February Indian Cooking Challenge: Gujarati Dal

Traditional Lunch Tiffin with Rice, Dal and Vegetables

The Gujarati Dal was this month's ICC challenge Indian Cooking Challenge. This recipe did not work for us due to the 'sweet' flavour from the dates and the jaggery. We are on the wimpy end of the heat spectrum that many of us  from the sub-continent are used to and we do relish the traditional Gujarati dishes from friends. Our regular dishes are fairly mild but this one did not work for us. Did not have yams and drumsticks on hand, so they were omitted from the recipe.

This dal is accompanied with Rice and Vegetables.

Gujarati Dal

Ingredients

3/4 Cup of tuvar dal/toor dal

1/2 tsp of turmeric powder

A few drops of oil

I small piece of kokum or 1 tbsp of tamarind paste

3-4 finger hot green chillies

1 tsp grated ginger

2 tsps of raw groundnuts

1 tsp of coriander powder

1/2 tsp roasted cummin powder

1/4 tsp garam masala

1-2 tbps of fresh chopped coriander

Tempering Ingredients

Oil/Ghee

Cummin seeds

Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp fenugreek

Pinch of Asafoetida

1 stem of curry leaves

Method

Cook the dal with turmeric powder, the few drops of oil.

Pressure cook or cook until done= for 30 mts

Churn the cooked dal until they are smooth.

Add all the ingredients other than the fresh chopped coriander and cook on medium high for 5 minutes

Simmer for another 5 mts
Heat ghee/ oil and temper all the ingredients

Pour it over the cooked dal

Garnish with chopped coriander.

Khandvi: Tempered Chickpea Cigars

This was supposed to be my first Indian Cooking Challenge-Khandvi recipe for January 2011. Recipe courtsey Lata Raja of Flavours and Tastes.  Just waited for the formalities to come through!:-)

This was a favourite, after a shopping expedition at General Bazaar, Secunderabad. One of those area's dominated by the business communities usually from Rajasthan and Gujarat.  A small spice shop, but by no means 'weak',  presided over by bejewelled, disdainful looking matron, giving orders: a snapshot of such establishments across the country. This shop carries, regular spices, exotic-spices, nuts, all kinds of toffees/candies, weighed and packaged in the store's polythene bag, and among  other things, fresh packs of Dhokla and Khandvi.

This recipe works as a wonderful, cold appetizer. It cooks  a batter of spiced chickpea flour into a smooth, thick, paste. Immediately spreads it onto a smooth surface, into a thin layer. Lets it cool, cuts the thin layer into strips, and rolls them up into 'cigars'.  Then the Indian technique of releasing a bouquet of spices gives the finishing touch: tempering with mustard, cummin, sesame seeds, green  and dried red chillies, curry leaves, and a garnish of fresh coriander and scraped/ grated coconut.

Ingredients

1/3 cup  gram flour

1/3 cup  buttermilk

1 cup water

Salt

2 teaspoons ginger - green chilli paste

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida

3 tablespoons cooking oil

For tempering and garnishing:

2 teaspoons cooking oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons grated coconut

2 tablespoons chopped fresh corriander leaves

Method

Grease the bottom of a large cookie sheet or a flat surface, lined with aluminium foil.

Seive the chickpea flour

Make into a thin, smooth, lump-free batter mixing all the ingredients.

Heat this batter in a pan and stir continuosly,

Stir vigorously as the batter thickens.

the batter should be semi-solid batter

Spread it immediately onto the greased surface in an even thin layer.

The batter should remain warm or else will coagulate as it cools and will not spread.

Let it cool,

Score the layer with a sharp knife into strips about 1 1/2 inches wide

Roll them up into 'cigars' onto a separate serving platter

Heat oil to a smoking point,

Temper with mustard, cummin and sesame seeds and chillies,

Pour over the rolled chickpea cigars

Serve with a garnish of coconut.