Tag Archives: vegetables

Red Lentil Curry

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Red Lentil Curry in a red bowl

I purchased a large bag of red lentils recently and was looking for a good red lentil curry recipe when I came upon this one, posted by Emma Maher, on allrecipes.com:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Red-Lentil-Curry/Detail.aspx

From the looks of the allrecipes.com legalese, I may not be allowed to post the text of the recipe – and who has time to decipher all that? – so please forgive me for sending you to another site.  However, this is an excellent curry and I highly recommend that you give it a try.  It’s a savory, complex and substantive dish, which, if served with rice and some chutney and a thick plain yogurt, would make a good dinner.  If you made the curry paste I posted yesterday, it will work well in this recipe.  Meat eaters, fear not; nothing watery or wimpy here.

Chana masala without those super-pricy spice packets

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Chana masala

Chana masala

There is no reason you need to rely on those spice and spice paste packets enrobed in colorful little cardboard sleeves that have flooded the market in recent years when making Indian dishes.  These packets, produced by American companies mainly for American cooks, are often good for only one meal – and won’t even give you that, if you have a large family.  Most of the ones I have tried (and there are at least three companies that I know of) are perfectly fine in terms of results – no complaints there.  The problem is the price, which ranges from outrageous to high for what you are really getting.

If you don’t want to be bothered by mixing your own spices, or with making curry pastes, buy these items in Asian/Indian markets in quantity once you have the technique down.  There are blends produced and used in India but also packed for export, many of which have instructions in English, though asking the storekeeper for what you want is your best bet, since many shops sell spice mix in bulk.

One brand I like for chana masala is MDH, which is sold in boxes of 100 grams (3.5 ounces), which gives you enough for five batches (or three, for larger families).  Some regular supermarkets in the Bay Area carry this for about $3, which is handy.  It’s much cheaper in Indian groceries, though.  This stuff makes an excellent chana masala!

MDH spice blend for chana masala

If you want the recipe from the box, here it is:

MDH’s Chana Masala

“Soak 200g [a tad more than 7 ounces] chick peas overnight with extra water.  Strain.  In a large pan heat 50g cooking oil.  Fry 120g [1 3/4 ounces] chopped red onions till golden brown.  Add two chopped tomatoes (120g) [4 1/4 ounces]and stir.  Add 20g [a bit less than 3/4 ounce] chana masala, 1 tspn. salt, and chick peas.  Stir for 5 minutes then add 800ml [27 ounces] fresh water.  Mix [in] 1/2 tspn. baking soda.  Bring to boil & cover.  Simmer for 40 min on low heat.  Alternately pressure cook for 20 min. with 400ml [just under 14 ounces] water and 1/2 tspn. baking soda.  Read cooking instructions on chick peas pack also.”

My notes:
1)  The stovetop method may need way more cooking time than 40 minutes
2)  You must soak your own chick peas!  Do not do this with canned chick peas!
3)  Do not omit the baking soda because you think it’s odd!
4)  I have no idea what the last sentence means; I ignore it

An easy way to serve buttered corn on the cob

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Buttered cobs of corn ready to serve

This may fall under the category of obvious, but I have eaten so many ears of corn at cook-outs the past few years where the butter was served on the side in pats, that I thought I’d give out a couple of tips:

1)  If you want to serve the butter on the side, place an entire stick of butter on a small plate and tell people to set their corn on top of the butter and rotate it until they have the coverage they desire.  Serve the corn with those little forks that get stuck in each end, which will help in the process.  No rolling once a cob has been gnawed, to prevent illness.

2)  Warm a large, deep casserole and toss in whatever quantity of salted butter (or unsalted butter plus a little salt) seems about right.  I use one stick for 8 – 10 ears.  When your corn is finished cooking, place in the casserole in a single layer with the butter and cover well with two layers of plastic wrap.  You want the top of the wrapped container to resemble a drum.  Shake the corn back and forth every few minutes to distribute the butter, which will melt from the heat of the receptacle and the corn, and serve within 20 – 30 minutes.

Succulent roast chicken via yogurt with Brussels Sprouts

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Yogurt-marinated chicken with brussels sprouts

Roast chicken is something that falls under my list of foods to have the night before execution or Armageddon.  There is nothing that offers as much comfort as a big, juicy, flavorful chicken with roasted sides, such as the brussels sprouts I show in my example.  Cooks know that making foods that seem simple – like a good roast chicken or braised short ribs – prove one’s culinary mettle.

With chicken the main issues are avoiding breast meat dryness and imparting flavor.  Now, I have prepared many, many chickens in my lifetime, and I find that one of the best ways to hit all the right marks is to use a good yogurt marinade – spreading it under the skin as well as all around the outside.  The yogurt is mixed with an acid, such as lemon or lime juice, salt and some spices.  You are also free to wipe the marinade off the outside of the chicken before roasting, but if you leave it on you’ll get a nice char, particularly under convection conditions, which is desirable if you are using, say, a tandoori spice mix.  (Although it is traditional to remove the skin when making chicken tandoori, what you want here is a flavorful whole roast chicken with skin.)

It is important to note that I salt the chicken before the marinading process in addition to adding it to the marinade.  The salt in the yogurt ensures moisture in the final product.

I prepare this dish using a bit of Thai or Indian curry paste, or a spice mix, such as shawarma – whatever I have on hand or can mix in a pinch.

The last thing to mention is to not overcook the bird.  Use a probe or meat thermometer and remove the chicken from the oven when it reaches the USDA-required internal temperature for chicken (at the innermost thigh and wing and thickest part of the breast), which is, at the time of this posting, 165 deg. F.  If you are using an old meat thermometer, be advised that it probably shows a higher temp than currently required for most things, so always check with the USDA.)

If you would like to make the chicken in the photo, here you go:

Roasted chicken with tandoori spices

1 large, whole, roasting or frying chicken, neck and gizzards removed and dried with paper towels
1/2 c. good, thick, full-fat yogurt
1/8 c. lemon juice
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 T. tandoori spice mix (can buy in the spice section of most upscale supermarkets or in Asian/Indian markets
Extra Kosher salt to salt chicken before it goes into marinade – just a little

1)  Whisk yogurt, lemon juice, salt and spice mix.
2)  Salt the inside and outside of the chicken with a little Kosher salt
3)  Loosen skin on chicken, starting from breast end, gently working your fingers down and finally over legs WITHOUT TEARING.
4)  Rub 1/4 of marinade under the skin, making sure to reach all areas.
5)  Rub 1/4 of marinade inside chicken cavities.
6)  Rub remaining marinade over exterior of chicken, getting into all the nooks near the wings and legs.
7)  Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and marinate at least 4 hours.
8)  Place on rack in roasting pan (A rack keeps the bottom of the chicken from boiling in juices, though this is not always a bad thing!)
9)  Roast at 350 deg. F. convection (or 375 deg. F. if you do not have a convection oven) until done.  My 3-pound chicken took about 75 minutes, but you need to go by internal temperature.

If you want to roast a pound of brussels sprouts, do this:

1)  Trim, cut sprouts in half the long way, and wash (one tip, here, which is especially good when dealing with organic produce:  submerge them in water for a few moments, in case there are any little bugs nestled into those tightly-woven leaves).
2)  Place in microwave-safe bowl with a little water, cover with plastic wrap, make one slit in the plastic, and microwave on high for 2 minutes.
3)  Set in high colander to drain until you are ready to roast.
4)  Dry well with a kitchen towel or paper.
5)  Toss onto a sheet pan with some Kosher salt.
6)  Pour 1/4 c. of olive oil onto the pan.
7)  Rub sprouts with oil by hand, leaving them cut side down on the pan.
8)  Roast in the same oven as the chicken for the last 30 or so minutes, or by themselves at 375 deg. F. for 20 – 30 minutes – with convection, if you have it.

You certainly could roast them without the microwave pre-steaming, but they will be less green and less moist.

Tabouli is better at home

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Tabouli in a bowl

I have had so much terrible tabouli over the years that I eat it only at home or at a good Middle Eastern restaurant where I know it is being made fresh.  Many of my friends don’t like tabouli because they have only eaten the leaden, tasteless salad bar versions and have no clue what it is like at its best – fresh, herb-laden and zesty with the crackly texture of the bulgur which serves as its base.

Bulgur, which may be purchased like rice, in a box or bag, or in bulk at establishments like Berkeley Bowl Market or Whole Foods, is parboiled, cracked, dried wheat.  It is soaked to soften it a bit, and then veggies, herbs, citrus juice and oil are added to create a salad.

Here is a very basic recipe that will give you enough for 6  generous sides.  Note that the one thing I do that others generally do not is limit the tomato.  I think most tabouli salads have way too much tomato, which makes it watery, particularly after storage, and cuts down on the impact of the fresh herbs.

Tabouli Salad

2 c. bulgur
2 c. water
1 cucumber (seeded if you like), medium dice
1 small tomato, small dice
1/2 c. mint leaves, medium chiffonade (roll the leaves together and cut them so you wind up with strips.  Use a sharp knife so you don’t bruise or crush the leaves)
1/2 c. flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, rough chop
4 scallions, chopped (use green and white parts)
1/3 c. olive or canola oil
1/2 c. FRESH lemon juice – from actual lemons (use more or less to taste; I like it acidic)
2 T. orange juice (optional – but I like it in there for a touch of sweetness)
Kosher salt & fresh pepper

1)  Soak the bulgur in the water for 1 hour and 15 minutes.*
2)  Pour the oil over the bulger and mix in.
3)  Pour the citrus juices over the bulgur and mix in.
4)  Season with salt & pepper.
5)  Let sit for 15 mins.
6)  See what the dressing situation is.  If the bulgur is super dry, add a bit more oil and citrus juices.  You don’t want it swimming in dressing but you want it a bit wet because the wheat will absorb more dressing.
7)  Mix in the herbs and vegetables.
8)  Taste and adjust seasonings, i.e., add salt, if needed.
9)  Let sit 45 minutes (on the counter is OK).
10)  Fluff with a fork before service.

*I use room temperature water because I like crunchy bulgur.  If you wish, you may use hot water and then reduce the soaking time to where the wheat is at the right point for your taste