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sankarson

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  1. jarakush is the root of the popyseed plant. (No special brains, just lucky on a google search). Available, apparently, at ayurvedic stores. Also - and this I'm sure of - khus is NOT the same as kewra. khus=vetivier is a wild grass related to lemongrass, while kewra is a large leafy flowering plant, also known as pandanus. The leaves don't carry much smell, you have to get the flower. Just to confuse things further, poppyseed is also known as khus but is not vetivier.
  2. I think this whole business of fussing over the living conditions of a bunch of ducks who're anyway going to be slaughtered a little trivial - there are significant numbers of humans living in worse conditions. More people get slaughtered in Darfur than geese in the south of France.
  3. Bengali Kalai Dal with Jeera Serves 3 as Main Dish. This recipe is very similar to the recipe for Bengali Kalai Dal with Mouri. The only difference in the ingredients is Jeera (cumin) instead of Mouri (fennel). However, the method of preparation is a little different, and the resutant dal has a distinctly different flavor. For the dal 1 c Kalai (urad) dal 3 c water For the tempering 1 tsp grated fresh ginger 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) 1 bay leaf 1 dried red chilly 2 T ghee (or cooking oil) salt to taste Soak the dal in some warm water for 15 min or so, then drain. Boil the dal in water (1 cup to three cups of water) till moderately soft (about 20 min). It should be soft but not completely mushy. Mash the dal lightly, making a thick soupy mixture with bits of whole dal. In a pan or karahi, heat oil till nearly smoking and add bay leaf and dried red chilly. Then add the jeera seeds. These should crackle and release a distinctive aroma immediately. Then add the grated ginger, stir quickly and pour into the dal. Add salt to taste. Keywords: Main Dish, Easy, Vegan, Indian, Beans ( RG1300 )
  4. Bengali Kalai Dal with Jeera Serves 3 as Main Dish. This recipe is very similar to the recipe for Bengali Kalai Dal with Mouri. The only difference in the ingredients is Jeera (cumin) instead of Mouri (fennel). However, the method of preparation is a little different, and the resutant dal has a distinctly different flavor. For the dal 1 c Kalai (urad) dal 3 c water For the tempering 1 tsp grated fresh ginger 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) 1 bay leaf 1 dried red chilly 2 T ghee (or cooking oil) salt to taste Soak the dal in some warm water for 15 min or so, then drain. Boil the dal in water (1 cup to three cups of water) till moderately soft (about 20 min). It should be soft but not completely mushy. Mash the dal lightly, making a thick soupy mixture with bits of whole dal. In a pan or karahi, heat oil till nearly smoking and add bay leaf and dried red chilly. Then add the jeera seeds. These should crackle and release a distinctive aroma immediately. Then add the grated ginger, stir quickly and pour into the dal. Add salt to taste. Keywords: Main Dish, Easy, Vegan, Indian, Beans ( RG1300 )
  5. Bengali Kalai Dal with Mouri Serves 3 as Main Dish. Kalai dal is also known as urad dal, and is in widespread use throughout India. There are many ways to prepare this dal, even in Bengal. This way of making kalai dal is one of my favorites, simple but very aromatic. For the dal 1 c Kalai (urad) dal 3 c water For the tempering 1 1/4 inch fresh ginger 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf) 1 bay leaf 1 dried red chilly 2 T ghee (or cooking oil) pinch of hing (asafoetida) - optional salt to taste Soak the dal in some warm water for 15 min or so, then drain. Boil the dal in water (1 cup to three cups of water) till moderately soft (about 20 min). It should soft but not completely mushy, and the grains should be visible. Grind the fennel and ginger into a fine paste without adding any water. In a pan or karahi, heat oil till nearly smoking and add the bay leaf and dried red chilly, followed by the fennel ginger mixture. Stir till the paste browns, and quickly pour into the dal. Add a pinch of hing and salt to taste. Serve hot with rice. Keywords: Easy, Beans, Main Dish, Indian, Vegan ( RG1299 )
  6. Bengali Kalai Dal with Mouri Serves 3 as Main Dish. Kalai dal is also known as urad dal, and is in widespread use throughout India. There are many ways to prepare this dal, even in Bengal. This way of making kalai dal is one of my favorites, simple but very aromatic. For the dal 1 c Kalai (urad) dal 3 c water For the tempering 1 1/4 inch fresh ginger 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf) 1 bay leaf 1 dried red chilly 2 T ghee (or cooking oil) pinch of hing (asafoetida) - optional salt to taste Soak the dal in some warm water for 15 min or so, then drain. Boil the dal in water (1 cup to three cups of water) till moderately soft (about 20 min). It should soft but not completely mushy, and the grains should be visible. Grind the fennel and ginger into a fine paste without adding any water. In a pan or karahi, heat oil till nearly smoking and add the bay leaf and dried red chilly, followed by the fennel ginger mixture. Stir till the paste browns, and quickly pour into the dal. Add a pinch of hing and salt to taste. Serve hot with rice. Keywords: Easy, Beans, Main Dish, Indian, Vegan ( RG1299 )
  7. Bengali Masoor Dal Serves 3 as Main Dish. Masoor dal made this way is one of my favorite daily dishes. There's nothing gourmet about this simple homecooking, but the flavor and aromas are wonderful. What is 'Bengali' about this is the absence of onions or garlic - those were considered impassioning foods and not put into vegetarian dishes in Bengal. The trick to this recipe is to cook the dals just under mushy. They must be all done, but still whole and distinct. Mushy tastes fine but loses texture which throws of the fine balance that such a simple dish must have. Also, the lime and the cilantro are not garnish here - dont try it without them. Chillies are optional in this dish. It is traditionally eaten with rice and sides of fries and spicy mango pickle. For the dal 1 c Masoor dal 3 c Water For the tempering 1 tsp Kalonji or Nigella seeds 1 T chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) 2 T cooking oil 1 squeeze of lime 1 green or bird chillies, slit salt to taste Boil the dal in three times the volume of water till the dal is just done. The dal should have no bite but remain distinct, not turn mushy. In a seperate wok or saucepan, heat the oil till nearly smoking. Put the kalonji in the hot oil, and let it sputter as the aroma of the spice is released. Then add the dal and mix well but slowly so as not to mash the grains. Add salt to taste, toss in the chillies and coriander, then add a generous squeeze of lime just before serving. Serve hot with rice, mango pickle and shoestring fries. Keywords: Beans, Vegan, Easy, Indian ( RG1297 )
  8. Bengali Masoor Dal Serves 3 as Main Dish. Masoor dal made this way is one of my favorite daily dishes. There's nothing gourmet about this simple homecooking, but the flavor and aromas are wonderful. What is 'Bengali' about this is the absence of onions or garlic - those were considered impassioning foods and not put into vegetarian dishes in Bengal. The trick to this recipe is to cook the dals just under mushy. They must be all done, but still whole and distinct. Mushy tastes fine but loses texture which throws of the fine balance that such a simple dish must have. Also, the lime and the cilantro are not garnish here - dont try it without them. Chillies are optional in this dish. It is traditionally eaten with rice and sides of fries and spicy mango pickle. For the dal 1 c Masoor dal 3 c Water For the tempering 1 tsp Kalonji or Nigella seeds 1 T chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) 2 T cooking oil 1 squeeze of lime 1 green or bird chillies, slit salt to taste Boil the dal in three times the volume of water till the dal is just done. The dal should have no bite but remain distinct, not turn mushy. In a seperate wok or saucepan, heat the oil till nearly smoking. Put the kalonji in the hot oil, and let it sputter as the aroma of the spice is released. Then add the dal and mix well but slowly so as not to mash the grains. Add salt to taste, toss in the chillies and coriander, then add a generous squeeze of lime just before serving. Serve hot with rice, mango pickle and shoestring fries. Keywords: Beans, Vegan, Easy, Indian ( RG1297 )
  9. Bengali Arhar dal with Jeera Serves 3 as Main Dish. Arhar or Toor dal (pigeon pea) is one of the most common dals in India. This is the bengali way of making it, tempered with ginger and jeera. This dal - the name for toor dal in Bengali is not to be confused with Urad dal. The recipe calls for chillis, as almost every Indian dish does; please use dried Indian chillies. Mexican chillies taste different and should be avoided. For the dal 1 c Arhar (Toor) dal 3 c water For the tempering 1 tsp grated ginger 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) 1 bay leaf 1 dried red chilly 2 T ghee (or cooking oil) 1 tsp sugar (optional) 1 pinch hing (asafoetida) salt to taste Soak the dal in some warm water for 15 min or so, then drain Boil the dal in water (1 cup to three cups of water) till moderately soft (about 20 min). It should be soft but not completely mushy. Mash the dal lightly, making a thick soupy mixture with bits of whole dal. In a pan or karahi, heat oil till nearly smoking and add bay leaf and dried red chilly. Then add the jeera seeds. These should crackle and release a distinctive aroma immediately. Then add the ginger, stir quickly and pour into the dal. Add salt to taste serve hot with rice. The sugar is optional, but Bengalis always add sugar to this dal. The Hing is also optional, but really adds a unique edge to the dal. Keywords: Main Dish, Beans, Indian, Vegan, Easy ( RG1296 )
  10. Bengali Arhar dal with Jeera Serves 3 as Main Dish. Arhar or Toor dal (pigeon pea) is one of the most common dals in India. This is the bengali way of making it, tempered with ginger and jeera. This dal - the name for toor dal in Bengali is not to be confused with Urad dal. The recipe calls for chillis, as almost every Indian dish does; please use dried Indian chillies. Mexican chillies taste different and should be avoided. For the dal 1 c Arhar (Toor) dal 3 c water For the tempering 1 tsp grated ginger 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) 1 bay leaf 1 dried red chilly 2 T ghee (or cooking oil) 1 tsp sugar (optional) 1 pinch hing (asafoetida) salt to taste Soak the dal in some warm water for 15 min or so, then drain Boil the dal in water (1 cup to three cups of water) till moderately soft (about 20 min). It should be soft but not completely mushy. Mash the dal lightly, making a thick soupy mixture with bits of whole dal. In a pan or karahi, heat oil till nearly smoking and add bay leaf and dried red chilly. Then add the jeera seeds. These should crackle and release a distinctive aroma immediately. Then add the ginger, stir quickly and pour into the dal. Add salt to taste serve hot with rice. The sugar is optional, but Bengalis always add sugar to this dal. The Hing is also optional, but really adds a unique edge to the dal. Keywords: Main Dish, Beans, Indian, Vegan, Easy ( RG1296 )
  11. 30-second Aloo golki Serves 3 as Side. 30 seconds to an Indian side dish, with minimal ingredients, thats what I needed as a bachelor in a minimal kitchen. However, since I'm a foodie, it has to taste like something my mother would be proud of. The dish I settled on is a traditional fasting-day dish called aloo golki, due to the discovery of canned baby potatoes. Traditionally this dish takes a fair amount of time, because you have to steam and then laboriously peel the baby potatoes, but cans make that magically simple. Open a can, and the only extra thing you have to do is trim some of the odder shaped pieces to a uniform size, eliminate the occassional oversoft one, and there you have perfect potatoes. 1 large can of small round whole potatoes 1 tsp crushed or fresh coarse-ground black pepper 2 T ghee salt to taste Open the can, drain the potatoes, pat them dry and halve the larger ones. Heat the ghee in a heavy wok or deep saute pan till hot.Drop the potatoes in the ghee and move them around for a little bit so that the ghee coats the potatoes - maybe 15-20 seconds just as the potatoes start sticking to the sides. Add salt and generous quantities of the crushed pepper. Move everything around 5 seconds more, then transfer potatoes to a serving bowl. To deglaze, put a little water into the pan, scrape off all the starch sticking to the sides and pour the thick glaze onto the potatoes. Thats it. 30 seconds. Traditionally eaten with luchi or sliced bread, but just as great as a standalone munch. Changing the quantity of pepper adjusts the heat of the dish, but pepper imparts the smell too so too little pepper will make it boring. Fine ground pepper is milder than crushed pepper. Keywords: Easy, Side, Potatoes, Indian, Vegan ( RG1125 )
  12. 30-second Aloo golki Serves 3 as Side. 30 seconds to an Indian side dish, with minimal ingredients, thats what I needed as a bachelor in a minimal kitchen. However, since I'm a foodie, it has to taste like something my mother would be proud of. The dish I settled on is a traditional fasting-day dish called aloo golki, due to the discovery of canned baby potatoes. Traditionally this dish takes a fair amount of time, because you have to steam and then laboriously peel the baby potatoes, but cans make that magically simple. Open a can, and the only extra thing you have to do is trim some of the odder shaped pieces to a uniform size, eliminate the occassional oversoft one, and there you have perfect potatoes. 1 large can of small round whole potatoes 1 tsp crushed or fresh coarse-ground black pepper 2 T ghee salt to taste Open the can, drain the potatoes, pat them dry and halve the larger ones. Heat the ghee in a heavy wok or deep saute pan till hot.Drop the potatoes in the ghee and move them around for a little bit so that the ghee coats the potatoes - maybe 15-20 seconds just as the potatoes start sticking to the sides. Add salt and generous quantities of the crushed pepper. Move everything around 5 seconds more, then transfer potatoes to a serving bowl. To deglaze, put a little water into the pan, scrape off all the starch sticking to the sides and pour the thick glaze onto the potatoes. Thats it. 30 seconds. Traditionally eaten with luchi or sliced bread, but just as great as a standalone munch. Changing the quantity of pepper adjusts the heat of the dish, but pepper imparts the smell too so too little pepper will make it boring. Fine ground pepper is milder than crushed pepper. Keywords: Easy, Side, Potatoes, Indian, Vegan ( RG1125 )
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