It is 3.30 in the morning, and I quietly let myself out of the door so that I won’t wake the sleeping household. It is a freezing winter’s day in New Delhi, and I tug my long black uniform coat snug around me. The airline transport that just drove up will transport several of us who live in the area to the airline bus depot. We will wait until the other vehicles arrive, and then we will be shuttled to the airport in time for the 5:00 a.m. shift.
We arrive at the bus depot with half an hour to spare. The dhabba that serves at the canteen for the folks who work there is open. Several of us make our way to it. A cup of hot chai is just what we need to warm and wake us up. The owner is ready for us. He has been down this route every morning with the different groups on the morning shift. “Chai?” he asks. We nod, breathing in the wonderful aroma.
He pours out the hot tea simmering on the chula (mud stove) into the kulhars (handleless terra cotta cup). I watch, fascinated, as he froths the tea by pouring it from one kulhar to the other, keeping about 2 feet of distance between the two kulhars. Surprisingly, he doesn’t lose a drop. He hands me a kulhar. My frozen fingers around the warm kulhar with the steaming hot tea soon warms me up. I am now awake and ready to welcome the incoming passengers and aircraft.
Real Chai has to be aromatic, sweet, and milky, but you can adjust it according to your taste.
Chai: Indian Aromatic Tea
The authentic Indian tea classic. While real Chai has to be aromatic, sweet and milky, you can adjust this recipe according to your taste.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk (you can also use low fat if you are watching calories, or a vegan milk substitute)
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp sugar (white or brown, according to your taste)
- 2 teabags black tea (or 2 teaspoons of loose black tealeaves)
- 2 green cardamom
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp clove powder
Instructions
- Crush the cardamom with a rolling pin. The top shell should come off easily. Bow crush the seeds as best you can. It does not have to be absolutely smooth.
- Put all ingredients in a small pot and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes while you do a taste test. Add more spice accordingly.
- Pour into cups and sprinkle a bit of cinnamon or grate a little nutmeg on top.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Some do not like the taste of crushed cardamom in their mouth while drinking chai. In that case, you can strain the chai and then serve it. Most Indians do not mind the cardamon as it serves as a breath freshener!
Milks: If you are lactose intolerant or vegan, you can use oat milk instead, or another vegan milk substitute. The flavour will be different but still delicious! If you're watching calorie intake, you can also use a low-fat or non-fat milk instead of whole milk.
Indian Airlines Photo by Sean D’Silva
Kulhar Photo by Inspo on Unsplash
Fascinated, I watch Mama dexterously skin the chicken wings and carefully rinse them in the sink, ensuring the water does not splash around and contaminate the counter. Mama leaves the chicken wings in the colander to drain. Our one and only brother is driving into town and she is busy preparing a meal. I have come early to help. Soon the other family living in town will be over with more dishes to complete the meal.
The chicken is done. I get to taste a piece. It is finger-licking good! It will go well with the rice, vegetables, lentils, and rotis.
Chicken Chatpata
An easy-to-make tangy or spicy (make it to your taste!) delicious chicken.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken, skinned or boneless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized bits. (You can also use boneless skinless thighs)
- 2 medium onions (chopped fine)
- 2 large tomatoes (chopped fine)
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp chili powder (or to taste)
- ¼ tsp Salt 3 tbsp o3/4 c chopped green coriander (Cilantro) (or to taste)
- ¾ cup green coriander (cilantro) chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil in wok or 8-10" skillet.
- Sauté onion until half brown (5-8 minutes).
- Add the chicken and stir about 5 minutes until glazed, and it loses its pink color.
- Add spices. Stir a few times for about a minute, and then add the tomatoes and salt. Stir once more for a few minutes.
- Add chopped cilantro and stir a few times.
- Cover and cook on low for about 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure it is not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Uncover and cook till oil starts to show on the sides of the pan.
- Pour into a serving dish and garnish with some chopped cilantro.
Notes
You can serve this with a bowl of pilaf rice, plain rotis, or parathas. It tastes good with bread, too.
This dal is made from whole green moong (mung) beans (unhulled and unsplit) and is enjoyed in many states in India. The spices used and how it is cooked vary from state to state. Moong dal goes well with plain boiled rice, rotis, and other flatbreads. It is a good accompaniment with different sabzis (cooked vegetables).
Like all whole beans, this dal takes about an hour to cook on the stovetop. Since dals take longer to cook and don’t require that much attention while cooking (other than the occasional stir), this gives you enough time to prepare a quick sabzi or two to go with the dal and plain boiled rice or rotis.
Sabut Moong Dal / Hara Moong Dal (Whole Green Moong Lentils)
A hearty dal (soup) rich in fiber, protein, and vitamins made with whole lentils, onions, tomatoes, and other spices!
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole (unhulled) moong (mung) beans
- 4-6 cups water
- 4 flakes fresh garlic (chopped finely)
- 1 inch fresh ginger root (chopped finely)
- ¼ tsp tumeric powder
- 1-2 dried red chili, whole (season according to taste)
- salt (to taste)
Tadka (Tempering)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ medium onion (chopped fairly fine)
- 1 tsp garam masala, heaped (or to your taste)
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- red chili powder (optional or to your taste)
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander (for garnish)
- 1 tbsp desi ghee or butter (optional)
Instructions
To Cook
- Pick and clean the moong beans of any grit.
- Put into a heavy-bottomed deep 4-6 quart pot. Then wash well and drain. Add 5-6cups of tap water. Place on medium-high burner.
- Add the chopped ginger and garlic, turmeric, red chili, and salt to taste.
- Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat a bit and simmer for 30-45 minutes, occasionally stirring until lentils are blended but not mushy.
Tadka (Tempering)
- Heat the oil on medium heat and add the finely chopped onion.
- Saut until the onions are half brown, approximately 5-6 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
- Now add all the spice powders and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the seasoned mixture to the cooked dal, stir and cook another 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let sit for five minutes so that the flavor of the spices is better absorbed.
- Pour into a deep dish, add the ghee or butter and garnish with freshly chopped coriander.
Military style, Dad was transferred to another city. We were all packed and ready to go. It would be a long train journey and our arrival at the train station would be just before lunch.
To avoid the chaos of feeding us at the train station, Mama had Cook fix curry and rice. Then, since all the crockery and cutlery were packed, Mama mixed the rice and curry in a huge ‘thali’ (metal platter). She formed the rice and curry into little golf-sized balls. We gathered around, and she placed them one at a time on our open palms as we scoffed them down. To us, it was the most delicious curry and rice! Needless to say, it was great fun being fed in this fashion. The excitement of the long train journey only enhanced the experience.
The packed trunks and other baggage were loaded onto the waiting military trucks, and off to the station, we went. Pushing our way through the crowded platform, we arrived at the compartment reserved for us.
Mama is busy taking a count of all the hand baggage, and the kids, Cook, and the Orderly assigned to accompany us supervise the loading of all the household goods.
Dad, standing tall and handsome, is being bid goodbye by the junior officers who have come to see him off. We always loved the train journeys and the experience of being served hot spicy Indian food ordered from the dining cart.
The best experience was drinking tea in the cup-sized kullarhs (earthern pots) sold all along the platform by the chaiwalla (tea vendor). He would make his way alongside the train yelling “chai garam” (hot tea). Tea drunk out of the kullarhs had an earthy taste. We saved the earthen pots to throw out the window when the train slowly steamed out onto the open fields. It was a challenge to see who could throw it the farthermost—when our parents weren’t watching us!
I still cannot fix curry and rice or board a train without remembering the curry and rice Mama mixed for our long train journeys.
Chicken Curry
An aromatic, mouth-watering main dish to amaze your dinner guests!
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, cut into pieces, washed, and drained (can use thighs or thighs and drumsticks))
- 2 medium onions (chopped very fine or use a food processor, but do not grind into a paste)
- 1 tbsp fresh garlic paste (can use bottled )
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger paste (can use bottled)
- 2 large or medium potatoes (russet( (peeled and quartered)
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro (pick leaves, wash, and chop)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste (or 1 small can (6 oz) tomato sauce)
- 3-5 tbsp cooking oil (canola, vegetable, corn, peanut)
- 1 whole Serrano green chili (split half way down the middle(optional) )
- 1 cup hot water (for gravy)
- 1 can chicken broth (plain)
Whole Spices
- 2 medium bay leaves
- 4-5 peppercorns
- 4-5 cloves
- 3 small green cardamom
- 1 small cinnamon stick (1 inch)
Masala (Spices)
- ½ tsp tumeric powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- ¼ tsp chili powder (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a dutch oven or large cooking pot over medium heat.
- Add whole spices and whole green chili (optional). Let splutter a few moments, and then add onions.
- Sauté till onions are nearly ¾brown. Approximately 8 minutes.
- Add the chicken. Sauté well until the chicken is nicely glazed, approximately 10 minutes.
- Add the ginger, garlic, and spice powders. Continue to sauté for about 8 minutes.
- Now add half of the chopped cilantro and continue to cook, frequently stirring until most of the moisture is absorbed. You can tell when, as the oil starts to appear on the sides of the pan. About 10 minutes more.
- Add the hot water, stock (add more water if you do not have stock), potatoes, and tomato paste. Cover and let cook until the potatoes are done. Approximately 15 minutes.
- Serve in a deep dish and garnish with the remaining cilantro.
Notes
You can make more or less gravy by monitoring the water content, but don't make it thin and runny as it loses its flavor.
I add hot water as it continues the cooking process but there is no harm done if you add warm or coldwater.
Serve with plain rice, an Indian styled pilaf or any kind of flat bread (roti,naan, paratha, pita bread, etc.).
You could also add a vegetable side dish.
This dal is the red lentil dal with the husk on. I make it the easy way. The leftover dal (as with most dals) tastes great with morning breakfast or brunch parathas. You can make tasty parathas when you knead the dal into the paratha dough. (A recipe I shall share with you later).
Kala Masoor Dal (Red Lentil Whole Dal)
A healthy, savory dish that works perfectly as a main or side dish!
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole red lentil
- 7-8 cups water
- ½ tsp tumeric
- 2-3 fresh garlic cloves (peeled and chopped)
- 1 inch fresh ginger (peel the skin and chop)
- 1 whole red chili (or to taste)
- salt (to taste)
Tempering (Tadka)
- 1-1 ½ tbsp oil
- ½ onion (chopped fine)
- ½ large tomato (chopped fine)
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ¼ tsp red chili powder (optional or to taste)
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp desi ghee (optional - available at Indian or health grocery stores)
Kala Masoor Dal Variation Tadka (Tempering)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- ¾ cup yellow or red onion (chopped)
- 2 medium tomatoes (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder (or to taste)
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp desi ghee (available at Indian or health grocery stores)
Garnish
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped coriander
Instructions
- Sort, clean, wash and strain the dal.
- Place dal, water, garlic, ginger, chili, turmeric, and salt in a heavy-bottomed 6-quart cooking pot or deep saucepan.
- Cover and cook on medium-high until it starts to boil. You may want to leave the lid slightly open as some dals boil over as they increase in volume.
- Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat and cook until the lentils are tender and slightly mushy. About 40-45 minutes.
Tempering (Tadka)
- Heat oil in sauté pan.
- Add chopped onion, and when ¾ brown (about 3-5 minutes).
- Add chopped tomatoes. Let sauté till tomatoes are half done. This will take another 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Add the garam masala, chili powder, and cumin powder. Stir quickly for a few seconds and then add to the dal. Add the desi ghee (optional).
- Stir the dal and seasoning, turn the stove to low, and let it cook on low for another 5 minutes to absorb all the flavors of the tempering.
- Garnish with chopped green coriander.
Kala Masoor Dal Variation
- Boil the dal with the chili, turmeric, and salt until tenderbut not mushy.
Kala Masoor Dal Variation Tadka (Tempering)
- Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
- Add the onions and fry until golden brown, approximately 7-8 minutes.
- Add the ginger, garlic, and spice powders. Sauté for a minute until fragrant.
- Add the chopped tomatoes. Sauté for about 4-5 minutes until soft and the oil starts to surface.
- Add the boiled dal and simmer on low for 10 minutes. You can add a little hot water if the dal gets too thick.
- Top with desi ghee and garnish with cilantro when serving.
Notes
Serve with rice, roti, or pita bread. As with most Indian meals, we like to serve our dals with a sabzi (vegetable) or maybe kachumber (fresh chopped salsa) and, of course, the ever-constant array of pickles!
Note: Using a manual or electric pressure cooker or Instapot speeds up the cooking process.
You can start with the tempering being done directly in the pressure cooker and then add the dal. Or, you could cook the dal in the pressure cooker (check the manual for cooking time for various lentils) and then do the tempering separately and add it to the dal.
Feel free to omit the garlic or onions if they do not agree with you.
P.S. I add some butter before serving for my eating pleasure!
Amongst our family favorite meals gowning up is Masoor Dal. I loved having it with plain boiled rice, spicy store-bought Indian pickles, and plain yogurt. Mom, being from the South of India, had the cook temper it in a South Indian style.
I have given you two different ways to temper the lentil. The first one is the South Indian style, and the other is a regular tempering style. Enjoy!
Masoor Dal (Red Lentil Dal)
A delicious, fragrant, savory soup or stew-like hearty main dish, full of healthy protein and perfect for any palate.
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentil ()
- ½ medium onion (chopped)
- ½ medium tomato (quartered)
- 1 medium Serrano chili (optional)
- 3-4 flakes fresh garlic (finely chopped)
- ½ tsp tumeric
- salt to taste
- 4-5 cups water
Tempering (Tadka South-Indian Style)
- 1-2 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 6-7 fresh curry leaves (found in Indian grocery stores)
- ½ medium onion (diced)
- 1 medium tomato (diced)
- ½ tsp red chili or cayenne powder (optional)
- fresh cilantro (chopped fine, for garnish)
Tempering Style (Regular)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ½ medium onion (diced)
- 1 medium tomato (diced)
- ½ tsp red chili powder (optional)
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- ¼ tsp garam masala
Instructions
To Prepare
- Sort and clean lentils (preferably on a white plate that shows up grit better).
- Rinse several times in cold water A friend told me to strain them through a steamer strainer to wash out any grit I may have missed.
To Cook
- Put lentils in a 6-quart stock pot or deep saucepan. Lentils expand while cooking so do not use too small a pot.
- Add 4-5 cups water, the chopped or sliced onion, tomato, serrano chili, garlic, turmeric, and salt.
- Boil covered for 15 mins. Be sure to leave the lid slightly open so that the dal does not boil over. Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, stirring occasionally. Approximately 15-20 minutes.
- You may initially have some frothing at the surface which can be skimmed off with a spoon.
- Cook for 30-40 minutes until well blended but not too mushy. If the water seems to be drying up during cooking, add half to a cup more of hot water. Turn heat off.
Tempering (Tadka South-Indian Style)
- In a small frying pan heat oil on medium heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds.
- When they stop spluttering (about 30 seconds), add curry leaves and onions. Sauté until onions are almost half brown. Approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Add chopped tomato and sauté until oil starts to surface. Turn heat off.
- Add the chili powder to taste (optional). Stir into the cooked dal. Let it season for 5 minutes for the flavors of the tadka to be absorbed before pouring the dal into a serving dish.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.
Tempering Style (Regular)
- Heal oil in a small sauté pan.
- Add cumin seeds. As soon as they start to splutter, add the onions and sauté until half brown.
- Add tomatoes and cook for about 3 mins until the moisture evaporates and the oil starts to surface on the sides. Turn off the heat.
- Add the chili, cumin, and garam masala powder. Stir into the cooked dal.
- Let sit for 5 minutes more before serving, so the flavors of the tadka are absorbed.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.
Notes
1. Serve with plain boiled rice and any Indian styled vegetable or curried meat or chicken.
2. You can also serve the dal with just pickles and yogurt..
3. If you are using a manual pressure cooker or InstaPot, follow the cooking directions in the manual. Use about 3 cups of water. If the consistency of the dal is too thick, you can always add hot water to thin it out.
4. Remember dals are thick and soupy never watery!