Dal

Cold Winter's day

A bowl of dal is a comfort food.  It brings warmth to a cold day, after a snowstorm, in NYC.   My friends are always asking me for this mouth-watering recipe.

A Delicious and Comforting Bowl of Dal

Dal is a split pea, lentil or bean dish cooked in a massala “spice” mixture, which creates an aromatic entre full of complex and addicting flavors.  It took me 3 trips to India to figure out how to make this special dish.   The key to making a basic North Indian dal is in how you layer spices and other ingredients.  The taste of one of my favorite dals, Tarka dal, is particularly dependent on how you layer.

Close-up of Tarka "Tempering Mixture" on Dal

The tarka is a garnish made by tempering your favorite spices in a skillet smoldering with piping hot butter or ghee.

 "Tempering" is a process where your add your favorite spices, herbs and other flavors ,one at a time, to smoking hot oil, butter, or ghee.  The oil will extract and enhance all of the sharp, spicy and sweet flavors of your selected ingredients.

    

Tarka:  Spices, Herbs, Onions Being Flash Cooked in Butter

Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad

 

Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad

Brussels Sprouts Salad Recipe:

3 cups brussels sprouts
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/8 cup walnuts
3 dried red chilies
2 tablespoons of olive oil
pinch of salt
lemon

Directions:

1.  Saute brussels sprouts in oil.  Add dried cranberries, red chilies and a pinch of salt.
2.  When Brussels sprouts are browned, place on platter.
3.  Add coarsely chopped walnuts and lemon juice.   Serve.

Hot Spicy with Sweet, Sour and Salty Flavors

Combining hot chili to any spice blend will transform a dull meal into a dish with a kick.  Adding hot and spicy flavors to sweet and sour flavors can bring a fiery punch to a salad or vegetable dish. The sweet flavor will counterbalance the heat of the chili and the sour flavor will mask its pungency, producing a pleasing--but memorable--taste.

1.  Limes with Sea Salt 2.  Figs with Dried Red Chili Peppers

Turmeric's Health Benefits and Vibrant Color

Turmeric has a rustic, earthy, and slightly bitter flavor, while its color is a fiery golden orange that adds warmth and depth to your dish.  Besides having vibrant color and engaging taste, turmeric is an anti-inflammatory and powerful antioxidant.  It combats the effect of free radicals as well as Alzheimer's disease.  Adding a little turmeric to your cooking can be a win-win situation for both your brain and your taste buds.

Turmeric with Dried Red Chillies

Indian Spices with Earthy Flavors

1.  Turmeric, Ground Red Chili Pepper, and Black Cumin 2.  Red Chili Pepper

Turmeric, cumin and chili pepper are earthy and musty both in flavor and smell. These ingredients are found in most Indian dishes as they are also the base in Indian curry recipes.  I regularly visit NYC Indian markets, Kalustyans in Manhattan and Patel Brothers in Jackson Heights, Queens.  There, I find treasure troves of specialty  spices, grains and legumes.

I photographed this spice container filled with salt, cumin, turmeric, and red pepper in Rajasthan, India.  I love this original design using recycled tin coffee cans.

Sweet, Sharp and Aromatic Spices

1.  Peppercorns, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Ginger, and Pomegranate 2. Cardamom

Do you want to spice up your tea?  Consider adding aromatic spices.  You can combine a mixture of these spices with black tea to make a zesty chai tea.  You also can create a special cup of coffee by adding these spices.  Also, consider making garam masala (a hot spice mixture) to flavor any dish or combine with other ingredients to make a curry.

Chai Tea Recipe: 

For 2-3 cups of chai tea, bring the following ingredients to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes on low heat:

1 1/4 cups water

3/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon black tea

4 crushed cardamom pods
8 crushed peppercorns

1 1/2 tablespoons grated ginger

1/2 stick cinnamon

1 or 2 tablespoons of honey

Strain before serving. 

For a change, toss in a few slivered almonds.