1,000 Indian Recipes (203 page)
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Authors: Neelam Batra
Channa Dal Sai-Bhaji
Makes 4 to 6 servings
My niece, Mini, who grew up in Mumbai (Bombay), makes this dish and shared it with me. A specialty of the Sindhi community settled in Bombay (they were originally from northwest India, an area that is now in Pakistan), this dish (
sai-bhaji
) is almost a one-pot meal, traditionally served with steamed rice.
It is very simple with the pressure cooker, and although this recipe calls for frozen spinach, it turns out all the more delicious when you use fresh.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large clove fresh garlic, minced
1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger
1
⁄
2
cup yellow split chickpeas (channa dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water
1 large tomato, finely chopped, or
1
⁄
2
cup canned tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1
⁄
2
teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 (8-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed
1
⁄
2
bunch (
1
⁄
4
cup) fresh dill, finely chopped
1 small russet potato (or any kind), peeled and finely chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice
Finely chopped fresh cilantro
1.
Heat the oil in a large pressure cooker over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the dal and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Then add the tomato (or tomato sauce), salt, and cayenne pepper, and stir about 2 minutes.
2.
Add the spinach, dill, potato, and carrot, stir about 5 minutes then add the water. Secure the lid and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook 30 seconds more. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully open the lid, add the lemon juice, and stir well, mashing some of the dal and vegetables with a ladle or a spatula. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the cilantro, and serve.
Yellow Split Chickpeas with Opo Squash
Channa Dal aur Lavki
Makes 4 to 6 servings
This is one of my favorite
dals
to make in the pressure cooker. It has a mild chickpea-like taste, but it cooks much faster and is much lighter on the stomach than dishes made with whole chickpeas. The mild-flavored, pale green bottle-shaped opo squash, besides adding interest, further lightens the
dal
and increases its digestibility.
1 cup yellow split chickpeas (channa dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water
4
1
⁄
2
cups water
1
⁄
4
teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds
1 small opo squash (about
3
⁄
4
pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large cloves fresh garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1
⁄
4
teaspoon ajwain seeds
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1
⁄
2
teaspoon ground paprika
1
⁄
4
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
1
⁄
4
teaspoon garam masala
1.
Place the dal, water, turmeric, salt, green chile pepper, squash, and garlic in a pressure cooker. Secure the lid and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook 30 seconds more. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully open the lid; the dal should be thick and creamy and the squash should be soft. Transfer to a serving dish, cover, and keep warm.
2.
Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin and ajwain seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato and paprika and cook until most of the juices evaporate, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer everything to the dal and swirl lightly to mix, with parts of it visible as a garnish. Mix in the cilantro, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.
Dry-Cooked Green Split Peas
Sookhi Muttar Dal
Makes 4 to 6 servings
This dry-cooked
dal
is a really versatile dish. Serve it on its own with a cup of afternoon tea, spoon it atop green salads, or use it to fill
paranthas
(griddle-fried breads),
poories
(puffed deep-fried breads),
samosas
(deep-fried triangular pastries) and even baked stuffed vegetables (bell peppers, tomatoes, and more).
1
1
⁄
4
cups green split peas (muttar dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1
1
⁄
2
teaspoons black mustard seeds
1
⁄
2
teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds
1
⁄
8
teaspoon ground asafoetida
1
1
⁄
2
tablespoons dried curry leaves
1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger
1 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds
3 to 3
1
⁄
2
cups water
3
⁄
4
teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 small tomato, finely chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1
⁄
4
teaspoon garam masala
1.
Soak the dal in water to cover by 2 inches, about 2 hours, then drain. Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the mustard seeds; they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan until the spluttering subsides. Add the fenugreek seeds and asafoetida, then mix in the curry leaves and stir about 1 minute. Add the ginger and green chile peppers, stir about 1 minute, then mix in the dal, 2 cups water, and salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.
2.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer, stirring as needed, until the dal is tender, about 7 minutes. Add
1
⁄
2
cup more water if the dal sticks to the pan. Mix in the tomato and lemon juice, cover, and cook over low heat, about 5 minutes. Remove to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.