Madhur Jaffrey Dal Food

MADHUR JAFFREY'S PRESSURE COOKER DAL (DAL MAKKHANI)

Steps:

• Prepare the beans: Wash urad and beans, and soak them overnight at room temperature, in water that covers them generously. Drain them.
• Put the beans into an electric pressure cooker. Add tomatoes, ginger, garlic, chile powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 4 cups water. Close and seal the lid, then set to cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, before letting the pressure release naturally. (If pressure still hasn't released naturally after 15 minutes, quick-release the pressure.)
• As pressure releases, prepare the tarka: Put the oil or ghee in a small frying pan over medium heat. When hot, arrange the onions in a single layer. Stir and fry them, turning now and then, until they turn reddish gold and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika and chile powder, and remove from heat.
• Once the pressure has released, hit cancel to reset the pressure cooker. Open the lid carefully, venting the steam away from you. Stir the dal. Using a potato masher, crush the dal as much as you can. Taste, adding salt as needed.
• Select the sauté setting, and set to normal. Add the cream, garam masala and 1 tablespoon butter, and stir until dal reaches desired consistency. Transfer dal to a serving dish and add another dollop of butter on top. Top with tarka.

MADHUR JAFFREY'S CHANA DAL

Steps:

• Preparation:Put the dal in a heavy pot along with the water.Bring to a boil and remove any surface scum.Add the turmeric and ginger.Cover, leaving the lid just very slightly ajar, turn heat to low, and simmer gently for one and a half hours or until the dal is tender.Stir every 5 minutes or so during the last half hour of cooking to prevent sticking.Remove the ginger slices.Add the salt and garam masala to the dal. stir to mix.Heat the ghee in a small frying pan over medium heat.When hot, put in the cumin seeds. a couple of seconds later, put in the garlic. stir and fry until the garlic pieces are lightly browned.Put the chili powder into the pan. immediately lift the pan off the heat and pour the mixture into the pot with the dal. stir to mix.

EASY DAL

Steps:

• Clean and wash the lentils thoroughly. Put them in heavy-bottomed 3-4 quart pot, add 5 cups water, and bring to a boil. Remove the froth and scum that collects at the top. Now add the garlic, ginger, fresh coriander (or keep it and use it as a garnish at the end), turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Cover, leaving the lid very slightly ajar, lower heat, and simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionaly. When dal is cooked, add the salt and lemon juice (it should be thicker than pea soup, but thinner than cooked cereal.
• In a 4-6-inch skillet or small pot, heat the vegetable oil or ghee over a medium-high flame. When hot, add the asafetida and cumin seeds. As soon as the asafetida sizzles and expands and the cumin seeds turn dark (this will take only a few seconds), pour the oil and spices over the dal (lentils) and serve. (Some people put the dal in a serving dish and then pour the oil and spices over it.).
• To serve: Serve with plain rice and a vegetable for a simple meal. Most meat and chicken dishes go well with this dal. Since some people like to squeeze extra lemon or lime juice on their dal, serve some wedges separately. Note: Finely sliced onion rings, fried until brown and crisp, are often spread over the dal as a garnish before it is served.

CHANNA MASALA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet.
• Add onions and garlic and sauté over a medium heat until browned (3-5 minutes).
• Turn heat to medium-low.
• Add the coriander, cumin (not the roasted cumin), cayenne and turmeric.
• Stir for a few seconds.
• Add the tomatoes.
• Cook the tomatoes until browned lightly.
• Add chickpeas and a cup of water and stir.
• Add the roasted cumin, amchoor, paprika, garam masala, salt and lemon juice.
• Cook covered for 10 minutes.
• Remove the cover add the minced chili and ginger.
• Stir and cook uncovered for 30 seconds.