The Indian Vegan Kitchen (28 page)

2. (For best results, cook in a pressure cooker. To cook in a skillet, see Note below.) In a pressure cooker, combine washed dal, 2 cups of water, salt, and turmeric. Cover with a pressure cooker lid and put the pressure weight in place. Once the pressure is fully developed, give pressure for 5 minutes. Open the lid carefully once the pressure cooker is safe to open. Stir dal with a wire whisk a few times until smooth.

3. Return pressure cooker to the stove. Add the onion, tomatoes, spinach, and remaining 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 6 to 7 minutes. Add sambhar powder and tamarind. Continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

4.
Prepare seasoning:
In a small fry pan, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add the asafetida and mustard seeds. Cover with lid and cook for a few seconds until mustard seeds stop popping. Remove from heat and add curry leaves. Cook for a few seconds. Add seasoning to sambhar. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.

NOTE:
To cook in a skillet:
Wash and soak dal as in step 1 above. Combine drained dal, 5 cups of water, salt, and turmeric. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the beans are very soft. Follow steps 3 and 4 to finish cooking.

You can, of course, use store-bought sambhar powder to save time. I like to prepare my own sambhar powder; it lasts me for three to four batches of sambhar. It’s worth the effort, and I can adjust the heat and flavor to my family’s liking.

SEASONING (
CHOUNK
)

1. Wash dal in 3 to 4 changes of water. Soak for 2 hours or longer. (Dal can be cooked without soaking if you don’t have time and are using the pressure cooker.) Drain the soaking water.

2. (For best results, cook in a pressure cooker. To cook in a skillet, see Note below.) In a pressure cooker, combine washed dal, 2 cups of water, ½ teaspoon salt, and turmeric. Cover with a pressure cooker lid and put the pressure weight in place. Once the pressure is fully developed, give pressure for 5 minutes. Open the lid carefully once the pressure cooker is safe to open. Stir the dal with a wire whisk a few times until smooth. Set aside.

3.
Prepare seasoning:
In a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, heat the oil on medium-high heat, to near smoking point. Add the asafetida and mustard seeds. Cover with lid, cook for a few seconds until mustard seeds pop. Add cumin seeds and curry leaves. Cook for a few seconds. Add pearl onions and eggplants and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add peppers and green beans and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low boil, cover with lid, and simmer for about 5 minutes.

4. Add the cooked dal to the vegetables. Add remaining 2 cups of water, sambhar powder, tamarind, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low boil and simmer for another 5 minutes.

5. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with rice.

NOTE:
To cook in a skillet:
Wash and soak dal as directed in step 1 above. Combine drained dal, 5 cups of water, ½ teaspoon salt, and turmeric. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the beans are very soft. Follow steps 3 to 5 to finish cooking.

GF, LF

1. Wash beans in 3 to 4 changes of water. Soak for 4 hours or longer. (Dal can be cooked without soaking if you don’t have time and are using the pressure cooker.)

2. (For best results, cook in a pressure cooker. To cook in a skillet, see Note below.) In a pressure cooker, combine washed beans, 4 cups of water, salt, and turmeric. Cover with a pressure cooker lid and put the pressure weight in place. Once pressure develops, reduce heat to medium and cook under pressure for 15 minutes. Cool the cooker to remove pressure. Open the lid carefully. The beans should be soft and the water and beans should be well blended.

3. While dal cooks, heat oil in a nonstick fry pan on medium-high heat. Add the asafetida and cumin seeds, cook for a few seconds until cumin seeds are golden brown. Add onion and fry 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Add tomatoes, ginger, and cayenne pepper, if using, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until tomatoes are soft.

4. Add seasoning to the cooked dal. Check for desired consistency. If necessary, add ½ to 1 cup more water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer dal for 5 to 10 minutes. Add garam masala and lemon juice. Dal thickens as it cools.

GF, LF

1. Wash dal in 3 to 4 changes of water, using your hands as necessary to clean the dal. Soak for 1 hour or more. Drain water. (Dal can be used without soaking, but cooking time will be longer.)

2. In a medium saucepan, combine dal, water, ½ teaspoon salt, and turmeric. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low boil, cover with lid, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. The dal should be tender but not mushy.

3. While dal cooks, heat oil in a large, nonstick fry pan on medium-high heat to near smoking point. Add the asafetida and cumin seeds, and cook for a few seconds until seeds turn brown. Add zucchini, tomatoes, coriander, cayenne pepper, garam masala, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir and heat until bubbling. Reduce heat, cover with lid, and cook for 5 minutes, until zucchini is tender but still crunchy.

4. Add the zucchini mixture to the cooked dal. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 minutes. Serve hot with rice or any flatbread.

Rice and Other Grains

R
ICE IS EATEN
throughout India and is the primary grain eaten in southern and eastern India. Since ancient times, rice has been the staple food for three-quarters of the world’s population. It is easy to grow, inexpensive, versatile, and has a long shelf life. It is a satisfying complement to almost any meal.

Regional variations in rice dishes abound, particularly in southern India, where rice is ground with beans and fermented overnight to make
idlies
(dumplings),
dosas
(crepes), and
adai
(pancakes). Then there are yogurt rice, tamarind rice, and lemon rice—these dishes can be kept at room temperature for several hours and are great for picnics, lunch boxes, and traveling.

Pulao
and
Biryani
(two varieties of pilafs) are specialties of northern India. Rice (often basmati) is seasoned and mixed with a variety of vegetables, meats, nuts, and dried fruits.

There are numerous types of rice available around the world. Below are the most common types of rice used in Indian dishes and featured in this book.

Long-Grain Rice:
The rice most commonly eaten in India. Jasmine, is the most widely used rice though there are many other long-grain varieties as well. Long-grain rice is slightly sticky compared to basmati rice and is the perfect texture to complement most curries.

Basmati Rice:
Once a hard-to-find specialty, basmati rice is now available at most natural foods stores and supermarkets. Basmati, an extra-long-grain rice, yields a mild aroma when cooked. It is less sticky than long-grain rice, and cooks up fluffy and white. It is an ideal choice for pilafs. However, it is more expensive and thus used mainly for special occasions. Nutritionally, basmati is thought to have a lower glycemic index, meaning it is more slowly absorbed into the bloodstream, and thus many people concerned with blood glucose levels find it a preferable choice. Please use this information about basmati rice with caution, as its glycemic index may change depending on how it is cooked or when eaten with other foods. The longer rice is cooked, the higher its glycemic index.