RECIPES - LOVE BITES
Dal Fry This is what I had cooked for my wife, Farrukh Shadab Ansari, the first time after marriage. It was good enough to prove her that I at least knew the ABCD-ALs of cooking! I recently cooked it again to revive our old moments where we had all the time to cook together, without the worries of chores and a busy life.
Ingredients: • 1 cup moong dal • 2 tbsp oil • 1 tsp cumin seeds • 3 green chillies, slit • 1 medium onion, finely sliced • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped • ½ tsp turmeric powder • ½ tsp red chili powder • Water, as required • 1 tsp garam masala powder • Juice of 1 lemon • Salt, as per taste
by Mohammed Shadab Ansari
• ½ tsp Kasuri Methi Tempering: • 1 tbsp ghee • ½ tsp cumin seeds • 5 garlic cloves, crushed Garnish: • Coriander leaves
Method: 1. Wash the dal and cook it in a pressure cooker with enough water till it’s well cooked, but not mushy. 2. In a pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds and allow it to crackle. 3. Add green chillies and fry for few seconds. Add sliced onion and fry till slightly brown. 4. Add tomatoes, mix, cover and cook till the tomatoes are soft and water from the tomatoes dries up. 5. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, boiled dal and water (as per your preferred consistency for the dal). 6. Mix well and simmer for 5 to 6 mins. 7. Add garam masala powder, lemon juice and salt. 8. Mix and simmer for another 5 to 6 mins. Finally add kasuri methi and mix. 9. For Tempering: Heat ghee in a small pan. Add cumin seeds and allow it to crackle, add crushed garlic and fry till brown, then pour this tempering over the cooked dal.
CaLDRON February 2014
57