salt. Chopped nuts, dried fruit, sun dried tomatoes are more options. It is delicious all the way!

On the other hand, if you want to pamper your guests or family occasionally, the addition of mayonnaise and fresh cream would be truly decadent!

When you use certain fresh vegetables, like cucumber and fresh tomatoes, remember that once chopped they release a bit of water so, if you add them to your dip, as is, the consistency of the dip will change a bit. However, if you are going to use it up immediately you can go ahead and use freshly chopped veggies!

Crackers, pappads are good accompaniments and, if you really want to go the healthy way, you could even have vegetable crudités! Actually, they are quite yummy and a personal favourite.

I also use hung curd as a substitute for cream cheese while making cheesecakes! In fact, I prefer it as it makes a lighter cheesecake than the one made with cream cheese.

This is of course a preference but I like to sauté my vegetables a bit before I add them to a dip. Try out my recipe, then go ahead, and innovate your own! I would love to hear from you.

Dips with hung curd

Curd / Yogurt                                    1 kg

Olive oil                                            1 tsp

Onions, chopped fine                        ½ cup

Jalapeño peppers or any other variety      

         chopped fine                            ½ cup

Garlic salt to taste

Paprika to taste

Method

Pour the curd into a strainer lined with cheese cloth.  Place the strainer over a container to catch the drips and leave inside the fridge for a few hours. Discard the water or use to bind dough for chapattis.

The residue is hung curd. This can be used for cooking various meat or vegetable dishes or directly to make a variety of delectable dips.

Heat the oil gently in a sauté pan. Throw in the onions and the peppers and sauté until limp but not discoloured. Remove from heat. Cool.

Blend this mixture into the hung curd along with the garlic salt and the paprika.

If you don’t have access to the last two ingredients mentioned above you can use 1 tsp of garlic paste and chilli powder and salt to taste. This dip will last for about 10 days in the fridge.

                                            Mint dip

Curd / Yogurt                                             1 kg, made into hung curd

Mint leaves, cleaned                                   1 ½ cups, loosely packed

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

The mint leaves need to be totally devoid of water before they are mixed into the hung curd. They tend to discolour as soon as they are chopped. In order to avoid this, smear them with a little oil before storing in the fridge.

Chop the mint finely and add along with salt and pepper to the hung curd. Let it stand overnight in the fridge to allow the flavours to permeate.