Dahl and other Indian side dish recipes

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Hotspur

Assistant Cook
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Messages
14
Location
Cornwall
Hi

Does anyone have a fail safe dahl or other side dish recipe, perhaps with variations from the norm?

This is my usual:

4oz mung dhal (split green peas)
4oz masoor dhal (red lentils) (Can use just red)
1 chopped onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp turmeric
2-2 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin seeds
ginger
chillies
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tin tomatoes
fresh coriander
tomato puree
mushrooms


Clean lentils and peas. Wash in several changes of water. Drain. Add 1 1/2 pints of water to lentils in a pan and boil. Lower heat and add salt and turmeric. Simmer on low heat for 30-45 mins or until lentils are mulchy and tender. Stir gently to prevent sticking when necessary.

Fry onions until golden brown and and mushrooms.
Add cumin seeds and ginger. Add tomatoes, garam masala and chillies. Add tomato puree.

Stir and fry 5 mins. Add to dhal.
Add spinach to dahl (or microwave first and add). Simmer until spinach wilted. Add fresh coriander at end.
 
Here's a side dish I like--- raita:

1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup chopped seeded English hothouse cucumber
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons chopped green onions
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
preparation

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt. Chill raita, covered, until ready to serve.

There are many variations of it.

Traditional Indian Raita Recipe | Epicurious.com
 
Here's a side dish I like--- raita:

1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup chopped seeded English hothouse cucumber
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons chopped green onions
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
preparation

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt. Chill raita, covered, until ready to serve.

There are many variations of it.

Traditional Indian Raita Recipe | Epicurious.com
Mmm, sounds good. I make a version but just with yoghurt, garlic, salt and pepper and cucumber. I'll try those additions next time. Thanks!
 
When I made this for my Indian neighbors, he told his friends my dal was as good as theirs.

Dal Makhani

2 Red Chile Peppers
1” Ginger Piece
2 Garilc
1 C Urad Saboot (whole black beans)
2 Tb Channe Ki Dal (split gram dal)
1 Tb Ghee or oil
1½ tsp Salt
5 C Water
4 Tomatoes (14 oz. Can)
3 Tb Butter
1 Tb Kasoori Mehti (dry fennugreek leaf)
½ tsp Garam Masala
2 tsp Ketchup
½ C Milk (if needed)
½ C Cream
¼ tsp Nutmeg

Soak the peppers in boiling water for 10 minutes.

Make a paste of the peppers, ginger and garlic in a food processor.

Wash and pick over the beans. Place them in a saucepan with the pepper, ginger, garlic paste and the tablespoon of ghee or oil, the salt and the water.

Bring the saucepan to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 1½ - 2 hours or until the beans are tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Puree the tomatoes in a food processor and add them to the saucepan along with the butter, Kasoori Mehti, the Garam Masala and the ketchup. Simmer for 8-10 minutes stirring occasionally and mashing the beans slightly.

Add some milk if the mixture appears too thick.

Continue cooking to thicken.

Stir in the cream and nutmeg and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the desired thickness is achieved.
 
When I made this for my Indian neighbors, he told his friends my dal was as good as theirs.

Sounds delicious! What kind of 'red chile peppers' did you use? And what size?That description covers a lot of territory as you know. :yum:
 
I bought a bag of dried red chiles at the Indian market. They're pencil thin or thinner and about 2" long.
 
When I made this for my Indian neighbors, he told his friends my dal was as good as theirs.

Dal Makhani

2 Red Chile Peppers
1” Ginger Piece
2 Garilc
1 C Urad Saboot (whole black beans)
2 Tb Channe Ki Dal (split gram dal)
1 Tb Ghee or oil
1½ tsp Salt
5 C Water
4 Tomatoes (14 oz. Can)
3 Tb Butter
1 Tb Kasoori Mehti (dry fennugreek leaf)
½ tsp Garam Masala
2 tsp Ketchup
½ C Milk (if needed)
½ C Cream
¼ tsp Nutmeg

Soak the peppers in boiling water for 10 minutes.

Make a paste of the peppers, ginger and garlic in a food processor.

Wash and pick over the beans. Place them in a saucepan with the pepper, ginger, garlic paste and the tablespoon of ghee or oil, the salt and the water.

Bring the saucepan to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 1½ - 2 hours or until the beans are tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Puree the tomatoes in a food processor and add them to the saucepan along with the butter, Kasoori Mehti, the Garam Masala and the ketchup. Simmer for 8-10 minutes stirring occasionally and mashing the beans slightly.

Add some milk if the mixture appears too thick.

Continue cooking to thicken.

Stir in the cream and nutmeg and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the desired thickness is achieved.
That sounds really interesting with the cream and nutmeg! I don't think I've used that in Indian cooking before (not sure) and I've never put cream and milk in. I think I'll find it hard to get the fenugreek leaves and black beans but I'll check it out. (Don't have an Indian grocers in this neck of the woods, sadly).
 
That sounds really interesting with the cream and nutmeg! I don't think I've used that in Indian cooking before (not sure) and I've never put cream and milk in. I think I'll find it hard to get the fenugreek leaves and black beans but I'll check it out. (Don't have an Indian grocers in this neck of the woods, sadly).
Hava a look on line for suppliers of Indian ingredients
 
Andy, is your recipe one that I could use coconut milk in rather than the milk and cream? After buying many frozen and packet meals, I'm just starting to experiment with cooking Indian cuisine and am finding that many use coconut milk but never (or rarely) the whole can. If I can have multiple recipes that use it, I would like to. I've also just discovered that the organic grocery nearby carries paneer and would like to try cooking with that as well. Oh the adventure!
 
If you can find an Indian grocery store, that's by far the best and cheapest outlet for your ingredients. They charge a small percentage of what mainstream markets do for spices. Second choice would be online Indian grocers.

I don't know if fenugreek seeds are a reasonable sub for the dried leaves.

You could use coconut milk in place of cow's milk/cream but it would completely change the dish. Not better or worse, just not dal makhani.
 
Sadly, no Indian stores. Lots of Asian and Hispanic but no Indian ... I'll skip the coconut milk in this and just make more curry :) I'll stop today and see what they actually have for fenugreek leaves vs. seeds and then will check out Penzy's probably. Thank you for the feedback (and the recipe)!
 

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