Dhokar Dalna recipe (curry Madness)

[Guest guest]

>A lot of people think curry comes from the " Curry berry " in fact is just a

>potpourri of spices ground.

 

Let me make the further point that very few Indian recipes use curry

powder. They typically serve several dishes in a meal and mix a

specific combination of spices for each dish, so that each dish is

spiced differently. More spicy, sweet with aromatics, with more

cumin, or with mustard, etc.

There are specific mixes for a certain kind of dish: sambal powder,

garum masala (which is sprinkled on a finished dish), or spiced

onion. Or a cook may start with a standard curry powder for certain

dishes, and mix the spices separately for others.

 

A standard " Curry powder " is more typically used in English, French,

Japanese, or Chinese cooking. Thai cooking have their own mixes of

spices.

 

Here is a recipe from The Art of Indian Cruisine by Pranati Sen Gupta

 

Dhokar Dalna (Lentil Cake Curry)

 

Spiced onion:

1/2 onion

1 tsp grated ginger root

1 clove garlic

1/4 tomato

1/2 chili

1/2 T vinegar,

grind to a paste in the blender or with mortar and pestle

 

Lentil Cakes:

1/2 lb gram dal or yellow split peas, soaked overnight

1/4 c water

1 T vegetable oil

pinch cumin

pinch ground asafetida

2 1/2 T spiced onion (see above)

2 1/2 T flour

1 1/4 tsp gnd cumin

1 1/4 tsp gnd coriander

1 1/4 tsp minced ginger

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 c. ghee (clarified butter) or oil

Combine lentils and water in the blender and mix on high until

creamy, scrape down and mix again.

Heat the oik and fry cumin and asafotida for a few seconds, and

spiced onion, lentil paste. flour and spices. Cook gently until

most of the liquid evaporates and it draws from the sides of the pan.

Spread 1/4 inch thick on a greased baking sheet and set aside to

cook. Cut into 1 inch cubes and fry in ghee until golden, remove

from pan and drain.

 

Curry sauce:

ghee or oil

1 large potato, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch cubes

pinch of salt

pinch of turmeric

1 T ghee or oil

pinch of cumin seeds

2 1/2 T spiced onion

1/2 tsp tumeric

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp gnd cumin

pinch of sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garam masala

dash paprika

1 c. plain yogurt

1 c green peas

2 c stock

4 T. chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

Fry potato cubes with pinch of salt and turmeric in the pan from

cooking the lentil cakes, adding ghee as necessary. Fry until golden

and nearly done, remove and drain.

Heat the ghee and fry the cumin seeds and spiced onion, fry gently

for a minute. Add potatoes the fried potatoes, spice, salt and

sugar. Cook stirring, for a minute or two. Stir in garam masala and

paprika. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt. Return to heat, add

peas and cook for another minute or two. Add stock and simmer until

the vegetables are done, about ten minutes. Reduce heat to low and

add lentil cubes, simmer 10 minutes or until thickened. Sprinkle

with cilantro and serve with chapati.

[Guest guest]

This looks like a great recipe - thanks very much for posting it :=) I shall be

trying it soon!

 

What you say about curry powder is quite right of course. For myself, I never

buy commercial curry powder (nasty stuff that tastes like the sweepings off the

factory floor, has little flavour, and makes everything taste the same!), but I

have been known to mix up small amounts of a variation on, say, Charmaine

Solomon or Madhur Jaffrey's own blend of spices to which I then add the

required extra spices as their recipes dictate. That said, I much prefer recipes

which allow you to start from scratch with the spices - and that way they are

freshly ground ;=)

 

About your onion-spice mix: am I right in believing this will keep quite well in

a

lidded glass container in the refrigerator for around a week? That way, any

leftovers can be used in another recipe or the same one again. I haven't tried

freezing this kind of mix, however - have you???

 

Thanks again for your excellent comments and for the recipe! Shall we be

getting more from you soon? How long have you been cooking Indian food?

(Just wondering!)

 

Chat again another time.

 

gf

 

, ranvaig@c... wrote:

> >A lot of people think curry comes from the " Curry berry " in fact is just a

> >potpourri of spices ground.

>

> Let me make the further point that very few Indian recipes use curry

> powder. They typically serve several dishes in a meal and mix a

> specific combination of spices for each dish, so that each dish is

> spiced differently. More spicy, sweet with aromatics, with more

> cumin, or with mustard, etc.

> There are specific mixes for a certain kind of dish: sambal powder,

> garum masala (which is sprinkled on a finished dish), or spiced

> onion. Or a cook may start with a standard curry powder for certain

> dishes, and mix the spices separately for others.

>

> A standard " Curry powder " is more typically used in English, French,

> Japanese, or Chinese cooking. Thai cooking have their own mixes of

> spices.

>

> Here is a recipe from The Art of Indian Cruisine by Pranati Sen Gupta

>

> Dhokar Dalna (Lentil Cake Curry)

>

> Spiced onion:

> 1/2 onion

> 1 tsp grated ginger root

> 1 clove garlic

> 1/4 tomato

> 1/2 chili

> 1/2 T vinegar,

> grind to a paste in the blender or with mortar and pestle

>

> Lentil Cakes:

> 1/2 lb gram dal or yellow split peas, soaked overnight

> 1/4 c water

> 1 T vegetable oil

> pinch cumin

> pinch ground asafetida

> 2 1/2 T spiced onion (see above)

> 2 1/2 T flour

> 1 1/4 tsp gnd cumin

> 1 1/4 tsp gnd coriander

> 1 1/4 tsp minced ginger

> 1/4 tsp cayenne

> 1/4 tsp turmeric

> 1/4 tsp sugar

> 1/4 tsp salt

> 1/4 c. ghee (clarified butter) or oil

> Combine lentils and water in the blender and mix on high until

> creamy, scrape down and mix again.

> Heat the oik and fry cumin and asafotida for a few seconds, and

> spiced onion, lentil paste. flour and spices. Cook gently until

> most of the liquid evaporates and it draws from the sides of the pan.

> Spread 1/4 inch thick on a greased baking sheet and set aside to

> cook. Cut into 1 inch cubes and fry in ghee until golden, remove

> from pan and drain.

>

> Curry sauce:

> ghee or oil

> 1 large potato, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch cubes

> pinch of salt

> pinch of turmeric

> 1 T ghee or oil

> pinch of cumin seeds

> 2 1/2 T spiced onion

> 1/2 tsp tumeric

> 1/2 tsp cayenne

> 1/2 tsp gnd cumin

> pinch of sugar

> 1/2 tsp salt

> 1/4 tsp garam masala

> dash paprika

> 1 c. plain yogurt

> 1 c green peas

> 2 c stock

> 4 T. chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

> Fry potato cubes with pinch of salt and turmeric in the pan from

> cooking the lentil cakes, adding ghee as necessary. Fry until golden

> and nearly done, remove and drain.

> Heat the ghee and fry the cumin seeds and spiced onion, fry gently

> for a minute. Add potatoes the fried potatoes, spice, salt and

> sugar. Cook stirring, for a minute or two. Stir in garam masala and

> paprika. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt. Return to heat, add

> peas and cook for another minute or two. Add stock and simmer until

> the vegetables are done, about ten minutes. Reduce heat to low and

> add lentil cubes, simmer 10 minutes or until thickened. Sprinkle

> with cilantro and serve with chapati.

[Guest guest]

>

>About your onion-spice mix: am I right in believing this will keep

>quite well in a

>lidded glass container in the refrigerator for around a week? That way, any

>leftovers can be used in another recipe or the same one again. I haven't tried

>freezing this kind of mix, however - have you???

 

I wouldn't try freezing it. The book says it will keep a week. This

was actually 1/4 of the recipe in the book. I reduced it to about

the amount needed for the recipe, but you could easily multiply it.

 

>How long have you been cooking Indian food? (Just wondering!)

 

I've been cooking Indian food for 25 years, I think. I have 25 or 30

Indian cook books including a number that were published in India.

One of my favorite experiences was cooking supper for an Indian

friend and watching this skinny guy eat and eat and eat. He said it

was the best food since he left home! I made double the amount of

rice I expected to need, and he finished it ALL!

 

>Thanks again for your excellent comments and for the recipe! Shall we be

>getting more from you soon?

 

I'll send some more, but will need to cook them again first and write

down measurements. I seldom look at recipes or measure when I'm

cooking. Meanwhile here is one of my favorites. Pick pears that are

ripe enough to be sweet, but are still crisp. Peaches or pineapple

are good variations.

Ranvaig

 

 

Pear Salsa

1 onion, peeled and minced

2 cloves garlic. peeled, minced, and smashed

2 jalapenos, minced, or to taste

1 tsp ground cumin

1 lime

1 tsp sugar

2 pears, seeded and chopped

1/2 red pepper, seeded and chopped

3 c. tomatoes, cored and chopped

1 bunch cilantro, cut into ribbons, discard any thick tough stems

Chop all the vegetables finely, but in recognizable pieces, a food

process will chop them too much.

Mix onion, garlic, chili, cumin and sugar. Grate in some of the lime

peel and squeeze the lime and add the juice, mix well. Stir in the

pears, pepper, tomato, and cilantro. Let it stand for an hour or so

before serving. It will keep for 2-3 days, but is best the first day.

Serve with warm fresh corn tortillas or cut flour tortillas into

wedges, spray with cooking spray and bake until crisp.

Number of servings is should be about 8... but often is only one or two.