Chana (chickpeas) bhuna

I think I may have found the most PERFECT masala recipe I've ever tried, and all thanks to Sangeeta of Banaras ka Khana blog. Her blog is one of my favourites, because she has North Indian recipes which are not so well known (at least to me) as the usual things you get endlessly everywhere. I like reading about typical everyday recipes which are still not common outside of individual homes, and Sangeeta's blog is the perfect place to find these.

I tried this masala with cooked chickpeas because I had some, and loved the result so much that I've made it (with different dals) four times in the last 10 days... although not (yet) with the original split chickpeas (or chana dal) that Sangeetha used. I've tried it both as a thick sauce and as a runnier one, and it makes not a whit of difference - other than the clingy sauce is better with whole chickpeas.

I reduced the peppercorns to 1/2 tsp because I can't take the heat from them (but chilli-heat is more than bearable, go figure), but otherwise the recipe is no different - well, apart from having used chickpeas, that is. Do try it - it's pretty quick to make, too, especially if you use canned chickpeas.

Recipe for: Chana bhuna

Ingredients:3-4 cups cooked chickpeas (or two cans' worth)
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 tbsp ghee or oil (I used oil)
1 tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste

For grinding:

1/2" piece cinnamon stick
1 small black cardamom (seeds only)
1 htsp coriander seeds
1 htsp cumin seeds
2 cloves
4-5 dried red chillies (or to taste)
3 garlic cloves
1" ginger root
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp amchoor (dried raw mango) powder - optional
3-4 tbsp water

Method:1. Grind all the ingredients for the masala into a smooth, fairly thick paste. Use only as much water as required to make it smooth.

2. Heat the oil/ghee in a pan, then add the cumin seeds.

3. Once the seeds sizzle, add the chopped onion and stir.

Let it cook on low heat for 15 minutes or so, till it becomes soft and pinkish.
4. Now add the ground masala paste to the cooked onion

and stir it in.

5. Fry it (bhuno) on low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, till the paste is well amalgamated, thick and intensely aromatic. Any excess water should have evaporated.

6. Now add the chickpeas along with salt to taste

and stir till it is all well mixed.

7. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes more (longer if it is watery), then take it off the heat.

Serve hot with chapaties or puris.
Note: The curry tastes best when the masala coats the chickpeas thickly, so make sure the masala is not runny.

RECIPE: CHANA BHUNA
Ingredients:
3-4 cups cooked chickpeas (or two cans' worth)
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 tbsp ghee or oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste
For grinding:
1/2" piece cinnamon stick
1 small black cardamom (seeds only)
1 htsp coriander seeds
1 htsp cumin seeds
2 cloves
4-5 dried red chillies (or to taste)
3 garlic cloves
1" ginger root
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp amchoor (dried raw mango) powder - optional
3-4 tbsp water
Method:
1. Grind all the ingredients for the masala into a smooth, fairly thick paste. Use only as much water as required to make it smooth.
2. Heat the oil in a pan, then add the cumin seeds.
3. Once the seeds sizzle, add the chopped onion and stir. Let it cook on low heat for 15 minutes or so, till it becomes soft and pinkish.
4. Now add the ground masala paste to the cooked onion and stir it in.
5. Fry it (bhuno) on low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, till the paste is well amalgamated, thick and intensely aromatic. Any excess water should have evaporated.
6. Now add the chickpeas along with salt to taste and stir till it is all well mixed.
7. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes more, then take it off the heat. Serve hot with chapaties or puris.
Note: The curry tastes best when the masala coats the chickpeas thickly, so make sure the masala is not runny.

Lemony vegetable rice

Are you wondering why this recipe is described as a lemony vegetable rice rather than a vegetable-y lemon rice? Well, why ARE you wondering that? Which of the two do you think is catchier? Welllll??? Yeah, I thought so too. Now you know the intricate thought process behind the title of this post.

I could tell you about how I arrived at all my other post titles too, but you might get bored, and the last thing I want is for my little audience to be bored. Boredom is not the right reward for dogged faithfulness, is it? So let’s just say that the reasoning for any or all of them is usually not far off that for this post. I mean, if I were to tax my brain for the title, what would I do for the main body of the post?

Actually, the answer to that is: Probably what I’ve just done so far.

There it is, peoples of the world. I save my deepest thoughts for finding a cure for an itchy nose, not for blog posts or their titles. That, right there, is the naked truth. Not particularly exciting for something that is naked, is it? Kind of like getting a 65-year-old pot-bellied nondescript-looking man in a beefcake magazine centrespread where you were expecting… oooh, I dunno, say Hrithik Roshan or Colin Firth or Hugh Jackman or …  *slurrrrrrp*

Excuse me while I go off in search of a towel to mop up the drool.

But please, don’t wait for me to return, go right ahead to the recipe. I insist.

Recipe for: Lemony vegetable rice

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice, cooked and cooled
2 cups vegetables, chopped into little cubes (potatoes, carrots, green beans, peas, etc)
½ cup chopped red or white onion
2 cloves garlic
4-5 green chillies, sliced into thin rounds (add to taste or omit entirely)
1 tsp chana dal/kadalai paruppu
1 tsp urad dal/ulutham paruppu
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Lemon/lime juice to taste
Coriander leaves and roasted/fried peanuts for garnish

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a big pan, then add the chana dal/kadalai paruppu, urad dal/ulutham paruppu and mustard seeds. Cover and let the mustard seeds pop.

2. When the dals are golden brown, add the chopped garlic, the chillies and the onion along with the turmeric powder and fry on medium heat till the onions begin to turn translucent and soft.

3. Now add the chopped vegetables and sprinkle 3-4 tbsp water over them. Turn the heat down as low as it will go, then cover the pan and let the vegetables cook till they’re done – say 10-12 minutes.

4. Once the vegetables are cooked, get rid of any excess water by turning the heat up and stirring the vegetables about for 1-2 minutes.

5. Now add the cooked rice, sprinkle on salt to taste and add 3-4 tbsp of lemon/lime juice.

Mix carefully till the ingredients are well incorporated. Add more lime/lemon juice according to taste.

6. Garnish with coriander leaves and fried peanuts. Serve hot with potato crisps or other fried snacks or pickles of choice. (I like it with avakkai.)

RECIPE: LEMONY VEGETABLE RICE

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice, cooked and cooled
2 cups vegetables, chopped into little cubes (potatoes, carrots, green beans, peas, etc)
½ cup chopped red or white onion
2 cloves garlic
4-5 green chillies, sliced into thin rounds (add to taste or omit entirely)
1 tsp chana dal/kadalai paruppu
1 tsp urad dal/ulutham paruppu
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Lemon/lime juice to taste
Coriander leaves and roasted/fried peanuts for garnish

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a big pan, then add the chana dal/kadalai paruppu, urad dal/ulutham paruppu and mustard seeds. Cover and let the mustard seeds pop.
2. When the dals are golden brown, add the chopped garlic, the chillies and the onion along with the turmeric powder and fry on medium heat till the onions begin to turn translucent and soft.
3. Now add the chopped vegetables and sprinkle 2-3 tbsp water over them. Turn the heat down as low as it will go, then cover the pan and let the vegetables cook till they’re done – say 10-12 minutes.
4. Once the vegetables are cooked, get rid of any excess water by turning the heat up and stirring the vegetables about for 1-2 minutes.
5. Now add the cooked rice, sprinkle on salt to taste and add 3-4 tbsp of lemon/lime juice. Mix carefully till the ingredients are well incorporated. Add more lime/lemon juice according to taste.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves and fried peanuts. Serve hot with potato crisps or other fried snacks, or pickles of choice.

Golden beet and split-pea dal

Yesterday I went to a supermarket called Morrisons, which I visit only occasionally. It turned out to be very exciting, in the event, because I saw display after display of vegetables and fruits that I'd only ever seen in "ethnic" markets before... bittergourd (albeit the Chinese kind), colocasia, bottlegourd, plantains, curry leaves and so on, along with even more exotic heirloom items - tomatoes and golden beets and pink beets.

To say that I was thrilled is an understatement - Pete was amused by my ecstatic squeaks of joy as I came upon more and more things, some of which I'd only seen in Singapore, or heard of from other food blogs. My first instinct was to buy everything in sight, but in the end I restricted myself to buying some heirloom tomatoes and beetroots (and some spiky looking rambutan. I just couldnt resist those fruits).


To get back to the beets, they looked absolutely lovely when they were peeled - a sort of golden orangey pink, all the shades of a glorious sunset. The intensity of the colours lessened somewhat when the beets were cooked, but they were still very apparent. I have to say I prefer these heirloom beets to the regular red ones because they don't turn everything they touch to a lurid pink. And they still taste like proper beets. They definitely made my dal look pretty in pastel shades! Don't you think so too?

PS. The rambutan? Pete and I ate them. They were beautifully sweet.

Recipe for: Golden beet and split-pea dal
Ingredients:

2-3 medium heirloom golden/pink beets, cooked
 
1 cup green split-peas, cooked 2 medium red onions, sliced thinly
-5 fresh green chillies, sliced thinly
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, sliced
 
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 tsp Kitchen King masala (or other garam masala)
1 tbsp oil
Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
Salt to taste
1-2 cups water

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the chillies and garlic cloves. Fry for a minute or so, until it's fragrant, then add the cumin-coriander powder.
2. Add the sliced onions and fry till they start to become soft
then add the chopped tomatoes and fry till they're mushy and soft.
3. Add the chopped cooked beets and mix them in with the masala,
then add the cooked split-peas.
 
Pour in a cup or two of water, depending on how thick you want the dal, and stir well.

4. Bring to a gentle boil, then stir in the Kitchen King/garam masala. Add salt to taste.
 
5. Turn off the heat after a couple of minutes, then stir in the chopped coriander.
 
Serve hot over rice or with rotis.

RECIPE: GOLDEN BEET AND SPLIT-PEA DAL

Ingredients:
2-3 medium heirloom golden/pink beets, cooked
1 cup green split-peas, cooked
2 medium red onions, sliced thinly
4-5 fresh green chillies, sliced thinly
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 tsp Kitchen King masala (or other garam masala)
1 tbsp oil
Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
Salt to taste
1-2 cups water

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the chillies and garlic cloves. Fry for a minute or so, until it's fragrant, then add the cumin-coriander powder.
2. Add the sliced onions and fry till they start to become soft then add the chopped tomatoes and fry till they're mushy and soft.
3. Add the chopped cooked beets and mix them in with the masala, then add the cooked split-peas. Pour in a cup or two of water, depending on how thick you want the dal, and stir well.
4. Bring to a gentle boil, then stir in the Kitchen King/garam masala. Add salt to taste.
5. Turn off the heat after a couple of minutes, then stir in the chopped coriander. Serve hot over rice or with rotis.

Stuffed green peppers with nutty rice

While vegetarian food is not hard to find in most pubs, hotels etc, the choice is woefully limited – usually pasta of some kind, vegetarian chili, bean burger, sometimes a vegetable curry or Mediterranean-veg lasagna chock full of gross aubergines/eggplant and zucchini (because, you know, they’re Mediterranean vegetables and apparently no other veggies are known to ever be used in Mediterranean cuisine). Some places offer two vegetarian options, if you’re lucky. But usually it’s just one of the above, and vegetarians have to like it or lump it.

I should be glad that there’s at least SOMETHING non-meaty and non-fishy to eat in Western restaurants, and I suppose I am... but I still can’t help wishing that their chefs would show just a little imagination for vegetarians. Which is why I like a little pub in Wem (Pete’s hometown), called the Old Post Office (Pete’s home-away-from), which is owned and run by Pete’s business partner Guy, and a couple of his friends. The pub is called the Old Post Office because before it was converted to a pub, it used to be the old post office premises before they moved lock stock and barrel to the new post office premises – well, why did you think the pub’s name is what it is?

Anyway, I like the pub for all sorts of reasons – one, the younger crowd (the noisy, binge drinking, annoying kind) stay away because it doesn’t offer them much in the way of a “hep” ambience. Two, the pub plays good music on an excellent sound system (which Pete set up). Three, the décor is homely (I especially love the squashy-soft sofas from whose hug it’s difficult to get out) but with an exotic touch in the way of beautiful sculptures and paintings and wall-hangings which Guy brought back from his trips to Africa. The effect is casual and comfortable.

And now for the fourth and most important reason - the food. The pub offers a carvery every Sunday, with at least two different choices of meat, which Pete loves. The Sunday carvery has had very good reviews in the local newspapers, because the servings and accompaniments are generous – and all freshly cooked that day, nothing from frozen. I would be happy to eat just the accompaniments that are available – roast potatoes, boiled potatoes, cabbage, peas, cauliflower or broccoli cheese, roast parsnips, carrots, leeks, stuffing balls, Yorkshire puddings - a veritable feast!

But I get a special entree just for me as the only vegetarian who goes there for Sunday lunch. The two lady chefs make it a point to try out a new recipe  for me, even though – or perhaps especially because – vegetarian food is not their comfort zone. It’s not even as if I’m a guinea pig… apparently they try out their new recipes during the week on the regulars (the pub makes it a point to provide sandwiches and other finger food on the house, in the evening), asking them for feedback. And then, on a Sunday, the recipe makes its formal debut – just for me (or any other vegetarian, assuming any comes along. It hasn’t happened yet, they say.)

Since I know that there won’t be any aubergine in anything (the staff all know of my loathing for this gross slimy-when-cooked vegetable), I’m always delighted to try whatever they've made – and so far, every single thing has been a hit. It's really nice of them to take the trouble to make anything, just for one person, especially when they've got their hands full catering for all the regular guests.

One time it was peppers stuffed with a really nice rice mixture, and since I had peppers at home last Sunday (when Pete and Bex were having a Sunday lunch at home), I decided to make my own main course and share the accompaniments (called “trimmings”) with my husband and stepdaughter for our family meal. Pete served everything in a giant Yorkshire pudding - yummy!
Recipe for: Stuffed green peppers with nutty rice

Ingredients:

2 green peppers (capsicum/bell pepper)
1/4 cup paneer, diced into 1/2 cm cubes

1 cup cooked basmati rice
1 green chilli, sliced into thin rings
4 tbsp shredded methi leaves (optional)
1/2 cup shredded coriander leaves

1/2 tsp cumin powder
2 tbsp mixed nuts (peanuts, cashewnuts, pecans), chopped
2 tsp raisins or sultanas
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garam masala
2 tsp oil
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Slice off the tops of the peppers and carefully remove the seeds and pith. Make sure the peppers can remain upright; even up the bottoms if required so that they sit flat. Reserve the tops, don't throw them away.

2. Heat the oil in a pan and add the chillies, paneer and chopped nuts. Stir fry till the nuts and the paneer are pale golden brown.

3. Add the coriander and methi leaves and fry till they wilt.

4. Add the sultanas/raisins.

5. Now mix in the rice, garam masala, black pepper powder and salt to taste. Heat this stuffing thoroughly, then turn the heat off and let it cool.

6. Spoon the filling into the prepared peppers, pressing down with the back of the spoon to get as much of the stuffing in as possible,

then put the tops of the peppers back on.

7. Place the stuffed peppers on a baking tray and spray them with Pam on the outside, or brush them with a little oil. Bake in the oven at 200C for 15 minutes or so, or till the peppers are a soft and wrinkled. Don't overcook them.
8. Serve the peppers hot as a main course with a selection of vegetables, and vegetarian gravy.



RECIPE: STUFFED GREEN PEPPERS WITH NUTTY RICE

Ingredients:

2 green peppers (capsicum/bell pepper)
1/4 cup paneer, diced into 1/2 cm cubes
1 cup cooked basmati rice
1 green chilli, sliced into thin rings
4 tbsp shredded methi leaves (optional)
1/2 cup shredded coriander leaves
1/2 tsp cumin powder
2 tbsp mixed nuts (peanuts, cashewnuts, pecans), chopped
2 tsp raisins or sultanas
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garam masala
2 tsp oil
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Slice off the tops of the peppers and carefully remove the seeds and pith. Make sure the peppers can remain upright; even up the bottoms if required so that they sit flat. Reserve the tops, don't throw them away.
2. Heat the oil in a pan and add the chillies, paneer and chopped nuts. Stir fry till the nuts and the paneer are pale golden brown.
3. Add the coriander and methi leaves and fry till they wilt.
4. Add the sultanas/raisins.
5. Now mix in the rice, garam masala, black pepper powder and salt to taste. Heat this stuffing thoroughly, then turn the heat off and let it cool.
6. Spoon the filling into the prepared peppers, pressing down with the back of the spoon to get as much of the stuffing in as possible, then put the tops of the peppers back on.
7. Place the stuffed peppers on a baking tray and spray them with Pam on the outside, or brush them with a little oil. Bake in the oven at 200C for 15 minutes or so, or till the peppers are a soft and wrinkled. Don't overcook them.
8. Serve the peppers hot as a main course with a selection of vegetables, and vegetarian gravy.

Mushroom peas yogurt curry

(Caution to my squeamish readers: Disgusting imagery alert! Read from Para 4 if you have a weak stomach.)
Although I quite like mushrooms, I’m not really crazy about them – I think it’s to do with their texture. I love mushroom soup, because it has the flavour without the texture. I absolutely cannot stand mushrooms in a cold curry because to me they taste like floppy rubber bands, and look like something that died but inexplicably didn’t get a decent burial.
Hm. After that appetizing description, I have no doubt that non-mushroom eaters will be rushing en masse to try the delights of cold cooked mushrooms for themselves. Oh well… I figure that people who dislike mushrooms will continue to dislike them (and perhaps agree with me) and those who love ‘em will continue to love ‘em no matter what I say. (It’s what I call a win-win situation for my writing skills.)

Anyway, it’s been a looooooong time since I cooked with mushrooms last, mainly because the low-fat yogurt I’d used curdled in the sauce to rather gross effect – in fact, binge-drinkers outside nightclubs on a Friday night could not have reproduced anything worse-looking. The effect, basically, was to make me shy away from putting yogurt anywhere near boiling sauce that contained mushrooms.
As I learnt from my disastrous episode with heating very low-fat yogurt, it’s best to use full-fat or regular yogurt, or at worst 2%, if you’re planning to cook with it. Otherwise, reheating leftovers could pose the same problems as heating while cooking.

The Greek yogurt I used was a branded one which I had been asked to try out, and although I’d been assured that the 2% yogurt would not curdle, I must admit I was a bit nervous when adding it to the hot sauce. But it was no lie, the yogurt didn’t “turn” and the finished dish was deeelish, thankfully dislodging the images that had attached themselves to my inner eye after the previous experience.

Recipe for: Mushroom peas yogurt curry


Ingredients:



3 cups baby button mushrooms, halved
1 cup frozen petit pois
1/2 cup thick Greek yogurt (I used Total Greek yogurt)
3/4 tsp whole black peppercorns
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
1/2 cup thick pureed tomatoes (I also used a few baby cherry tomatoes)
1 tsp grated ginger root
1/4 tsp garam masala
2 tsp oil
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnish
Method:

1. Pound the black peppercorns, coriander seeds and cumin seeds to powder in a mortar and pestle.


2. Heat the oil, add the masala powder and let fry for 15 seconds, then add the grated ginger.


3. Throw in the sliced onions and mix well. Skip Step 4 if you are not using cherry tomatoes.


4. When the onions start softening, add the halved cherry tomatoes (if using).

Cook until the tomatoes are mushy.



5. When the onions are soft, pour in the tomato puree and add the garam masala, then add 1/2 cup water.


6. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes, then add the mushrooms.

Let the mushrooms cook for 3-4 minutes until they release their liquid and shrink in size.

7. Now add the frozen petit pois and mix them in.


8. Cover the pan and let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes. If the gravy is watery, boil it on high for 2-3 minutes. When the gravy has reduced to your liking, add the Greek yogurt.


9. Add salt to taste and stir in the Greek yogurt. Let the curry simmer for another 3-4 minutes, then turn off the heat.


10. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with plain rice or as a side dish for pulao and biriyani.


RECIPE: MUSHROOM PEAS YOGURT CURRY

Ingredients:
3 cups baby button mushrooms, halved
1 cup frozen petit pois
1/2 cup thick Greek yogurt (I used Total Greek yogurt)
3/4 tsp whole black peppercorns
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
1/2 cup thick pureed tomatoes (I also used a few baby cherry tomatoes)
1 tsp grated ginger root
1/4 tsp garam masala
2 tsp oil
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnish

Method:
1. Pound the black peppercorns, coriander seeds and cumin seeds to powder in a mortar and pestle.
2. Heat the oil, add the masala powder and let fry for 15 seconds, then add the grated ginger.
3. Throw in the sliced onions and mix well. Skip Step 4 if you are not using cherry tomatoes.
4. When the onions start softening, add the halved cherry tomatoes (if using). Cook until the tomatoes are mushy.
5. When the onions are soft, pour in the tomato puree and add the garam masala, then add 1/2 cup water.
6. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes, then add the mushrooms. Let the mushrooms cook for 3-4 minutes until they release their liquid and shrink in size.
7. Now add the frozen petit pois and mix them in.
8. Cover the pan and let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes. If the gravy is watery, boil it on high for 2-3 minutes. When the gravy has reduced to your liking, add the Greek yogurt.
9. Add salt to taste and stir in the Greek yogurt. Let the curry simmer for another 3-4 minutes, then turn off the heat. Let the curry sit covered for 5 minutes.
10. Then garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with plain rice or as a side dish for pulao and biriyani.