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Swami Berkus Knows All ... Swami Berkus Cooks All!

Come one, come all, with your Indian Food questions!

Let me start out with the basics:

House Dal

This is a basic dal recipe for half the Indian/Nepali food staple: “dalbhat” (lentils & rice). The recipe below is meant for a weeknight, relatively quick-cooking dal.

1 cup moong dal, masoor dal or skinned urad dal
4 cups water + 2 cups later
salt
1/4 cup ghee or 2 tbs vegetable oil and 2 tbs unsalted butter
1/2 onion, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece ginger, peeled & minced
2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp whole cumin
1 2-3 inch cinnamon stick
Whole dried small hot peppers (cayenne, chiles de arbol, japonese, etc.) to taste, or 1/4 to 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander or 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 tsp garam masala
4-quart pot, preferably nonstick

Boil the lentils for 10-15 minutes in the water with a little salt, until they begin to get soft. Drain and set aside. Heat about 2 cups additional water (microwave is fine) and salt it lightly. and hold ready.

Heat the ghee (or oil & butter) in the pot over medium heat. Have all of the spices ready because you will be adding them each after only a minute or two and need to stir them the whole time to avoid burning.

Add the onion, fry for a couple minutes, then add the ginger & garlic and chiles (if using), and fry for a couple more minutes. Add the mustard, cumin and fenugreek seeds and cinnamon stick, and fry until the mustard seeds start to pop. Add the turmeric (and powdered cayenne, if using) and fry for 30 seconds. Dump in the lentils and fry for a few minutes, stirring continuously.

Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the water, depending on how dry the lentils look. Simmer for 15 minutes, adding additional water if the lentils dry out; you are trying for a porridge consistency, so don't add too much water or you'll have soup. Add the garam masala and coriander or cilantro, and salt to taste and cook for 3 more minutes. Allow to sit for 10 minutes and then serve.

Note: Masoor dal is also known as "red lentils" and is widely available everywhere. The three varieties of dal above are chosen because they are quick cooking. You could use this recipe with chana dal, whole urad dal, toovar dal or brown lentils, if you are willing to either extend the first step dal cooking time, or soak them for several hours before cooking. If you have difficulty finding black mustard seed and fenugreek, you can double the cumin and use brown or yellow mustard seed. If you don't have garam masala, use equal portions of cinnamon, cardamom and ground cloves.

Thanks for starting this Josh!

One small problem...your ingredient list for this basic dish includes two things I'd never be able to find in my neck of the woods. Any recommendations for online sites where I can buy Indian basics? And what would you recommend I get?

Amy

Thanks for starting this Josh... I love cooking Indian food and am always keen to try a new recipe.

I used Penzey's Balti seasoning for the first time the other night and it is a great spice blend. I was short a few things and had to use lemon instead of lime juice and tomato paste instead of tomatoes but it was very tasty. I served it over chicken breasts that I rubbed with a mix of brown sugar and tandori seasoning that I cooked on my grill pan. I had some curry leaves in my freezer that I cooked in the sauce too. If you can find the fresh ones anywhere they are fantastic and give any Indian food that special something, they are great in the freezer too.

I also made a spice oil for Christmas that I have to share with you. It is for a celery tofu salad which I have not made but I have put it on other things and am crazy in love with it. When I made the Balti the other night I added it to some grated carrots and yogurt (bit of salt) and it made a fantastic raita.


Sichuan Tofu Celery Salad
1 stick cinnamon
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
4 whole star anise
2 whole cloves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ cup red chili flakes
3 large slices ginger
2 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups peanut oil
2-3 stalks celery (preferably Chinese celery, blanched – but regular celery is okay)
4 blocks pressed tofu
Place the cinnamon, coriander, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cloves, cumin, chili flakes, ginger, green onions, salt, and peanut oil in a medium saucepan. Heat on high until the oil begins to sizzle. Turn the heat off and let the oil cool. Strain the oil. You can store the oil in the refrigerator. Slice the celery into 3-inch strips. Cut the pressed tofu into thin slices. Combine the celery and tofu in a bowl. Toss with oil.



Source

from Mark Bittman at The New York Times
Servings/Yield

2 cups oil


Mary

Mary,

That sounds really good. And, I have (or can buy) all of the ingredients!

Amy

It is pretty darn good (no way I am posting a so-so recipe on this board). If I can ever find bok choy again I am putting it on that. I also plan to put it on carpaccio with a bit of lime juice and arugula. Heck, I might just smear it all over my body.

Mary

Why did I know meat would somehow enter it!

Amy

Amy,

Which two things?

Josh,

Moong dal and fenugreek seeds. Heck, I can't even get things as "exotic" as star anise and szechuan peppercorns locally.

Amy

Use other lentils and skip the fenugreek. Indian food is pretty forgiving for subbing / omitting things. I bet chickpeas would be good in this recipe too. I may have to make this on the weekend...

Mary

Little miss insomniac here...

Would French lentils work okay? I love them.

Amy