The Indian Foodie, Author at The Indian Foodie

In Main Dishes

Lamb Curry

I had a Tweet request for Lamb Curry, so this one is for you, my friend!

In India, sheep and goat breeds vary from region to region depending on agro-ecological conditions. We mainly ate goat meat, but since Father was in the army and moved all over India, we would eat lamb in some areas. This recipe should be good with any variety of lamb. To me, lamb has a stronger flavor than goat. Both meats are good for stews and curries and go well with Indian spices. I like to cook the curry with a couple of marrow bones or bones as it give the curry a great taste. They are a lot smaller than beef bones. When we were growing up, the marrow bone was prized amongst us kids. Bone marrow may sound to many like a terrible thing to eat, but it has tremendous health benefits and is a popular delicacy, particularly in German cuisine. Bone marrow has made a comeback in recent years and is served at trendy restaurants.

At home, since we were a family of 9, there were only a few marrow bones in a curry, so we would take turns and share. On our “Marrow Bone Day,” our place setting would have a marrow spoon. It was a long, narrow metal scoop about 5″- 6″ long that we used to scoop the marrow out. Actually, by the time the curry was cooked the tender part of the bone was soft enough to chew, but Dad frowned on such behavior at the table! But, being kids, we’d sneak into the kitchen and try on occasion to do just that. Cook was sworn to secrecy and would keep an eye out for Father! For those who have chewed on chicken bones and ribs, you know what I mean.

Print Pin

Lamb Curry

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings 6

A fragrant curry, simmered in spices, yogurt, tomatoes, and onions.

Ingredients

1 large whole black cardamom
2 small whole green cardamom
2 bay leaves
3 sticks (about an inch long) cinnamon
5 cloves
6 black pepper corns
1 medium onion (finely chopped, about 5 oz)
1 large potato (optional, peeled and quartered )
1 small Serrano green chili (optional)
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground garlic
2 tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp red chili powder (more or less to your taste)
½ tsp turmeric powder
3 tbsp fresh cilantro (finely chopped)
1 tsp garlic salt (or regular salt if you don't have garlic salt)
4 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp salt (or to your taste)
3 cups hot water

Instructions

Helpful Hint

To make things easier, have all the ingredients ready before you start cooking.

To Cook

Heat oil in a 4-5 quart cooking pot over medium-high heat.
Add bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon cloves, peppercorn, and green serrano. Cook, stirring for about 30 seconds.
Add the chopped onions. Sauté, stirring frequently, for about 8-10 minutes until half caramelized (brown).
Add the garlic paste, ginger paste, as well as coriander, turmeric, and chili powders, (Alternately, you can mix the spice powders with the ginger-garlic paste and a little water before adding them to the pot). Stir for about a minute until fragrant, stirring and scraping the bottom, so it doesn't stick and burn. If it is sticking, just pour in a little hot water.
Add the lamb stew meat, 2 tablespoons of cilantro, and garlic salt (or salt). Cook on medium-high heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover, and let it cook in its own juice for another 5 minutes.
Uncover and cook until the moisture evaporates and the oil starts to surface on the sides. Be sure to continue to stir occasionally so that the masala does not stick to the pot and burn.
Now add the tomato paste and about a quarter cup of hot water. Let it cook, stirring frequently, for another 4 minutes.
Pour the rest of the hot water and let it simmer until the meat is tender, about 25 minutes.
If you like to add potatoes to your curry, you can add them at this point. You can add a little more hot water if you like a thinner gravy, but do not let it get too liquidy!
Pour into a serving dish and garnish with the remaining cilantro.
Lamb Curry pairs well with rice, rice pilaf, naans, or rotis (tortillas).

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: curry, lamb

Your Next Recipe

In Main Dishes

Dal Rusum (Pepper Water)

By The Indian Foodie

Sunday was our day for Pepper Water, a South Indian dish called Dal Rusum. Mama being from the south and Father from the North, coupled with the fact that we traveled all over the Indian subcontinents as Military brats, gave us a whole range of Indian cuisine to sample. Further, my husband being in the Indian Air Force enhanced that culinary adventure further for me.

Rusum was one of our favorite meals growing up. Cook would fix a whole lot of it under Mama’s tutelage. It was served with plain boiled rice and pepper chops. The combination was just plain yummy!

When fixing rusum, be sure to have two 5-6 quart pots and a sieve handy to strain the rusum. Also keep a large skillet or frying pan nearby for tempering. You will need them when boiling the lentil and when tempering it.

Cooking rusum can be tricky when making it the first time. To make things easier for you, have all your ingredients ready before you start. Separate the ingredients in steps 1-4. It will make things less confusing for you.

Print Pin

Dal Rusum (Pepper Water)

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Servings 6

Rusum (Pepper Water) is a South Indian dish made from crushed pepper, tamarind, lentils, and spices.

Ingredients

1½ cups toor/arhar dal (pigeon peas)
1 tsp tumeric powder
1 heaped tsp tamarind paste
1 small pod garlic (or 8 large flakes)
20 whole peppercorns
1½ tsp whole cumin seeds
3 cups fresh cilantro (loosely packed cups)
2 medium dried red chilies (broken into bits)
1 tsp black mustard seeds
8 curry leaves (add more less to taste)

Instructions

Step 1: Preparing the Dal Water

Boil the dal in 6-7 cups of water with salt and turmeric until the dal is tender. Approximately 35-40 minutes.
Strain the dal through a sieve, pouring the dal liquid into another large pot. Set strained dal aside.

Step 2: Adding the Tamarind Paste

Add the tamarind paste to the dal liquid. Taste for tartness and salt. It should be tangy but not sour. Bring to boil for about 5-10 minutes. Turn heat off.

Step 3: First Tempering / Tadka for Dal Water

Coarsely grind the garlic flakes, cumin, fresh green cilantro, pepper corns, and turmeric powder. You can use your chopper, blender, or pestle.
Heat about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a fairly large saucepan or skillet.
Add the coarsely ground mixture and sauté for about a minute or until you can smell the aroma. It doesn't take long! Make sure to stir it often, so it does not burn.
Pour this into the dal water. Put the pot back on stove and return to boil. Let it boil for about 10 minutes.
Now strain the water again into the other empty pot, making sure to squeeze all the juice out of the tadka mixture so the essence of it is not lost. Your rusum is ready for the second tempering.

Step 4: Second Tempering of the Rusum

Heat oil, and add ¾ teaspoon of mustard seeds. Be careful, as they splutter. Now add the 2 dry red chilies and the fresh curry leaves. Stir for about 10 seconds and then pour it over the pepper water.

Tempering / Tadkafor the Dal

Same as the rusum. Heat the oil and add the remainder of the mustard seeds, red chilies, and curry leaves. Stir for about 10 seconds and then pour over the dal. Toss gently into the dal.
Serve the rusum/pepper water and dal along with meat pepper fry and plain boiled rice.

Notes

To make your own tamarind paste: Take a golf-sized lump of freshly peeled tamarind, place in a cup of warm water, then extract the tamarind juice by squeezing the pulp out into a bowl, and then strain the thick juice.

Since different brands of Tamarind vary in tartness, start with a little less than the tamarind called for. If it’s not tangy enough for your taste, then adjust to your liking. If by some chance it gets too sour, don't panic. Just boil a half cup more of the lentil and add it to the Rusum.

I now prefer to add the strained dal back into the rusum after I strain the first tadka. That way, I do not have to temper the dal separately.

You may want to set the table with soup bowls and spoons for easier handling of the pepper water and rice.

You can also drink this as a spicy soup-especially when you have a cold or recovering from a bout of flu. The tanginess, garlic, cilantro and pepper takes care of any residual yukiness !! I remember mom used to have Cook fix it anytime we were recovering from being sick. It tasted so good!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian, South Indian

Keyword: pepper, rusum, tamarind

Your Next Recipe

In Main Dishes

Dals (Lentils)

By The Indian Foodie

One of my favorite meals is dal, plain boiled rice and pickle. While growing up, Mama had different dals for each day of the week. Each dal had its own seasonings, and we children had our own favorite dal.

Dals (including the larger legumes and beans) are a staple in the Indian diet. They are easy to prepare and add protein to vegetarian fare. The dals are mostly boiled with ginger and garlic and then tempered or seasoned (called Tadka, Baghar, or Chaunk) depending on which part of India you are raised. Dals taste great spooned over rice or eaten with rotis or any other flat bread.

I remember our Peace Corps friends, back in the 60s, said they survived on dal and rice until they got used to the other spicy food. There were no fancy restaurants in the villages and small towns where they worked, and with their meager salaries, lentils were cheap, wholesome and easy to prepare.

Print Pin

Dals (Lentils)

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings 6

Dals are a staple of Indian diet and are packed with protein and nutrients.

Ingredients

1 cup lentils of choice
4 cups water (or 6-7 cups, depending on dal)
2 cloves garlic (chopped finely)
1 tbsp fresh ginger (chopped finely)
1 whole green Serrano chili (slit half-way)
1 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp salt (or to taste)

For Tadka / Tempering

2 tbsp cooking oil
1 medium tomato (finely chopped, optional)
½ onion (finely chopped)
1 tsp garam masala (optional)
½ tsp red chili powder (optional, or to your taste)
2 tbsp fresh cilantro (finely chopped)

Instructions

Sort and clean any grit in the dal. Rinse well. A friend, Lilani who is a fantastic gourmet chef, suggested washing and rinsing through a strainer so that any little bits of grit get washed away. But make sure you sort through the dal so you don't have any tiny stones that can crack someone's tooth!
Ina deep saucepan or cooking pot, add the dal, chopped garlic, fresh chopped ginger, whole Serrano chili or a whole dried red chili, turmeric powder, and salt to taste.
Add water and boil until it resembles a thick soup.
Stir every 15 minutes. Initially, the scum(froth) will rise to the top, you can remove it with a spoon. Half cover the pot with a lid so that some steam escapes and the dal water does not overflow.
Cooking time will vary from 45 minutes to 3 hours depending on the size and type of lentil.
Set aside and use any of the following ways to temper the dals.

Basic Tadka / Tempering for All Lentils

Heat oil in a small pan.
Add onions and sauté them until half browned. About 4-6 minutes.
Add tomatoes (if you like). Once they start to soften and curl, in about 3-4 minutes, turn off the heat and add the spice powders. Stir a minute or two and pour over the cooked dal.
Stir the dal and let the spices cook for another 3- 5 minutes to absorb the flavors of the tadka. Turn off the heat and let the dal rest for 5 minutes.
Pour the dal into a deep dish and garnish with chopped green Cilantro.
Serve with cooked white rice and a vegetable or a spicy meat dish and pickle.
The lentils are poured over the rice. If you are eating it with roti, flatbreads or bread, then pour the lentils into individual cup-sized dishes for easy dipping or the use of a spoon.

Notes

You can vary the seasoning by eliminating the onions or tomatoes and just season it with the spices.

I use different seasonings for different lentils, as you will see when you check my other dal recipes, but there are no hard and fast rules. The lentils should be the texture of a hearty soup, blended but not mushy.

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Indian, Vegetarian

Keyword: dals, lentils

Your Next Recipe

In Drinks

Sweet Lassi (Yogurt Drink)

By The Indian Foodie

We are on our famous cross-country trip across the hot and heated summer plains of Northern India, making our way to the cool hills of Jammu and Kashmir. It has been a long ride from our night stop at Ambala in Punjab. It is only mid-morning, but the sun is bearing down strong and hard. Hot gusts of dust hit us from time to time. We plan to make a pit stop at Ludhiana, which is about 65 miles away from Ambala. The roads are rough and the going slow. It is a busy highway, with the laden public carriers (trucks with merchandise) swerving dangerously close. We call them Public Killers as there are involved in so many fatal road accidents.

Finally, we arrive at a much-needed stop. Mama orders us all tall glasses of sweet lassi, a yogurt drink from a Halwai. Loosely translated, a halwai is a confectioner who makes Indian sweets. Halwais come from the Vaishya caste whose contribution to Indian society is confectionery and making sweets (candies).

I watch the halwai closely as he fixes the drinks. He takes big dollops of yogurt from the large flat earthenware pot, on which he has a block of ice to keep the yogurt cool. The ice is wrapped in a gunny sack to prevent it from melting. Those were the times when small restaurants and dhabbas did not have refrigerators. Things are different today. The yogurt is so thick you can cut through it with a knife. He puts the yogurt into a large stainless steel jug. To this he adds sugar and iced water along with the juice of a couple of lemons. After he quickly blends together the ingredients, he pours the lassi into tall glasses.

Maybe I was hot, sweaty, and dusty, but it was about the best lassi I had ever tasted.

Lassi is a yogurt drink that you can make either sweet or salty or with fruit. It originated in Punjab, and was a smoothie in India long before the world caught up!

Print Pin

Lassi (Yogurt Drink)

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings 4

Originating in the Punjab, Lassi, is a refreshing, healthy yogurt drink that is common in India, and is now popular all over the world.

Ingredients

3 cups plain yogurt (for a thicker lassi, use whole milk yogurt, but you can also use nonfat or low-fat)
4 tbsp sugar (or sugar substitute)
2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
2 cups water
2 cups crushed ice

Instructions

Put all the ingredients with a ½ cup of crushed ice in a blender (or hand whisk) and blend until smooth. Taste for sugar. It should be sweet with a hint of tartness with the lemon/lime juice. Adjust to your taste.
Pour into tall glasses and serve. You can garnish with some mint leaves or lemon/lime wedges. Personally, I don't like mint leaves as their strong flavor tends to detract from the taste of the lassi.

Notes

Salted Lassi: If you can't have sugar or don't like the sweetness, you can substitute the sugar with salt (to your taste). Add a dash of cinnamon or roasted cumin powder and garnish with fresh, chopped cilantro (coriander) leaves.

Check my website for Mango Lassi, Raspberry Lassi, and Pineapple Lassi. You can also use flavored yogurt to make lassi, but I prefer the taste of lassi made from scratch.

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American, Indian

Keyword: lassi, salt, yogurt

-Halwai Photo by Tiago Rosado on Unsplash
-Lorry Photo by Siddhesh Mangela on Unsplash

Your Next Recipe

In Main Dishes

Lauki Channa Dal (Bottle Gourd Chickpea Curry)

By The Indian Foodie

We are visiting my husband’s Mamajee (mother’s brother) in Chandigarh. Mamijee (his wife) is busy in the kitchen supervising the meal. I am with her to see if I can lend a hand—and, since I am family, it would be most disrespectful of me to sit like a guest and not ask if I can help! The dal is already boiled, and the lauki (bottle gourd) is being prepared. I watch and try to stay out of the way until I am needed.

Bottle gourd belongs to the family of summer squashes in India like Ridge gourd (Tori) and Indian round gourd (Tinda).

Lauki always makes me think of Loki in Norse Mythology!

Print Pin

Lauki Chana Dal (Bottle Gourd Chickpea Curry)

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 35

Total Time 55

Servings 6 people

A North Indian specialty, perfect for a vegetarian main or side dish!

Ingredients

For the Dal

1 cup channa dal
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger root
½ tsp turmeric
4 cups water

For the Gourd

1 medium gourd, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion chopped fine
2 medium tomatoes chopped fine
½ tsp whole cumin seeds
1 serrano chili, sliced in half (optional)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp red chili powder (optional)
½ tsp ground cumin powder
¼ tsp garam masala (or to your taste)
1½-2 cups water
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (fresh green coriander leaves)
3 tbsp cooking oil

Instructions

For the Dal

Sort and clean the dal well of any grit. Wash, rubbing grains together with your fingers, at least 3 times and soak in water for half an hour, then drain and place in a 4 to 6-quart pot.
Add 4 cups of water, chopped ginger, 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Set on the stove and cook on high, partially covered, until it comes to a rolling boil. You can remove any froth that surfaces with a spoon.
Lower heat and let simmer for approximately 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft and blended. Turn off the heat.

For the Gourd

Peel and cut the gourd in half, then cut in half again and chop into bite-size bits. If the gourd is more mature, the inside flesh might be a little spongy, and you can remove some of it. Immerse in a bowl of water and set aside.

For the Curry

Heat oil in a large pot. Add cumin seeds and wait until they sputter and turn brown, about 30 seconds (careful, they burn quickly!).
Add finely chopped onions and sauté until three-quarters brown, 8-10 mins.
Add the turmeric powder, cumin, and red chili powder. Stir for 30 seconds, then add the finely chopped tomatoes. Let cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are cooked and start to curl.
Add the bottle gourd after draining. Stir for about one minute, then add 2 cups of water. Cover and cook until almost done, approximately 15minutes.
Add to the cooked dal and let boil for another 5-10 minutes so the curry and dal are blended and flavors infused.
Check for salt. Add more hot water if the consistency is too thick. Sprinkle the garam masala on top and stir.
Pour into a deep serving dish. Garnish with coriander.

Notes

Serve with plain boiled white rice or rotis.

You can omit the tomatoes—it still tastes good!

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: chickpea, north indian, vegan, vegetarian

Farmers’ Market (Apni Mandi) in Chandigarh by Sarbjit Bahga

Your Next Recipe

In Gluten Free

Kala Channa Curry (Brown Chickpea Curry)

By The Indian Foodie

I am sorting and cleaning kala channa (desi chickpeas) which are a smaller brown version of garbanzo beans (kabuli channa in India). I plan to soak them overnight to cook the next day.

I recall grocery shopping for them once, straddled on the back seat of a moped. After many practice rounds around the block, I had allowed our ten-year-old son to drive me to the market, which was just around the corner. It was a relatively safe ride as the market was in a cantonment area where military families were given housing accommodation. Since he was never allowed to drive it on his own, he was aware of the privilege. It was a great parental tool for good behavior! Of course, he was eagerly awaiting driving the car, but that was not going to happen any time soon! Driving rules and regulations were not strictly imposed at that time in India, as you can tell!

As with most lentils and beans, chickpeas can be soaked overnight and cooked in several ways. When soaked overnight and sprouted for a few days, they make a power snack. My husband has taken a handful every morning for years.

Print Pin

Kala Channa Curry (Brown Chickpea Curry)

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 10

Total Time 1 25

Servings 6 people

A delicious bean curry of whole brown chickpeas seasoned with tomato, ginger, garlic, and a blend of Indian spices.

Ingredients

2 cups dried kala channa (brown chickpeas) (or garbanzo beans)
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped very fine (or use a food processor)
1 green Serrano chili
2 tbsp tomato paste (or an 8-oz can of tomato sauce)
1 tbsp ginger paste (preferably fresh)
1 tbsp garlic paste (preferably fresh)
Salt to taste
6 cups water (or more, depending on the amount of gravy you want)

Whole Spices

1 large black cardamom (optional)
2 bay leaves
2-3 cloves
4-5 peppercorns
1 small cinnamon stick

Masala

2 tsp coriander powder
1½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp red chili powder (to your taste)

Garnish

1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)

Instructions

Heat oil in a 4-6 quart pot over medium heat. Add whole spices, stir, then add theonions and sauté until three-quarters brown (about 7-8 minutes).
Add the ginger and garlic pastes and all the masala powders. Stir 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Remember to scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking and burning. If it does start to stick, you can add 2 tablespoons of water, hot or cold.
Add the tomato paste with about a ¼ cup water and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add the soaked chickpeas and water. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for approximately one hour, stirring every now and then (after about 50 minutes, check to see if the chickpeas are nearly done. If it looks like the water is drying up at any point, add a little more hot water).
Mash some of the chickpeas against the side of the pan to make a thicker gravy. Cook for another 5 minutes until tender.
Garnish with the fresh chopped cilantro.
Serve with plain boiled rice, any Indian style Pilaf, or any kind of flat bread.

Notes

You can boil the beans separately until three-quarters done and then add to the curry masala. Simmer for at least 15-20 minutes more to absorb all the flavors of the curry and cook until the beans are completely done.

If substituting with non-organic, canned garbanzo beans, be sure to rinse them to get rid of preservatives.

You can use bottled ginger and garlic paste instead of fresh.

I like to use a pressure cooker to hasten the process. I just follow the manufacturer’s manual on cooking time for beans.

Cooking time will vary depending on whether you boil the beans first, cook them with the curry mixture, or use cooked canned beans. Remember cooking time also varies depending on the altitude of the place where you live.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: chickpea, vegan, vegetarian

Your Next Recipe