Noelita's Dhal Curry - Yum Yum

picture from: http://tamarindindian.com/uploads/dhal.jpg

I was brought up in London in a Sri Lankan immigrant family. Sri Lankan Dhal Curry was the first curry I learnt to cook at age 11, by watching my mother and father prepare it in the kitchen. It is really so simple, that a child can do it...


Ingredients

• Red Lentils (1 cup)
• 1 Onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 Teaspoon tumeric
• Garlic - 1 or 2 pips, chopped 
• 3 Red dried chillies (or green chillies if you don't have)
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Cumin, 1tsp
• Curry Leaves, 1 sprig - optional
• 1/2 Cup coconut milk (if you don't have it, use cow's milk)

Method

• Soak lentils in water for an hour.
• Wash + drain a few times until water is clear. 
• Put in pan + cover with water. 
• Boil medium heat, until they just open up. 
• Add 1/4 teaspoon tumeric 
• Add coconut milk + salt. Turn off heat and set aside. 
• Heat oil in frying pan, add curry leaf + onion + garlic and fry for a while. 
• Add tumeric, cumin, mustard seed + dried chillis. Fry until onions golden. 
• Add this mix into lentil curry, bring to boil. 

[Serve with brown/white rice and some other Sri Lankan goodness]

Tips: 
This can be frozen (and is easy to make in large batches!) and will last in the fridge for 3 days.


Recipe with thanks to Noelita

Kedgeree: Spicy Delight from Leftover Rice

Kedgeree was one of my favourite childhood dishes, and is still something that I love to tuck into.

The dish became famous when Victorian British colonial types brought it back from India as a breakfast dish, but it has been argued that it originated in Scotland, got adapted in the subcontinent, and returned in a spicier incarnation.

In hot, pre-refridgeration India, fish was served at breakfast time, whilst it was still fresh. This is too hearty a breakfast dish for me, but an excellent dinner or possibly brunch.

The recipe usually calls for curry powder, cooked rice, flaked smoked haddock, chopped boiled egg and perhaps some parsley or coriander garnish, but once you have the principle it is very adaptable.
Step by step:

1. The cooked rice (you might want to warm it first in the microwave so that you don't have to fry it for a long time, or warm it through with hot water)
2. Put some oil in a large frying pan or wok, and add curry powder, chili powder or other spices. If you wanted to add sauteed onions, now is the time to cook them.
3. Before adding the warmed rice, turn the chopped (quartered or sixteenthed) boiled eggs and flaked smoked haddock (you could substitute this for bacon or cold, chopped meat) in the hot oil and spices so that they are warmed through or cooked).
4. Add the rice, mixed it thoroughly until it is piping hot in the oil and spices

If you want to make it from scratch, why not try Delia Smith's version
photo with thanks to crisphin

Milk it!

I remember a time when I was about 8. We were on holiday, staying on a boat, with an ice box and no fridge. It was the summer, and naturally enough the milk on our cereal wasn't quite as fresh as we were used to. We moaned.

But actually, milk which is "on the turn" is not bad for you, neither rancid or mouldy, and could be employed in other ways even if it not to your taste splashed into tea or liberally poured over cornflakes. In times passed curds were an important part of Irish food culture.

1. Check that it is actually "off". It sounds stupid, but as kids we were convinced that anything passed its sell-by date was bad. I have friends who are still like this. It is easy to tell with milk. If it smells fine, then it is fine, regardless of what the packet says. And you will know if it doesn't smell good!
2. If it is a little sour, it can still be used for baking- cakes, biscuits and so on.
3. Make cream cheese. You can leave it go sour (make sure it is still in its container or covered), cook until it boils wrap the remaining lumpy bits in a cloth (cheese cloth or muslim) and hang. The liquid needs to drain out but you will be left with delicious homemade fresh cheese, which you could mix with fresh herbs, finely chopped onions or garlic, or pretty much anything you fancy. For a different flavour you could also try adding white vinegar or lemon juice to the milk when it is cooling, which will help it to curdle.
4. Another version of this is the Indian fresh cheese, paneer, which is pressed after the curds and whey have been separated. Once made, you could also preserve this cheese in olive oil.
   
   
5. Make yoghurt. You need a bit of yoghurt to start with "live and active cultures" in it. Bring the milk to a boil. When it starts to get foamy on top, remove from the heat until it cools to around 46 degrees C (115 F) or until you can hold your finger in it without it burning. Put a couple of spoonfuls of yogurt in a jug and blend it together with some of the warm milk. Pour the mixture back into the pot of warmed milk and stir. Pour the warmed milk into clean containers (large glass bottles or washed and dried 4 pint milk cartons could be good), put the lids on, cover with the containers with a towel, and put them in a cool, dry, undrafty place over night. Wake up to fresh yoghurt!

Carrot Curry

I learned how to make carrot curry from a Sri Lankan Tamil friend. It quickly became a favourite of mine, and went down a storm with guests. Her recipe was for a vegetable accompaniment- something to go with rice, lentils (dal) and a meat curry. This recipe has the potential to stray quite far from the authenticity of the original (apologies), but with tasty results. You could also use this method with grated potato, parsnips, swedes and other root veg, or with boiled/ steamed broccoli, cauliflower etc

Basic recipe:

• one small onion, diced
• 6 grated carrots
• garlic clove
• cumin (jeera)
• mustard seeds
• curry powder (not garam masala- madras would be good)
• garlic
• oil

1. Put the oil (groundnut oil is best, but I usually use olive oil as it is at hand and it is still delicious) into a large frying pan. Add a teaspoon of mustard seeds and the same of cumin seeds. Let them cook for around a minute, but not until black.
2. Add the diced onion and sweat/fry them until transparent. Sometimes I like the onion crispier- it doesn't matter. With this curry it is never quite the same twice as there is so much room for experimentation.
3. When the onion has cooked, add the grated carrot and diced garlic. You must remember to stir often. It will take around 15-20 minutes on a medium heat to cook.
4. Authentically, this curry should be quite al dente but I like mine softer and possibly a bit crispy- for this to happen you will have to wait until the water (that will come out of the carrots) evaporates.
5. Towards the end add some curry powder (to taste). It always tastes better cooked with some oil or butter- add a drop of oil and add the curry powder on top, allowing it to sizzle before stirring it in. Add salt to bring out the flavour!

Alternatives and waste busting

• Also delicious if you add the juice from a thumb-sized piece of fresh garlic towards the end.
• Sometimes I like this as a main course on its own. It is wonderfully colourful. If I was doing this I would usually toast some peanuts (raw, with shells) in another frying pan and mix at the end. This is really simple and very tasty, and adds protein and substance.
• For a lazy, after work version I might stir in a couple of spoons of peanut butter. This is also great if you are microwaving leftover curry the next day or for a packed lunch. Tasty with leftover rice, or even in a tortilla/ chapati or naan.
• Use up left over carrots. The original uses grated carrots, but why not use leftovers instead? It would also be great with leftover broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, and other root veg
• For a wetter curry, add some coconut milk (100-150ml) when the carrots are almost cooked. You could even just add cows' milk.

bottom photo (of cumin seeds) with thanks to niznoztop photo with thanks to hanacy

Egg Curry/ Simple Biryani

I have an Indian friend who loves eggs. This recipe is for egg Biryani, the versatile Indian dish that can now be found as part of the local cuisine anywhere where Indians have emigrated...

I am not sure that it is completely authentic- I am pretty sure this is a simplified version- but delicious all the same.

You need:

1. basmati rice (raw, 1 cup)
2. 4 eggs
3. 1 medium size onion (chopped)
4. HERBS and SPICES: 2 spoon chopped coriander leaves;1-2 sliced green chilies; 1bay leaf (finely chopped), 2 cloves, 1 cardamom pod, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds,1 spoon ginger paste (or a thumb sized piece, diced), 1 spoon garlic paste (or 1 clove, minced), 1 tomato (chopped or pureed), 1 teaspoon red chili powder,1 teaspoon coriander powder,1 teaspoon garam masala powder,½ teaspoon turmeric powder,1 teaspoon cumin powder
5. 3 spoon olive oil or butter
6. 1 spoon sweet pepper (red, yellow or green) (sliced)
7. 1 spoon grated carrot
8. 1 spoon green peas
9. salt to taste

How to do it:

1. You will need to soak the rice for between 1 and 2 hours before draining.
2. Cook the rice with 2 cups of water and a couple of drops of oil. This is the method where when the water has been absorbed by the rice it should be cooked. Be careful- don't let it over cook (don't worry if you prefer to cook the rice another way)
3. Let the rice cool.
4. Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt in a bowl.
5. In a pan heat a spoon of oil.
6. In a deep pan (or a wok, but it is easiest if you can do it in a dish that can later be put into the oven) heat 2 spoons of oil (or clarified butter). Add the cumin seeds, bay, cloves, cardamon and cook, stirring, for one minute (don't let it burn).
7. Add the diced onion, garlic, ginger and salt. Wait until the onion goes transparent, before adding chopped tomato and the rest of the spices. Cook for 3-4 mins.
8. Add the chopped vegetables and cook for around 5 mins.
9. Add the cooked rice, cooked egg and mix, and put it into the oven, covered in foil. Bake for 10 mins, slow oven, 270 F/175 C/ Gas 1. If you haven't cooked it on the stove in something that can be put directly in the oven, either transfer it first or just cover the pan and keep on the stove for 10mins on a low heat.
10. Garnish with fresh, chopped coriander, a sprinkling of almonds or cashews, a few onion rings or all of them!

Tips and simplification
This recipe calls for some pretty inconvenient things. One spoonful of chopped sweet pepper? Who has that lying around. As with all of our recipes, don't be a slave- we want common sense, not complication. If you have some leftover pepper to use up, go ahead, put in one spoonful, but if not, why not add a spoonful of another capsicum, such as dried paprika, or a bit of chili powder? Healthier still, bung in a whole pepper.

The same with the carrot. One spoonful? Just grate the whole carrot. It will be more colourful and much more nutritious.

As for the spices, not many people have cardomom pods in their spice racks, or garam masala. If you don't have it fresh, use it dried. If you don't have it at all, just leave it out. Personally I am not a huge fan of garam masala anyway, and would probably just use a mild curry powder instead.

Want more protein? Add more eggs, or add some meat. A great way to use up leftover egg whites or yolks.

Want to make it healthier? Use brown rice.

The recipe isn't claiming to be authentic in its first incarnation, so don't be afraid to stray further!

photo with thanks to gavinbell

Carrot Halva

Halvas are eaten from Bosnia to Bangladesh, and as far South as Somalia. This is a recipe for a delicious sweet dish, known as Gajor Halua in Bangladesh. This is an exciting, cheap, fairly healthy, gluten free pudding.

You need:

• 1 kg carrots/ 2.2lb
• 1 litre/ 2 pints milk
• 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
• 2 tablespoons raisins 2 tablespoons almonds (blanched& flaked)
• 2 tablespoons pistachios450 grams/ just under 1lb Sugar

To make it:

1. Soak the raisons in water for about half an hour
2. Prepare the carrots: wash, peel and grate them.
3. Bash the pistachios, in a plastic bag, into small pieces with a rolling pin.
4. Put the water into the pan. When it starts to boil add the carrot. Cook for 6 mins.
5. Pour in the milk and cook gently for one hour. You will need to stir it now and then
6. Add the sugar, mix thoroughly, cook until all of the sugar has dissolved and the milk is absorbed by the carrot.
7. Add the ghee (clarified butter). Simmer for 2 or 3 mins.
8. Add the crushes cardamom (or powder) and the soaked raisins. Mix again.
9. Remove from the heat and put into a serving dish.
10. sprinkle the nuts on top.
11. You can serve this hot or cold

Alternatives
There are many other types of halva, and hopefully we will be able to share some more here. To give this sweet an amazing (and natural) colour, why not add sliced beetroot, which you can remove before serving, to the milk?

Photo with thanks to Peter Rivera