Dal Makhni

No..No.. i am not back yet.  I was feeling sick that i missed Sailu’s JFI -Dal event. Yesterday, i just happen to pass through her blog, found that event is still waiting for the round up. Anyway, i know i am too  late, but i did it!!

Life has been little hectic and more chaotic :)…yes..guessed it right, it would have been better if it was really hectic and less chaotic… i dont know i am not seems to be systematic any more. Kitchen is all packed and set to move this week end (i.e Friday,). Somehow was feeling odd to cut a sorry figure to Sailaja for not participating in the event. Then, I just remembered long forgotten whole black gram still in my store, and went to a neighbour with a cup to get some Rajma(kidney beans).

Dal Makni in my kitchen was a disastrous project couple of years back with a potful of brown water and dive through to find some black dal at the bottom. The imporved rather a tasty(ofcourse, when i add two tablespoon of butter!) version of Dal Makhni, am contributing to Sailu’s JFI - Dal/Lentils.

Soak overnight

Whole Black gram(whole urad dal)         1 cup

Kidney beans      1/2 cup

Boil soaked beans mixture with 3-4 cups of water along with

Turmeric 1/4 tsp

chilli powder 1/2 tsp

till the beans becomes broken and mashy.

Grind

Onion 1/2 of medium size cut into chunks

ginger 2″

Garlic(Indian) 1/2 bulb

Splutter

Cumin seeds  1/2 tsp in oil 2 tbsp in a sauce pan.

Fry

Onion  1  medium finely chopped and ground ginger-onion-garlic paste till transparent. 

Toss in

ripe tomato 1 medium chopped and 4-5 slit green chillies, and fry till the oil separates.

Sprinkle

Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp (preferably Kashmiri, if so 1tsp)

Coriander powder 1tsp

cumin powder 1/2 tsp

Fry the mixture for 5 minutes.

Pour in cooked dal mixture into the saucepan. Allow it to boil for 10 mins.

Stir in 3 tbsp of Butter, (those weight watchers, pls… cant help, its Dal makhni!!), 2tbsp Kissan Tomato puree(taste enhancer), Garam masala powder 1/2 tsp, Salt to taste.

Garnish with 2tbsp finely chopped fresh Cliantro and 1/2 finely chopped onion.

Pantry notes: Kissan Tomato puree, gives that rich taste to the curry. You can omit this if you are adding fresh puree of 2 small tomatoes and have to fry in the beginning along with chopped tomatoes after frying  onions.

Fish curry - Kannur style and story of chatty(claypot)

Why do i mention its kannur style is because, there is one more place called Payyannur, which is just few kilometers away from kannur, in Kerala, has a different preparation, called payyannur style. The taste of fish curry varies with such short distances.  Ofcourse, there are plenty of variations in the uniqueness of the flavor in its own neighbourhood.

Though i have not done any fishing expedition on this aspect, but i find in coastal part of kerala, being fish as staple, almost similar kind of ground paste or masla is used in all the fish curries except that it uses different kinds of fish in every curry and so that the taste varies according to the flavor of the fish.  This is why, a very low spiced flavor in masala is prepared, so that flavor of the fish dominates the taste of the curry . In a nutshell, taste of the curry depends on the taste of the fish.

But, after all this there is one more important factor that enhances the taste is, clay pot. After more than a year of my marriage, and self instructed cooking classes, i found that peparing curry in the clay pot can enrich the taste to perfection. The subtle flavours of masala is enhanced, without much altering the flavor of fish by using chatty.

On my first field trip to kerala, from Bahrain, I packed my bag with one such chatty found in the local market. All set to go back to Bahrain after a long vacation of one month, and in the airport, i was warned at the customs, as i had put this object in my hand bag which was not allowed. My belly luggage was fully jam packed leaving no room for any squeezes.  At that moment, i felt i can just leave that clay pot somewhere in airport. But chatty had mesmerized me for what so ever reason. People around me were big eyed what would be my next foolish act.  But above all, i felt if i am not carrying this oldy goldy, i am going to miss something in my taste for next one year. That is it!! i was not ready to compramise on that. I pulled out some of my saris( can manage with salwars for one year), and chatty was secured under the cloths safely.  Those, crème de la crème and sophesticateds around, found me very ridiculous and nutty.  But soon they changed their mind (i think!;)) as they saw me on seventh heaven.

Its been four years and chatty is part of my everyday cooking.  chatty gets conditioned when it is used everyday. My husband's grandmother, feels for it, if she breaks an old chatty by some mishap. Because conditioned chatty gives that authentic taste to the food especially when you cook fish curry in that. It takes years for the clay pot to get conditioned.

When a clay pot is newly bought, it has to be soaked in water overnight to filter away the impurities.

Here goes the recipe,

Chatty ingredients: 

                                     Fish Any kind of fish, 1/4 kilo, cut into pieces, or 4-6 medium king fish

Red chilli powder 1 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Salt 1tsp

Green Chillies 4 medium (halved and slit)

Curry leaves 2 strings

Ginger 1 tbsp (crushed finely)

Tomato 1 medium (cut into small pieces)

For paste or masala:

Coconut  1curd cup (grated)

Tomato 3/4 small (cubed)

Turmeric  1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder 2 tsp

Cumin seeds 1 tbsp

Additions

Pulp of one lemond sized Tamarind

Recipe:

• In a conditioned claypot, add chutty ingredients, in the same order as mentioned above.  Keep aside.
• Take Masala ingredients in a blender/mixer, fine paste them by adding little water.
• Take out the only fish from chatty, keep aside.
• Add the ground paste into the chatty, pour two cups of water and mix the ingredients throughly with clean hand.  Allow the mixture to boil on medium heat for 15 minutes.
• When the curry thickens, place the fish one by one into the chatty, allow it to cook in medium heat.
• When fish is almost cooked, stir in tamarind pulp. Boil till end.
• Add salt and tamarind to desired taste.

This is a simple, easy-to-cook recipe for those who likes the exact taste of fish. For appetite appeal, we can fry 1/2 finely chopped onion, fry till brown in coconut oil, pour it over the curry.

Three meals a day - Blog favourites!

Tried and suceeded  - Ultimate experience!

When i thought of trying out co-blogger's recipes, i assumed its going to be an expereince as same as, trying out couple of recipes from the net.  Believe me, it was so different. I cooked with at most keeness and enthusiasm, the recipes, turn out so homely and perfect.  Above all, was the feeling, as though i am having my breakfast, lunch or dinner in one of my friend's(Priya, Ashwini or curryinahurry) house. As a matter of fact, i relished and enjoyed every bite of what i have cooked. Indeed, it was quite an experience for me. Here goes the list of yesterday,

 Morning tea with Priya's Bhakris  

 In the morning, it took sometime for me make Priya's Bhakris. I even caught hold of my friend cum neighbour to taste this snacky dish. Being a Gujarathi, name was not unfamiliar to her, but sure the taste is! She has been eating Bhakris made of Wheat flour. Priya's recipe was different taste for her.

Variations: I added 1/2 cup of shallots instead 3/4 cup as given in Priya's(even with that, my cutie was smartly separating onions from Bhakris well with in her mouth!) and added a tsp of cumin seeds.     

For original recipe and better results visit Priya

Noon lunch:  Ashwini's Goan fish curry  

My husband being a malabari, never got bored of everyday rice and fish curry lunch. That is all he needs with little curd preparation. It is a must for my little one. So far i never tried to deviate myself from traditional kannur style of cooking fish. Ashwini's was real lip-smacking preparation. I served with Injithair(curds with coconut and ginger paste) and puzhukalari chor (boiled rice).

Variations: None   

   

For original recipe visit Ashwini

Li(ti)ght Dinner: Green peas - potato kurma from curryinahurry

In the evening, I heaped up a cup of frozen peas and potatos for this filly meal for my dinner. It was very satisfying with hot and crispy puris. It goes well with almost any breads, rotis and Dosas.

 Variations: I put a tsp of fennel seeds(saunf), instead aniseeds.

   

For original recipe hurry up to curry in a hurry