Only more sandwiches, and leftover soup, for me on Monday. But I made something to take over to my friend's house for Christmas Eve dinner - something I remember that she liked a lot, the last time I made it: Keema Masala. Not a traditional Christmas dish, but I remembered that they all liked it, and it's low carb, which is good for her (I told her she's going to have to hide the cookies, though). I made. a double recipe, and this time I added about 2 c of chopped mizuna greens, and 3/4 c moth dal, pre-cooked some, and some frozen peas - all in place of the traditional potatoes, but much better for her low carb diet. And relatively easy to make, with all the ingredients.
It starts by lightly frying the whole spices - black pepper, black and green cardamom, Ceylon cinnamon sticks, and Indian bay leaf - just a minute, before adding the sliced onions, and lightly browning. Then some ginger and garlic is added and cooked a minute, before the meat and salt is added, and cooked and chopped up about 10 minutes, until totally browned, and almost dry. Then the ground spices are added - coriander, cumin, sweet paprika (used so there is no heat in this, besides black pepper), and turmeric - then cooked briefly with the meat, then the chopped up tomatoes and yogurt are added. This was simmered 10 minutes, then the pre-cooked moth dal was added, with the greens, then simmered 12 more minutes, then the frozen peas were stirred in, and heated until thawed, about 3 minutes. I let it cool, before stirring in about 1/2 c chopped cilantro.
Starting the Keema Masala, briefly toasting the whole spices in the oil, then browning the onions, followed by the ginger and garlic. by
pepperhead212, on Flickr
Cooking the meat until broken up, and almost dry, before adding ground spices. by
pepperhead212, on Flickr
The chopped up tomatoes, with their juices, and 1/2 c yogurt mixed in. And about 2 c of chopped Mizuna, to add later. by
pepperhead212, on Flickr
The cooked moth dal and Mizuna, added after cooking the tomatoes 10 minutes, to be simmered another 12 minutes. by
pepperhead212, on Flickr
Before simmering it those last 12 minutes, and adding the frozen peas, to heat through. by
pepperhead212, on Flickr
Finished dish, for Christmas Eve dinner, to go out and cool on my back porch - colder than my fridge out there! by
pepperhead212, on Flickr
The very dark cilantro, from the hydroponics. I'll chop this and add after it cools. by
pepperhead212, on Flickr