Veggie Foodie

Rajma Masala

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rajma / kidney beans (Indian variety)
• 1 cup finely chopped onions
• 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
• 3 medium garlic + 1 inch ginger + 1 to 2 green chilies – crushed to paste
• 1 tsp coriander powder or dhania powder
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• a pinch of asafoetida or hing
• 1/4 tsp fresh garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds or jeera
• 1 tsp kasuri methi or dry fenugreek leaves, crushed
• 2 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp oil or 3 tbsp butter
• 2 to 3 tbsp cream
• 1 tsp salt or to taste)
• 1 tsp sugar

Method:

1. Rinse and soak the rajma or kidney beans in enough water overnight or for 8-9 hours
2. Discard the water and rinse the beans again in fresh water, add 3 cups water and pressure cook (4-5 whistles) making sure that the cooked rajma is soft
3. Heat oil + butter in another pot or pan. add cumin first and let them crackle till light brown
4. Add onions and saute them till they become light brown, stirring them while sauting for uniform cooking and also so that they don’t get burnt
5. Add the ginger-garlic-chili paste and stir and saute for 5-10 seconds on a low flame
6. Add the tomatoes and saute for 2-3 minutes till the tomatoes become soft
7. Add all the spice powders one by one – turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, asafoetida/hing and garam masala powder and stir and saute the whole masala mixture till the fat starts leaving the masala
8. Add the beans along with its water to the masala
9. Add salt and sugar and stir the whole curry mixture
10. Simmer without a lid for 10-12 minutes or more till the curry thickens slightly (it should not be watery)
11. Mash a few rajma beans with the spoon. This helps to thicken the curry
12. When the rajma masala has thickened and comes to the right consistency which is neither too thick nor thin, then add the kasuri methi and cream and stir & simmer rajma masala for 30 seconds to 1 minute. The take it off heat
13. Serve rajma masala with steamed basmati rice, jeera rice or any Indian bread.

Serves: 3

Inspiration source:

Rajma Recipe | Rajma Chawal (Punjabi Rajma Masala)

Remarks:

Turns out restaurant style!

Moth Dal

Ingredients:

• Muth (Moth) dal, 1 cup. These are beans with brownish green exterior and light yellow interior, used in Indian cooking
• Peanut oil, 1 tbsp
• Asafoetida (hing) powder, ¼ tsp
• Curry leaves, 5-6 leaves
• Green / red chili, 1, slit in half
• Turmeric powder, ½ tsp
• Red chili powder, 1 tsp
• Lime juice, 1 tbsp
• Sugar, 1 tsp
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Carefully clean Muth dal and soak it in water for at least 12 hours
2. Pressure-cook the dal with 2 cups of water (4-5 whistles)
3. Once the dal is cooked and cooled down, remove any uncooked beans
4. In a pan, heat the oil and add asafoetida (hing) powder, curry leaves and slit chili
5. Immediately add the muth dal, along with its cooking water
6. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, sugar and lime juice and bring to boil
7. Serve with any traditional Indian breads such as millet roti

Serves: 4

Masala Chawla

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chawli (black-eyed peas), soaked overnight and drained
• 2 tbsp peanut oil or any other vegetable oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onions
• 1 cup fresh / canned tomato pulp. We pureed Trader Joe’s Organic Tomatoes, Diced in Tomato Juice – 14 oz can
• 1 tsp salt or to taste. Note that canned tomatoes may have added salt
• 2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)

To be ground into paste (minimum water):

• 1 cup chopped mint leaves, washed and drained
• 2 tsp roughly chopped ginger
• 2 tsp roughly chopped green chilies or to taste
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Method:

1. Combine the chawli and 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker, mix well and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. If your beans are hard to cook, add 1/2 tsp soda bicarb to the water and then pressure cook
2. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Drain out water and keep aside
3. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan, add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 4-5 minutes
4. Add the tomato pulp, the dried fenugreek leaves, turmeric powder and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 4-5 minutes, while stirring occasionally
5. Add the cooked chawli and the mint paste, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes, while stirring occasionally
6. Serve hot with any Indian bread

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

http://www.tarladalal.com/Masala-Chawli-3883r