Squash Dal Curry

One of my favorite cuisines is Indian food because of the rich flavors that are combined into amazing dishes. I don't think I really even ate much Indian food before I was married but tried it while visiting larger cities with my husband, as well as a nearby Indian restaurant that we have grown to love. However, what I have realized in the process of learning how to cook this food is that there are many different types/styles of Indian food, depending on the region you are cooking from, as well as the fact that Indian restaurant food is quite different from what most Indian people eat in their homes everyday. I have bought a couple good Indian cookbooks that I have studied and tried to learn from and now have accumulated quite a few spices/herbs that are often used in their cooking. However, with just a small investment in about 5 spices (some you may already have), you can make some very tasty Indian dishes. I like the fact that, while much of the Indian food is spicy hot, when you make it at home, you can omit or temper down the heat to your liking and yet still enjoy the wonderful flavors. In addition, although Indian restaurant food is quite expensive, you can make many dishes very cheaply at home. Since I have been trying to cook more dishes with beans for my family, I often like using Indian recipes because they take the lowly bean from oh-hum to oh-yum!

this is the masala dabba I bought to hold some of the spices I frequently use- includes tumeric (outer left and continuing clockwise), cardamom, fennel seed, black mustard seed, ground ancho chili powder, cumin seed and black salt (center)

This recipe I share here was inspired by a Green Pumpkin Curry recipe that I have enjoyed making quite a few times. A few years ago, I picked up a small, thick cookbook at a local craft store titled Greatest Ever Indian for about $5. While I have not made many of the recipes in the book, there are a lot of nice pictures illustrating the steps and many of them are simple dishes with a variety of ingredients and ranging from sides to main dishes to breads, appetizers and desserts. When making this recipe, I never saw or found green pumpkin but it said I could substitute ordinary pumpkin. So I also figured that since butternut squash is in the pumpkin family, then that should also work well. This most recent time I made this, I decided to add in some dal I had- I believe it is moong dal, which is very quick cooking and mild in flavor, as well as some extra cooking liquid. You can omit the beans, if desired and reduce the cooking liquid, or substitute some red lentils. This dish comes together pretty quickly- in about 30 minutes, and is very rich in antioxidants from not only the spices but also the squash and beans. 

moong dal

Ingredients:

• 2-3 Tbsp oil
• 1 large onions, sliced
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (may substitute 1/2 tsp ground cumin if you don't have seeds)
• 1/2 - 3/4 tsp black mustard seed (optional)
• 1 1/2 - 2 pounds butternut squash (1 large), peeled, deseeded and cubed
• 1 tsp amchur/amchoor- dried mango powder (optional, but adds a nice flavor)
• 1 1/2 tsp mild curry powder
• 1 tsp tumeric 
• 1/2 tsp black salt (optional- may use adobo seasoned salt or other salt)
• 1/2 tsp chili powder (not the chili powder blend)- (optional)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger * (may substitute 1 tsp dried ginger- not quite as good)
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed/made into paste
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth- or may use vegetable broth or salted water
• 1 cup moong dal (or split lentils), sorted and rinsed
• 10 dried apricots, chopped
• 1 Tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (optional)

Directions:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onions, cumin seeds, black mustard seeds and curry powder, stirring occasionally, until a light golden brown color.
• Add the cubed squash or pumpkin to the skillet and stir-fry for 3-5 minutes over low heat.
• Mix in the amchur powder, tumeric, salt, chili powder, ginger and garlic cloves together in a small bowl. 
• Add the spice mixture to the squash  mixture, stirring well to mix.
• Add the broth or water, rinsed moong dal or lentils, apricots and fenugreek, then cover and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes or until beans are soft and slightly creamy, stirring occasionally. 

Serve warm with rice, warm naan or paratha (chapati) bread.

*ginger is easy to keep on hand ready to use if you peel it/chop into large chunks after bringing it home from the store, place it in a plastic bag in the freezer. Then when you need it, simply remove a piece or two and either grate it or thinly slice/chop it. It is actually easier to work with when it is slightly frozen. This will keep for a long time in the freezer. It is great in chicken soups, with bean dishes, smoothies with coconut milk, etc.

This was shared with the following:

I Should Be Mopping The Floor: Mop It Up Mondays #11
The Sweet Spot: Recipe Party
Simple Lives Thursday, #91- A Little Bit Of Spain In Iowa
Weekend Potluck #13
Financial Friday + Fabulous Features
Country Momma Cooks: Link and Greet #14
Taylor House Thursday #3
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday 4-12-12
Six Sisters' Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Saturday Link Party-Week 40

Pulau Basmati Rice (Nepali Rice)

I was recently introduced to VahRehVah.com, which is a great website by Sanjay Thumma with great Indian recipes, as well as ones from other countries in the region. His videos are very helpful and are a wonderful resource for people wanting to learn more about cooking Indian cuisine. 

Biryani is a layered meat/sauce and basmati rice dish that is baked and becomes so flavorful. I have been wanting to make this dish for some time,  but I had some leftover cooked chicken that I was trying to use up, which did not seem to fit with a biryani dish. So when I can across the Pulau recipe, it was just what I was looking for. Sanjay's version did not have any meat included, but I added the chopped cooked chicken with the other ingredients in the rice to make a more complete meal. I also added some cardamom seeds and cumin seeds and some leftover chopped canned tomatoes with lime and chipotle flavor. So the link to Sanjay's original Pulau Basmati Rice is http://www.vahrehvah.com/Pulau++Basmati+Rice+:2688. What follows is my adaptation of his recipe. Because I used brown basmati rice, the cooking time was longer and I had a little difficulty getting the grains on top to completely cook, despite adding extra water. I love the flavor of brown basmati rice and it is full of nutrition, but the only place I found it was at the local Indian grocery store. If you use this, just be aware that it takes longer to soak and cook.

Ingredients:

1 medium-large onion, chopped

1-2 Tbsp oil

3/4 tsp whole cumin seeds

3 whole cardamom pods

2 whole cloves

1 bay leaf

1 large (approximately 4 inch) cinnamon stick, or a couple smaller ones

1/3 cup mixture golden and dark raisins

1/2 cup cashews, broken or pieces are alright to use

1 1/2 cup basmati rice

1 tsp salt

2 chicken bouillon cubes

2 1/4- 2 1/2 cups water

1 cup chopped cooked chicken (had already been cooked previously with fajita seasonings)

1/2 cup chopped canned tomatoes with lime and chipotle

Soak rice in a bowl covered with water for about 30 minutes, draining it in a fine mesh strainer and then soaking in fresh water after about 15 minutes. In a large pot, sauté onions and oil, adding in the other spices and stirring together. As the onions are becoming translucent, add in the raisins. Drain the rice and put into the onion mixture. Add salt and continue to stir around in the frying pan for a couple minutes. You may need to add another Tbsp of oil at this time. Then, if using some canned tomatoes, put them in the measuring cup first, then add the necessary amount of water to equal the total amount needed. (Start with the lesser amount first, and add more if necessary after rice has cooked about half the time). Add all the liquids to the rice mixture, as well as the chicken, chicken bouillon and nuts. Stir well and bring to a boil and make sure the bouillon cubes have dissolved. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for about 20-30 minutes. Give the rice a good stir after about 12 minutes and if much of the liquid has dissolved and the rice that was on top is still not very soft, then you may add about 1/4 cup water. Cover and finish cooking for another 15 minutes or until rice seems soft but not mushy. 

To serve, remove bay leaf and other whole spices (cloves, cardamom and cinnamon). The cumin seeds are very small and do not need to be removed. Serve on a platter and garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired. It is also wonderful accompanied by the Indian breads- either naan or paratha, warmed in a skillet and spread with a little butter. I have shown both the naan (the white colored flatbread) and the paratha (the darker colored wheat flatbread) in the picture above. We enjoy using the bread to scoop up rice and take bites of both together.

Traditionally, pulau would be only one part of the meal. In addition to this, some of the other foods one might serve include some Indian pickles, raita (cucumber and yogurt mixture) or some vegetables cooked with some spices and served on the side. I also love to have a mixed greens salad with this dish for some added nutrition.

Homemade Yogurt

Yogurt has such a universal appeal and is found in almost every nationality's cuisine. It is easily substituted for sour cream and is so full of beneficial bacteria essential for our bodies to stay healthy. If you strain it longer than you would for making Greek yogurt and keep squeezing out the extra liquid, you can make a yogurt cheese that is like cream cheese. I have wanted to make yogurt for many years. In fact, I bought a yogurt maker about 10-12 years ago. However, since I am a notorious procrastinator with my fingers in too many pots, it was not until recently that I decided I needed to give it a try. Part of the impetus was the rising cost of yogurt and the fact that they are full of sugar. Since my youngest is recently Type I diabetic, I decided it would be good to try making some with Xylitol, since I really do not care for the other chemically altered/produced artificial sweeteners.

Here is the picture of the type of yogurt maker that I used, which holds about 2 quarts or slightly more.

This is basically a small plastic pail with a handle and lid that snaps on tightly, then sets down into a styrofoam insulated tub with an insulated lid.  I have seen others write about putting the yogurt in glass jars with lids and wrapping them up in towels or newspaper to be stored in a small styrofoam cooler or some other type of cooler that is thick (insulated with foam). Others even use a heating pad underneath the pot of yogurt mixture for the required amount of processing time. Basically anything that will help insulate the yogurt for about 8-12 hours will do the job. One of my newly purchased recipe books entitled The Indian Slow Cooker even has a recipe for making yogurt in the crockpot/slow cooker.

Notice I have a thermometer there. It is important to get the milk hot enough to take care of unwanted bacteria, but not too hot to boil or even scald the milk. You will also want to be sure you have brought the milk back down to the right temperature (110-118 degree F, or 45-48 degrees C) or else the culture you add will be killed quickly. There is only a small window of temperature that is ideal for the yogurt bacteria to reproduce.

I used the instructions that came with my yogurt maker because it seemed so easy. For the starter, I bought a small container of plain yogurt with no other additives, preservatives or thickeners. It is recommended in my instruction booklet that you get new starter about once a month in order to prevent problems from an aging culture. I am not sure if this is affected by whether you make yogurt more or less frequently. I kept some of the original yogurt aside to use later and put it in the freezer until needed.

Ingredients:

2 liters of milk (either homogenized, raw, 2 % or skimmed- I used 2%)
1/2 cup non-fat milk powder (optional)
2 tsp plain and unflavored gelatin (optional)
4 Tbsp plain yogurt or 1 packet yogurt culture

Put a 3 liter or 3-quart pot inside a larger pot filled with water (to make a double boiler). Pour the milk into the smaller pot and add the other ingredients, mixing together well. Heat the milk to 180 degrees F/ 82 degrees C, stirring regularly.

Meanwhile, have a sink partially filled with very cold water. After the milk has reached 180 degrees, place the pot in the cold water and  continue stirring and checking the temperature. When it reaches 118 degrees F/ 48 degrees C, add in a packet of yogurt culture or 4 Tbsp of last prepared plain yogurt (or store-bought). Mix well.

Pour mixture into a container rinsed with boiling water. Cover and wrap it up with either towels or newspaper, placing it in a cooler or styrofoam container, or placing it on a heating pad covered with towels.

Curdling requires at least 3-5 hours (some say 7-8 hours). I started mine before bed and checked it about 10  hours later and it was perfect. The longer you let it set, the stronger flavor it may have. However, my yogurt was very mild flavored even being left for 10 hours.

When the yogurt has been allowed to set adequate time, you may test it by seeing how firm it is. If it is firm enough, then stir the contents and then put into other smaller containers that have been dipped in boiling water, if desired. Cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably longer.  When ready to eat, serve plain or with fruit, jam, fruit syrup or other sweeteners.

If you want a Greek-style yogurt, you may take a mesh drainer and line it with doubled cheesecloth. Put the yogurt into the cheesecloth, close it around the yogurt and then squeeze it tightly over the sink to express the extra liquid. You should then place it in a drainer sitting inside a larger bowl (making sure it sits up off the bottom of the bowl enough). Allow it to continue to drain for 2-3 hours. Then again take it and squeeze out any extra liquid. After that is complete, you may then remove the cheesecloth and store it in the refrigerator. The amount of yogurt will be reduced approximately by half from when you started, but it should be very thick.

Yogurt may be prepared from non-fat powdered milk, as well. To make 2 liters of non-fat milk, use 3 cups of milk powder and fill the remainder with water.  Gelatin delays production of liquid when the curd is cut into. Addition of milk powder increases firmness and nutritive value of the yogurt.

There is also a milk-reduction method I just learned about from a fellow food blogger on Spoon and Chopsticks.  Yogurt making is really not hard or time-consuming. It is so much cheaper and healthier to make your own. So be brave and give it a try. Don't procrastinate like I did!!!  Good luck.

Rasam and Rice

I recently bought a Rasam mix at the nearby international (Indian) store. I mixed it up according to the directions with tomato, using 1-  15 oz. can of diced tomatoes. While it was a little too hot for our tastes (being labeled medium spice), as well as a little too tangy or sour (maybe from the tamarind), I decided to try to salvage it and remake it into something we could finish. Here is my experiment, which I think turned out quite well. I recognize that there are many different variations of Rasam (which can be a soup or a sauce over rice). The brand I tried that I felt needed a little help to suit our tastes was "Gits Rasam Mix". I am in the process of trying to make my own rasam mix- trying various recipes online. I also served this with brown rice, which gave it a wonderful flavor.

1 Rasam mix prepared according to directions, except as mentioned above- with can of tomatoes
2 large potatoes, peeled if desired, and chopped
1  15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained
1  15 oz. can of light kidney beans or pink beans, drained
2-3 large kale leaves, rinsed and chopped (or other chopped greens)
2 Tbsp sugar or xylitol (if using this brand of rasam mix)
1 large onion, chopped
3 Tbsp oil
2 tsp curry powder (not hot)
3/4 cup plain yogurt
cottage cheese (optional)
rice (brown or white), cooked

In a medium-large pot, combine the onions, oil and curry powder. Cook, stirring together frequently, until onions are soft. Then add the rasam mix, water, sugar and tomatoes, stirring together well. Add the potatoes, beans and kale or greens. Bring to a boil and then lower to simmer for the next 15 minutes, stirring frequently.  As the mixture cooks, it should thicken slightly. Cook the rice according to directions. After the rasam mixture has finished, take out some rasam juice and add to yogurt in a bowl, stirring well and then adding back into the rasam pot. Serve over rice with a spoonful or two of cottage cheese over top/mixed in.

We also tried the above with a fried egg- over easy or very soft yolk- over top of the rasam and rice. This was a great added flavor!

Indian Raita (Cucumber Sauce or Dip)

This is great with curry and as a dip for naan (Indian flatbread). This recipe was  from King Arthur flour company recipes.

Ingredients:

2 cups whole-milk yogurt, drained in a yogurt cheesemaker or cheesecloth for several hours

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups finely diced or grated, peeled, seeded cucumbers (about 2 medium cucumbers)

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 tsp cumin

2 Tbsp minced fresh mint and/or cilantro, plus extra for garnish

2-3 tsp minced hot chilies or chili paste, or 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (all optional)

Place the minced or grated cucumbers in a strainer, and sprinkle with the salt. Let cucumbers drain for several hours, stirring occasionally. Discard the liquid.  Mix the cucumbers with the drained yogurt and the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate, covered, for a few hours, for the flavors to meld. Garnish with fresh mint or cilantro.  Yields about 3 cups.

Naan (Indian Flatbread)

This is typically eaten in northwest India with most meals, often used to scoop up the beans (dal) or other parts of the meal. It may be also served with Raita (a cucumber sauce)- recipe posted on this blog also. This recipe is from King Arthur flour company.

Ingredients:

2 cups white wheat or traditional whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp instant yeast
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
2 Tbsp butter or ghee (clarified butter), melted
1/2 cup milk or whey from drained yogurt
3/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 large egg

Whisk all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, lightly whisk together the butter or ghee, milk or whey, yogurt and egg. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, stirring to form a shaggy mass of dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it until it is smooth and shiny. Put the dough into a greased bowl, cover, and set it aside to rise for about 1 1/2 hours, or until it is doubled in bulk. At this point, the dough may be refrigerated, covered, for up to 24 hours for extra flavor and ease of rolling.

Divide the dough into six pieces and hand-stretch or roll each piece into a thin oval shape. Pull on the front edge of the oval to elongate and create the tear shape. Let the pieces rest, uncovered, while you heat the griddle on high heat. Transfer the naan to the griddle. Grill for approximately 2-3 minutes on one side, until the bread puffs and begins to look set around the edges. Flip over and finish cooking. Serve warm.

Optional- it is also great "stuffed" with cooked potato, little oil, white and/or green onion, garlic and chopped cilantro/parsley. Have this mixture already prepared- Potatoes cooked and seasoned with an Adobo seasoning salt and mashed and then mixed with the oil, onion, garlic and herbs. When you divide the naan into six balls, flatten each out and wrap around about 1-2 Tbsp of potato mixture and flatten again with a rolling pin. Cook as above.

East Indian Banana Yogurt Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup plain yogurt
2 cups unsweetened chunk pineapple, drained
1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 tsp ground coriander or nutmeg
6 medium bananas, thinly sliced

Mix yogurt and pineapple in 2 quart bowl. Stir in coconut and coriander. Gently fold in bananas. Refrigerate 2-4 hours before serving. If you desire a sweeter flavor, you may add a little honey, sugar or zylitol or other sweeteners to taste.

*This recipe was by Eugenia Spady- found in the Whole Foods For the Whole Family La Leche League International cookbook 1981