Indian slow cooking

[Monica Bhide]

Do you have dishes that simmer all day to perfection?

Slow cooked curries..... yum

with all this talk about moving fast and being there yesterday.. there is still so much pleasure in simple things that take some time.. hopefully not too much sweat.. and a lot of love

do share

[nessa]

I don't have a pressure cooker, so just about all Indian food I make is slow cooked. Last I made was channa (sp) masala. Chickpeas. I gotta get all the channa/chana/dals straight in my head. I have to say, the house smelled great and I looked forward to it all day long. I ended up freezing most of it, because my silly SO doesn't care for Indian food. More for me. I had the last portion of it today and nearly cried.

[jw46]

I ended up freezing most of it, because my silly SO doesn't care for Indian food.

Is it the spices, or the heat, that SO doesn't like?...wifey likes the spices, but I have to tame the Chilis down a couple notches...And almost no Cilantro...she hates that stuff..Can work around that...rather, has to work around that...

[Monica Bhide]

I don't have a pressure cooker, so just about all Indian food I make is slow cooked. Last I made was channa (sp) masala. Chickpeas. I gotta get all the channa/chana/dals straight in my head. I have to say, the house smelled great and I looked forward to it all day long. I ended up freezing most of it, because my silly SO doesn't care for Indian food. More for me. I had the last portion of it today and nearly cried.

I love channa masala.. its one of my most favorite dishes. I can feel your pain as you cried when it was over

what do others make with a slow cooker??

[nessa]

Is it the spices, or the heat, that SO doesn't like?...wifey likes the spices, but I have to tame the Chilis down a couple notches...And almost no Cilantro...she hates that stuff..Can work around that...rather, has to work around that...

I don't know. He likes cumin and chilies, garlic and onions, since he adores Mexican food. He doesn't mind heat. I think perhaps its just the combinations of the more exotic spices, but I just don't get it. He likes "curry powder" when I mix it with mayo for chicken salad. He doesn't mind cilantro in small doses.

I give up. He didn't like vada, he didn't like the channa masala (loves hummus), he didn't like the sambar..... He wasn't wild about anything when we actually ate out in an Indian restaurant (once). He did however like the fried pakoras, and naan, I think. The way I work around it is to make him something else.

I tend to just exclude him when I'm in an Indian mood. Thats what friends are for.

I too need more slow cooked indian recipes. I've got some masoor dal that I have no idea what to do with. Suggestions?

[Monica Bhide]

Nessa there is athread on masoor here... if you want my recipe let me know and I will PM it to you

[jw46]

The way I work around it is to make him something else.

Most of our close friends have moved away. It is either adjust things for her liking or cook for myself...If cooking for one, I'd just as soon nuke some frozen burritos and call it good...

Not worth getting the razzing about trashing the kitchen over..

[Edward]

I don't use a slow cooker, but I enjoy cooking foods that cook slowly. One of my favorite pleasures is standing in front of the stove stirring milk as it simmers to become rabri or kheer. Meanwhile, I usually have some nice classical(Hindustani) music on in the background. It makes a nice afternoon.

[nessa]

Monica, absolutely I want your recipe!! Purty please.

JW46, I don't mind eating alone, if I have no friends who want to eat out with me. When my craving for Indian hits, it has to be assuaged one way or another. My SO's schedule differs greatly from mine, so I am often eating alone, either at home, or out, anyway. I just moved Dallas this past June, so I don't have many friends at all. Luckily all three of 'em are adventerous when it comes to food.

I guess I'm just used to cooking for one. Well not really, I cook what I like, and then I cook what he likes, and sometimes the two meet in the middle. I do a lot of bulk cooking, then freezing portions so that I don't have to cook two meals every night! It doesnt seem at all like a chore to cook all weekend, and produce several dishes that are catered to each member of the household. It would be GREAT if he liked ethnic food as much as I did, but by gum, his lack of interest ain't gonna slow me down. Besides, its not like I gotta choke down the mexican food I make him.........

[easyguru]

Khichda a slow cooked khichri with goat meat. The best khichda you get is near the Mosque on Mohammad Ali Rd Mumbai, where it is sold on mobile cart.

Here is the recipe I use

Goat meat 1 kg

Cracked wheat 1 cup

Barley 1/2 cup

rice 2 tbsp

Tuvar Dal , chana dal. masoor dal, moong dal 1 tbsp each

Ghee 3 tbsp

Red chilli powder 3 tsp

garlic ginger paste 1 tbsp

garam masala 1 tsp

cloves 3-5

green cardamon 3-4

Cinamon 1 inch piece

turmeric 1 tsp

fried onion

coriander

salt

Soak the wheat, barley, rice and dals for 5-6 hours. Grind all the spices in to a thick paste. Heat oil and fry the spice paste on slow heat till the ghee seperates from the spices( 10-15 minutes). Add meat and saute for 5-10 minutes. Add the soaked stuff and 10 cups of water and salt. Slow cook for 3-4 hours. Garnish with fried onion and coriander.

Edited May 13, 2004 by easyguru (log)

[bhelpuri]

Wow. That looks like an awesome recipe, easyguru.

I intend on trying it, perhaps as soon as this weekend. Thanks for sharing it.

How do you buy your goat meat for this recipe? Boneless? I have trouble getting good boneless goat meat at the local halal butcher.

Also, is that 1tbsp of each of those dals? Or one of any one of them?

[Modern Day Hermit]

Black choles are one of my ultimate favorites, I also love a great meat curry that has been simmering for a long portion of the day..meat falling off the bones, super spicy, yum.

[easyguru]

Wow. That looks like an awesome recipe, easyguru.

I intend on trying it, perhaps as soon as this weekend. Thanks for sharing it.

How do you buy your goat meat for this recipe? Boneless? I have trouble getting good boneless goat meat at the local halal butcher.

Also, is that 1tbsp of each of those dals? Or one of any one of them?

No need for boneless. One TBSP each of the dal.

[Episure]

Easyguru,

Do you have a Paya recipe? Which part of Bombay are you from?

[easyguru]

Easyguru,

Do you have a Paya recipe? Which part of Bombay are you from?

Used to be in Bombay and stayed for couple of years in JJ hospital Complex as my brother is a doctor , so very familiar with the food around Mohammad Ali Road. Now in New Jersey for last six years.

I have tried cooking paya couple of times but the results have not been as good as what you get in many of the places in Mohammad Ali Rd.

[Episure]

I have tried cooking paya couple of times but the results have not been as good as what you get in many of the places in Mohammad Ali Rd.

Same here, that's why I asked. Must hack it again.

I hope you have carried packets of Noor Mohammedi's Nalli Nihari Masala.

[easyguru]

Same here, that's why I asked. Must hack it again.

I hope you have carried packets of Noor Mohammedi's Nalli Nihari Masala.

I think cooking it in pressure cooker does not give same results and to cook it the traditional way requires lots of time and patience but that might be the key to its taste.

We get good Nalli Nihari Masala here in a Pakistani grocery store. Also there is a small Pakistani owned eatery here in New Jersey which has excellent paya, comparable to what you get at Mohammad Ali Road.

Edited May 13, 2004 by easyguru (log)