Dal With Chicken Food

DAL (INDIAN LENTIL CURRY)

Steps:

• Soak Lentils: Rinse lentils and leave to soak in plenty of water for 1 hour. Drain in colander.
• Heat ghee/oil in a heavy based saucepan over high heat. Add green chillies and fry for a minute until starting to blister.
• Add onions and fry until softened.
• Lower heat to medium, add garlic, ginger and curry leaves. Cook for 1 minute until garlic starts to turn golden and smells amazing.
• Add tomatoes and cumin, cook until tomatoes start to break down and thicken to a paste - about 2 minutes.
• Add lentils, water, tumeric and salt. Stir, bring to simmer, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. Stir two or three times during the hour.
• Remove lid and simmer gently for 30 minutes to thicken, stirring every now and then. The dal is ready when it has a consistency like porridge - some lentils should be intact but some have broken down to thicken the sauce.
• Stir through garam masala at the end. Adjust salt if desired.
• Pour over Tadka, if using, and stir through.
• Serve Dal over rice, garnished with a sprig of coriander if desired.

DAL WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• Soak the moong dal for 1/2 hour in water.
• Meanwhile, wash the chicken pieces, and remove the skin and excess fat.
• Set aside.
• Dice one onion and set aside.
• In a dutch oven or other large cooking vessel heat 3 Table. oil over medium heat.
• When the oil is hot, add 3/4 of the diced onion.
• Set the remaining 1/4 of the onion aside for later use.
• Cook the onion, stirring frequently, until the onion is 3/4 cooked.
• Add the ginger and the chicken thighs and cook, turning over the chicken occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the turmeric and the cayenne and mix well with the chicken.
• Drain the moong dal and add to the chicken with about 4 cups water.
• Add 1 diced tomato (optional).
• Blend and bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least 45 minutes, but more like one hour.
• You will probably need to keep adding water every 10-15 minutes.
• The dal should be well cooked (cook until smooth) and the chicken very tender.
• Remove the chicken from the dal and debone it, returning the chicken meat to the dal (lentils).
• Meanwhile, in a small frying pan on high heat put 3 Table. oil, the remaining 1/4 diced onion, the cumin seeds, minced garlic and minced green serrano chiilies.
• Stir nonstop until almost burnt, but not quite.
• Add to the dal.
• Add salt to taste and mix well.

DAL

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat the ghee and stir-fry the onions just until wilted, do not brown. Add the garlic, jalapeno, cumin, lentils, ginger, curry powder, salt, pepper, sugar and bay leaf. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes, until the herbs and spices bloom (aromatic). Add the tomatoes and deglaze with the vinegar. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning with cumin, salt, pepper and sugar.
• In a large saute pan, combine the black peppercorns, cloves, cardamom seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon sticks, and dried red chiles. Over medium heat, cook just until slightly toasted, stirring constantly. Turn off heat and stir in the grated nutmeg.
• Transfer to a food processor and grind to a fine powder. Pass through a fine strainer. Allow to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight jar. Use as needed.

DAL

Steps:

• Heat the canola oil over medium heat in a medium pot. Add 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds and toast for a few seconds. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden-brown, less than 1 minute. Add the onions and tomatoes. Cook about 2 minutes before adding the turmeric. Continue to cook until golden-brown.
• Add the lentils, and cook stirring, until the lentils are soft and change colors. Add 4 cups water, while stirring, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Season with the 1/2 tablespoon salt and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds. Garnish with the cilantro.

CURRIED CHICKEN & BAKED DHAL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Grate the garlic and ginger into a large roasting dish. Add the lentils, onions, cauliflower, turmeric and cumin seeds. Pour over 500ml boiling water and give everything a good mix. Rub the chicken thighs with the oil, curry powder and a pinch of salt and pepper. Nestle these into the lentils, then cook in the oven for 40 mins until the lentils and chicken are cooked through.
• Add the spinach and tomatoes to the dish, remove the chicken and return to the oven briefly for a couple of mins until the spinach has wilted. Season to taste. Serve with the lemon wedges and yogurt.