Oooh! I love Indian food! The only time I've had lentils was in Ethiopian food, though.
#EdenCooks - Punjabi Red Lentils and Chapatis - Thu. Sept 8 at 8pm EDT
09/08/2011
Quote:
Wow---if I knew how to do it, I think I'd be decorating all the time!
Originally posted by
Elaira
My boy used to be a cake decorator, but now he refuses to do anything in the kitchen other then push a couple of buttons on the microwave. I think I'd fall right over if he decorated a cake for me.
09/08/2011
Quote:
Ooh, it'd be nice if he surprised you with one someday!
Originally posted by
Elaira
My boy used to be a cake decorator, but now he refuses to do anything in the kitchen other then push a couple of buttons on the microwave. I think I'd fall right over if he decorated a cake for me.
09/08/2011
Quote:
Not necessarily. My sister attended culinary school and learned a great deal, but then again, she had good professors. She also worked at Cinderella's castle in Magic Kingdom.
Originally posted by
ToyGurl
lmao! yeah, my really good friend claims that culinary school was 99% a waste of time for her. she said it was things you could learn simply from youtube or the cooking channel. it was common sense. other than that, like you said, decorating!
09/08/2011
I'm stuffing my face with some sushi at the moment. I couldn't resist.
Oh, I couldn't find red lentils, so I just got regular ones. Is there much of a difference between them?
Oh, I couldn't find red lentils, so I just got regular ones. Is there much of a difference between them?
09/08/2011
Quote:
God, Ethiopian. Ah, man...
Originally posted by
potstickers
Oooh! I love Indian food! The only time I've had lentils was in Ethiopian food, though.
09/08/2011
Quote:
Awwwww how cool! The closest my man ever came to cooking was when he worked at a mexican food restaurant. He was one of the chefs. But it was a really quickie as far as a job. He was done and out of that place within months and off to the military.
Originally posted by
Elaira
My boy used to be a cake decorator, but now he refuses to do anything in the kitchen other then push a couple of buttons on the microwave. I think I'd fall right over if he decorated a cake for me.
09/08/2011
Quote:
Mmmm... misir key wot!
Originally posted by
potstickers
Oooh! I love Indian food! The only time I've had lentils was in Ethiopian food, though.
09/08/2011
Quote:
The red ones are split, so they'll cook a little bit faster than the non-split ones. Not too much difference in time, though. You also might want to mash yours a little with a potato masher once they're done to get a more cohesive texture. Delicious either way!
Originally posted by
Elaira
I'm stuffing my face with some sushi at the moment. I couldn't resist.
Oh, I couldn't find red lentils, so I just got regular ones. Is there much of a difference between them?
Oh, I couldn't find red lentils, so I just got regular ones. Is there much of a difference between them?
09/08/2011
Quote:
In taste, yes a little. Actually they feel a little different too when you cook them. Nonetheless, they are all pretty delicious.
Originally posted by
Elaira
I'm stuffing my face with some sushi at the moment. I couldn't resist.
Oh, I couldn't find red lentils, so I just got regular ones. Is there much of a difference between them?
Oh, I couldn't find red lentils, so I just got regular ones. Is there much of a difference between them?
09/08/2011
All right, we've got a pretty good crowd here, so I'm going to get started!
Welcome, everyone, to my very first meeting of Eden Cooks! I hope you've all brought your senses of humor in case mine leaves something to be desired, after our previous meetings were hosted by the dazzling Alys and the tart and saucy Vaccinium.
I'm looking forward to sharing my most-commonly-made recipe with you all. "Masoor daal" is delicious, healthy (proteins and grains, along with several vegetables), and it doesn't take any longer to cook than spaghetti. (I should add---once you're practiced, this takes just under 30 minutes total to make. The first time, you might want to make chapatis the night before, refrigerate them, and reheat them on the skillet or in the microwave the next day. They're very simple to make--- you *will* get it right the first time---but doing it *fast* takes a little practice.
I originally got this recipe from "The Spice Box: Vegetarian Indian Cookbook" by Manju Shivraj Singh, and made some modifications for myself. Two years ago I became good friends with some people from Punjab, the northwesternmost state in India, and they were very willing to help me perfect my technique. They laughed at me for eating masoor daal at dinner so often, because for them it was usually a breakfast dish! (The faster cooking time than most other beans meant it could be served on time without the mother/sisters waking up hours before the rest of the family.)
Trivia: The traditional land of Punjab was split up into India and Pakistan by Britain. So both India and Pakistan have a Punjab state, and they share their border.
Welcome, everyone, to my very first meeting of Eden Cooks! I hope you've all brought your senses of humor in case mine leaves something to be desired, after our previous meetings were hosted by the dazzling Alys and the tart and saucy Vaccinium.
I'm looking forward to sharing my most-commonly-made recipe with you all. "Masoor daal" is delicious, healthy (proteins and grains, along with several vegetables), and it doesn't take any longer to cook than spaghetti. (I should add---once you're practiced, this takes just under 30 minutes total to make. The first time, you might want to make chapatis the night before, refrigerate them, and reheat them on the skillet or in the microwave the next day. They're very simple to make--- you *will* get it right the first time---but doing it *fast* takes a little practice.
I originally got this recipe from "The Spice Box: Vegetarian Indian Cookbook" by Manju Shivraj Singh, and made some modifications for myself. Two years ago I became good friends with some people from Punjab, the northwesternmost state in India, and they were very willing to help me perfect my technique. They laughed at me for eating masoor daal at dinner so often, because for them it was usually a breakfast dish! (The faster cooking time than most other beans meant it could be served on time without the mother/sisters waking up hours before the rest of the family.)
Trivia: The traditional land of Punjab was split up into India and Pakistan by Britain. So both India and Pakistan have a Punjab state, and they share their border.
09/08/2011
Quote:
I've never before been called "tart and saucy."
Originally posted by
Antipova
All right, we've got a pretty good crowd here, so I'm going to get started!
Welcome, everyone, to my very first meeting of Eden Cooks! I hope you've all brought your senses of humor in case mine leaves something to be desired, after ... more
Welcome, everyone, to my very first meeting of Eden Cooks! I hope you've all brought your senses of humor in case mine leaves something to be desired, after ... more
All right, we've got a pretty good crowd here, so I'm going to get started!
Welcome, everyone, to my very first meeting of Eden Cooks! I hope you've all brought your senses of humor in case mine leaves something to be desired, after our previous meetings were hosted by the dazzling Alys and the tart and saucy Vaccinium.
I'm looking forward to sharing my most-commonly-made recipe with you all. "Masoor daal" is delicious, healthy (proteins and grains, along with several vegetables), and it doesn't take any longer to cook than spaghetti. (I should add---once you're practiced, this takes just under 30 minutes total to make. The first time, you might want to make chapatis the night before, refrigerate them, and reheat them on the skillet or in the microwave the next day. They're very simple to make--- you *will* get it right the first time---but doing it *fast* takes a little practice.
I originally got this recipe from "The Spice Box: Vegetarian Indian Cookbook" by Manju Shivraj Singh, and made some modifications for myself. Two years ago I became good friends with some people from Punjab, the northwesternmost state in India, and they were very willing to help me perfect my technique. They laughed at me for eating masoor daal at dinner so often, because for them it was usually a breakfast dish! (The faster cooking time than most other beans meant it could be served on time without the mother/sisters waking up hours before the rest of the family.)
Trivia: The traditional land of Punjab was split up into India and Pakistan by Britain. So both India and Pakistan have a Punjab state, and they share their border. less
Welcome, everyone, to my very first meeting of Eden Cooks! I hope you've all brought your senses of humor in case mine leaves something to be desired, after our previous meetings were hosted by the dazzling Alys and the tart and saucy Vaccinium.
I'm looking forward to sharing my most-commonly-made recipe with you all. "Masoor daal" is delicious, healthy (proteins and grains, along with several vegetables), and it doesn't take any longer to cook than spaghetti. (I should add---once you're practiced, this takes just under 30 minutes total to make. The first time, you might want to make chapatis the night before, refrigerate them, and reheat them on the skillet or in the microwave the next day. They're very simple to make--- you *will* get it right the first time---but doing it *fast* takes a little practice.
I originally got this recipe from "The Spice Box: Vegetarian Indian Cookbook" by Manju Shivraj Singh, and made some modifications for myself. Two years ago I became good friends with some people from Punjab, the northwesternmost state in India, and they were very willing to help me perfect my technique. They laughed at me for eating masoor daal at dinner so often, because for them it was usually a breakfast dish! (The faster cooking time than most other beans meant it could be served on time without the mother/sisters waking up hours before the rest of the family.)
Trivia: The traditional land of Punjab was split up into India and Pakistan by Britain. So both India and Pakistan have a Punjab state, and they share their border. less
09/08/2011
Quote:
Being in a vegeratian household has opened me up to all of these things you can cook with that aren't "rice and beans". My pantry is full of things like TVP and quinoa and dried beans. Ever had sloppy bean joes by mashing kidney and black beans instead of ground beef? Delicious.
Originally posted by
Antipova
The red ones are split, so they'll cook a little bit faster than the non-split ones. Not too much difference in time, though. You also might want to mash yours a little with a potato masher once they're done to get a more cohesive texture.
...
more
The red ones are split, so they'll cook a little bit faster than the non-split ones. Not too much difference in time, though. You also might want to mash yours a little with a potato masher once they're done to get a more cohesive texture. Delicious either way!
less
09/08/2011
Quote:
You named yourself after a cousin of my favorite fruit, so that's how I always think of you!
Originally posted by
Vaccinium
I've never before been called "tart and saucy."
09/08/2011
Quote:
Mmhm! I add a lot of spices too, but they can be incredibly good.
Originally posted by
Elaira
Being in a vegeratian household has opened me up to all of these things you can cook with that aren't "rice and beans". My pantry is full of things like TVP and quinoa and dried beans. Ever had sloppy bean joes by mashing kidney and
...
more
Being in a vegeratian household has opened me up to all of these things you can cook with that aren't "rice and beans". My pantry is full of things like TVP and quinoa and dried beans. Ever had sloppy bean joes by mashing kidney and black beans instead of ground beef? Delicious.
less
09/08/2011
I know I posted the ingredients already, but I thought I'd do it again, and give everyone a chance to discuss where to get ingredients if they're not sure.
09/08/2011
So let's take a look at what we need to serve six people! (Or, if you live alone, this makes one week's worth of healthy packed lunches---daal keeps in the fridge a long time, or you can freeze it)
In three parts:
In the middle is the bean step.
1 cup split red lentils
3 cups water
1 Tbsp sweet acid (lemon juice, tamarind juice)
On the left is the chapati step.
2 cups "chaki atta," or all purpose flour.*
0.5 cup warm water, and a cup with water to dip your fingers in.
1 stick of butter for dabbing on the chapatis as they cook.
*Chaki atta (Golden Temple or Sujata are some popular brands) is a very fine grind of whole wheat flour with some bran added. It's a pretty color, and the flavor is nice and nutty. If you don't live by an Indian market, you might have a hard time finding this---so just to make sure it works with all-purpose flour, that's what I used in these pictures. Find it if you can, but don't sweat it if you can't. I've also seen people do 1 cup all purpose flour + 1 cup whole wheat flour, to give a little of the nuttiness.
On the right is the flavor step.
1 Tbsp ghee, butter, or oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion
1 clove garlic, (minced)
enough fresh ginger (minced) to make ~1 tsp
2-5 bird's eye chilis (Thai chilis)---to taste!
dried spices:
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cayenne powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt
(All of these spices except garam masala come from my standard grocery store, garam masala I order from Penzey's. If you're having a hard time finding each of the individual spices, you could use a pre-mixed "curry powder," but you won't be able to have quite as much fun!)
I cook the lentils in a medium saucepan, the spices in a small skillet, and the chapatis in a large skillet. You'll also have more fun with chapatis if you use a rolling pin. When I lived with roommates with an electric pancake griddle, chapatis were even easier to make---so if you have a griddle I'd suggest using that.
09/08/2011
Quote:
I LOVE spelt but I can't find any stores that sell it anywhere near my house.
Originally posted by
Elaira
Being in a vegeratian household has opened me up to all of these things you can cook with that aren't "rice and beans". My pantry is full of things like TVP and quinoa and dried beans. Ever had sloppy bean joes by mashing kidney and
...
more
Being in a vegeratian household has opened me up to all of these things you can cook with that aren't "rice and beans". My pantry is full of things like TVP and quinoa and dried beans. Ever had sloppy bean joes by mashing kidney and black beans instead of ground beef? Delicious.
less
09/08/2011
Do you know if you can find these ingredients where you live? Or should I go into more detail about anything? I'll pause a minute here to make sure you've all got time.
09/08/2011
I love how colorful the ingredients are!
09/08/2011
I am most definitely going to have to try and make this at home some time. I've tried making chapatis before, but I apparently suck at it. I suck even more at the rice pancake things I can't remember the name of. I let it sit in the heat too long and changed how it cooked. Super lame lol
09/08/2011
Quote:
I think I could, there sre a lot of small shops in los angeles county that cater to ton of different cultures.
Originally posted by
Antipova
Do you know if you can find these ingredients where you live? Or should I go into more detail about anything? I'll pause a minute here to make sure you've all got time.
Do you know if you can find these ingredients where you live? Or should I go into more detail about anything? I'll pause a minute here to make sure you've all got time.
09/08/2011
Quote:
I've ordered strange grains from Amazon before. (It's really hard to find Teff, if you're trying to make injera and you don't live near an Ethiopian community...)
Originally posted by
potstickers
I LOVE spelt but I can't find any stores that sell it anywhere near my house.
09/08/2011
Quote:
I'd think that Whole Foods or a similar place would have most of these things because they're heavy in ethnic dishes. The only thing I had to run out and get was the lentils and the "curry powder", and that was just a chain grocery store.
Originally posted by
Antipova
Do you know if you can find these ingredients where you live? Or should I go into more detail about anything? I'll pause a minute here to make sure you've all got time.
Do you know if you can find these ingredients where you live? Or should I go into more detail about anything? I'll pause a minute here to make sure you've all got time.
09/08/2011
Quote:
That's one thing I love about Indian food: such colorful spices! That means they're healthy.
Originally posted by
ellejay
I love how colorful the ingredients are!
09/08/2011
Quote:
Dosas, you mean? I haven't tried them yet, but I've had middlin' success with idli. Chapatis are pretty straightforward, though, no fermenting to throw you off!
Originally posted by
Jul!a
I am most definitely going to have to try and make this at home some time. I've tried making chapatis before, but I apparently suck at it. I suck even more at the rice pancake things I can't remember the name of. I let it sit in the heat
...
more
I am most definitely going to have to try and make this at home some time. I've tried making chapatis before, but I apparently suck at it. I suck even more at the rice pancake things I can't remember the name of. I let it sit in the heat too long and changed how it cooked. Super lame lol
less
09/08/2011
Quote:
That is true whole foods might have most of it. I wonder if trader joes would, I have one about 2 blocks down from me.
Originally posted by
Elaira
I'd think that Whole Foods or a similar place would have most of these things because they're heavy in ethnic dishes. The only thing I had to run out and get was the lentils and the "curry powder", and that was just a chain grocery store.
09/08/2011
Quote:
And the curry powder you picked seems like it covers all your bases pretty well, here.
Originally posted by
Elaira
I'd think that Whole Foods or a similar place would have most of these things because they're heavy in ethnic dishes. The only thing I had to run out and get was the lentils and the "curry powder", and that was just a chain grocery store.
09/08/2011
On a slightly related note, I have a WONDERFUL recipe for ham and egg stuffed rolls I want to do a workshop for in the future!
09/08/2011
Quote:
Thank Kroger for that one. It was in the cheap spice section, even.
Originally posted by
Antipova
And the curry powder you picked seems like it covers all your bases pretty well, here.
09/08/2011