Indian Comfort Food

Here are two everyday Indian recipes that I like to return to over and over again. They are based on Madhur Jaffrey's A Taste of India. It is unfortunate that such a treasure trove of stellar recipes is out of print. And it's also a travelogue to boot, filled with beautiful photos. This is the book that launched my fascination with Indian cuisine.

Moong Dal Cooked with Red Split Lentils (Delhi)

1/2 cup skinned moong dal (mung beans)
1/2 cup skinned masoor dal (red split lentils)
[ sometimes I like to throw in an extra 1/2 cup of toor dal for an earthier flavor ]
1/2 t. ground turmeric
3/4 t. salt
3 T. vegetable or mustard oil
a pinch of ground asafetida (optional)
1/2 t. whole cumin seeds
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 small onion, cut in half (stem to root) and then sliced crosswise into fine half rings
1 small tomato, chopped
1/2 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. red chilli powder (cayenne)

Put dal and 3 cups water in a heavy pot. Bring to a boil, skim the foam, and add the turmeric. Cover partially, reduce heat to low, and simmer very gently for 40 minutes. Add the salt and stir.

Heat oil in a small frying pan. Add the asafetida, and then the whole cumin seeds a few seconds later. Swirl briefly and put in the garlic and onion. Fry until the onion is deeply browned, not quite burnt. Add the tomato and bring to a boil, scraping the pan to deglaze. Cook until slightly thickened, and add the ground cumin and coriander and chilli powder. Stir once, and mix the spice mixture into the dal.

Cauliflower, Peas, and Potatoes (Maharashtra)

3/4 lb cauliflower, cut into 1-1/2 inch flowerets
1/2 lb red potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch dice (any low-starch potato will do; when dicing, err on the small side, to keep the cooking time down.)
2 T. vegetable or mustard oil
1/8 t. ground asafetida (optional)
1 T. whole black mustard seeds
8-10 curry leaves, fresh or dried (these are hard to find, but well worth the effort; bay leaves may be used instead, although they are not a substitute)
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
2 fresh serrano chillies, very finely chopped (I usually remove the seeds and membrane from at least one of the chillies, to reduce the heat)
1/4 t. ground turmeric
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. sugar
2 T. grated dried coconut (4 T. fresh)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the asafetida. A few seconds later, add the mustard seeds. As soon as they begin to pop, add the curry leaves (beware of splattering) and stir once. Put in the remaining ingredients except the coconut and cilantro. Stir for a few minutes to coat the vegetables and bring them up to temperature. Add 1/4 cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are just tender. Mix in the coconut and cilantro.