Masoor Dal

Most people who are new to lentils (dal) don't realize how much variety there is in the legume family. I remember in mom's kitchen, her open pantry shelfs ran the width of the kitchen and in the very back of the main shelf she had 2 gallon jars - at least 20 of them, each filled with different kinds of beans and lentils ... some with whole beans, some split, some with the skin on, and others deskinned.  In fact, the same lentil bean can taste vastly different when it is cooked whole, split or skinned. The best resource I've found on lentils so far, is on Cook's Thesaurus. Masoor Dal, is what is commonly known as red lentils in the western world. The whole bean has a brownish-green skin that adds an earthy flavor to an otherwise soft and rather sweet lentil (when skinned and split). 

Masoor Dal

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup pre-soaked Masoor Dal (whole red lentils)
2. 2 cups water
3. 2-3 small Tomatoes, diced
4. 1 small Red Onion, diced
5. 1 tsp Coriander powder
6. 1 tsp Cumin powder
7. 1 tsp Chili powder
8. 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
9. Salt and Pepper to taste
10. 1 tsp Amchoor (Dried green/young mango powder), to taste

Directions:

Put all ingredients, except for amchoor, in a pressure cooker and steam under high pressure for 20 min. Let the steam dissipate by itself. Open and check lentils for doneness (should easily get smooshed when pressed between your thumb and finger). If not done, return to high pressure for another 10 minutes. Use the same check for doneness, if cooking in a pan. Once cooked mix in amchoor (or lemon/lime juice for a touch of tartness), garnish with fresh or dried cilantro leaves, and serve over rice, or with roti. I like to prepare this dal  really thick which gives it a really smooth and creamy flavor. My mom always liked it soupier .. use your judgement on what you like .. using more water, or vegetable broth to thin out the preparation.

Squash Fajitas

At our local Mexican restaurant I have ordered the same thing (with only slight modifications) for the last 6 years that I've been in Ohio - Lunch Vegetable Fajitas. I've gone through a period of adding grilled chicken to it. At other times, I've asked for the refried beans to be held, and at others the rice. Almost always, the quantity of vegetables is enough that I ask them to hold the tortillas. During my chicken days, friends and colleagues and even clients, who've been to this restaurant with me, have asked me why I don't just get the 'chicken fajitas' instead of the 'vegetable fajitas with chicken' - the reason was simple - the vegetarian dish came with zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes and mushrooms vs. the chicken fajita, which came only with peppers and onions. Being the veggie fan that I am .. it always made sense to get the dish which had the most veggies for me. 

Squash Fajitas

I tried today to replicate this dish at home and it was quite surprisingly - super easy :)

Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

1. 1 small Zucchini, sliced
2. 1 small Summer squash, sliced
3. 1 Yellow Onion, sliced
4. 1 tsp Garlic powder
5. 1-2 tsp Cumin powder
6. 1/8 cup Vegetable broth
7. Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Line a large skillet on medium-high heat with vegetable broth and add garlic and cumin powder. Once the broth comes to a boil, add the vegetables and mix in. Cook on medium-high heat for a couple minutes until the onion becomes translucent and the squash are slightly cooked, and is all but gone. Serve hot with warm tortillas. 

Dhania Bhindi (Coriander Okra)

Okra (New Veggie #28) is an all-time favorite vegetable for me. I think most of you who've read my blog know that already. When T got back a bag full of fresh Okra and a packet of store-bought Naan for me yesterday, I knew I had to eat them together. I made a very traditional recipe tonight, with a very slight modification. I took away almost all the oil that is traditionally added to it, and instead used a very tiny amount, before I started cooking to grease my pan. A good non-stick pan .. goes a long way in ensuring  success. 

Dhania Bhindi

Prep Time: 20-30 min

Ingredients:

1. 20-30 pieces of Okra, washed, dried completely and halved lengthwise. 
2. 2-4 tsp Coriander powder
3. 1-2 tsp Chili powder
4. 1-2 tsp Amchoor (dried young mango powder), to taste (or lemon juice)
5. Salt to taste 

Directions:

The best way to ensure that the least amount of Okra mucilage is released during preparation and cooking of this dish is to ensure that each pod is 100% dry before its cut. I washed it last night, dried each piece with a towel and left the okra sitting on the counter in a dry dish. This evening, I trimmed both ends of each pod and cut each one lengthwise, into 2 halves. Add a couple of drops of cooking oil to a good non-stick. Use a paper towel and wipe that drop of oil all over the surface of the skillet to grease it. Once done, most of the oil you put in the skillet will actually end up on the towel, with only a thin film across the skillet. Turn the stove to medium high, add okra and coriander and chili powders, and a dash of salt to the okra and mix well. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook on medium until the okra is tender (about 15-20 min). If needed, and if the okra begins to stick to the skillet, add a sprinkle of water and re-cover. The more water you add, the more slimy it is likely to get, so the best approach is to leave it as dry as possible. Once done, sprinkle amchoor or lemon juice on top and enjoy with roti or naan. 

Okra Buying Tips: If buying from the bulk produce section, always hand-pick (cherry picking is allowed in most stores), the smallest, most tender pods. One way of checking freshness is to try and break the tip off a couple of pods - if it snaps off easily, the okra are fresh and in prime condition. If the tip bends, but doesn't break off, the pods are way past their prime and are best left in the store ... !!