Curry Okra
This was local organic okra from Greenling - so delicious!
12 oz okra
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Large pinch of fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1 tsp dhana jiru (recipe below)
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
3 cloves garlic, crushed with 1/2 tsp salt
Wash the okra pods and dry. Top and tail and cut into 1/2 in thick rounds.
Heat the oil gently in a wide pan (one with a lid). Add mustard, cumin, and fenugreek seeds. After 20 sec, add the asafoetida and increase the heat slightly. When the seeds start to pop, add the okra pieces and toss them in the spiced oil until thoroughly coated.
Reduce the heat to low and add the dhana jiru, chili powder and turmeric, and stir gently. Cover with a lid and cook gently, stirring from time to time, taking care no to break up the pieces. The juices from the okra will run out - keep cooking until they evaporate and the okra is quite soft. The curry should be quite dry. Add the garlic paste and stir well. Cook for a couple of minutes, then serve.
Dhana Jiru
I used a 2:3 ratio of cumin seeds to coriander seeds.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake seeds on a cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. I ground them with a mortar and pestle.
Dal
The recipe calls for yellow and red lentils. I had a bunch of bags with a just a few lentils - so my version had yellow, red, brown, and green lentils. Alas, the conversions in the recipe book were wrong on the amount of water so the spices ended up being diluted. I think it turned out pretty well...but it could have been even better! I've tried to correct the amounts in the recipe below.
1 cup moong dal (yellow split mung beans wtihout the skin)
4 tbsp masoor dal (red split lentils)
4 green chilis
1 fat garlic clove
1 inch ginger
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tomatoes, skinned and chopped
1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 small onion, diced
1/2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp dhana jiru (see recipe above)
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro stems
Lemon juice to taste
1/2 tbsp roughly chopped cilantro leaves
Wash dal in several changes of water until water is clear. Drain and put them in a pot with 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil without the lid. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface of the water. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the dal for 20 minutes or until it is soft and has broken down completely.
While the dal cooks, make the masala (spice mixture). Top and tail 2 of the green chilies, cut into short lengths and use a mortar and pestle to crush them with the garlic, ginger, and salt. Add the tomatoes and pound the mixture to combine.
Heat the oil in a separate pan, add the mustard seeds and onion and fry until pale gold (cook for at least 10 minutes - onions should start to break down). Add the butter and, when melted, add the dhana jiru and turmeric. Cook the spices for a few seconds, then add the tomato mixture and the coriander stems. Increase the heat and simmer the masala until the tomatoes break down and oil pools around the sides of the pan. Set aside.
When the dal is cooked, take a whisk (I used an immersion blender) and beat the mixture to make it as smooth as possible. then add it to the cooked masala with the remaining 2 chilies (left whole). Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add more water if necessary - it should have the consistency of thin soup.
Taste the mixture, adding more salt and some lemon juice to sharpen the flavor as you like. Scatter the cilantro and serve.
Baked brown rice
I am loving this recipe - best rice ever!
Total cost = $26 for 4 families
