pepperhead212
Master Chef
I made a vegetable version of dhansak today - an Indian dal, often made with lamb, but I was using up a bunch of vegetables I had sitting around, plus 3 types of dal - I think that there were over 25 ingredients in it! It could easily be made vegan - the ghee could easily be replaced with oil, and wouldn't be missed.
I made a new batch of dhansak masala, with 14 types of spices in it. All of these except for the turmeric and dried methi are toasted, then cooled and ground - the methi and turmeric are added when blending.
3 Byadagi peppers
8 Thai or other hot peppers
3 Indian bay leaves (tejpat)
2 tb coriander seeds
1 tb cumin seeds
2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tb cloves
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tb black mustard seed
3 blades mace
6 medium sized black cardamom, crushed
(1 tb dried methi)
(1/2 tb turmeric)
Spices ready to toast for the dhansak masala. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
While I was doing this, I was cooking the toor, moong, and channa dal in the Instant Pot, for 12 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally, then drained (not much liquid left).
1/4 c each, toor, channa, and moong dal, rinsed
2 1/2 c water
3 dals, cooked for the dhansak, drained, and set aside. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Then I chopped up a large onion, started by cooking that in some ghee, then added some minced ginger and garlic, plus 4 jalapeños and 4 large Numexes, finely chopped. Then peeled and cut up an old sweet potato, a small butternut I had to use first, two small red potatoes, a piece of bottle gourd cut up, and 3 small eggplants, cut up. I used up some junk tomatoes - about 10 oz total, which I liquefied, and added to the IP, then rinsed out the pan with 3 c water, to make up for the 1 cup of oat groats I added. I added 2 tsp of that spice mix, along with a half tb of kashmiri pepper, salt to taste, then I pressure cooked it for 12 minutes again, then let it release naturally.
1 1/2 c onions, chopped
4 tb ghee or oil
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tb minced ginger
peppers to taste - I had about 3/4 c minced
about 2 c ground up tomatoes, plus 1 c water
Vegetables - I had about 6 cups of cubed up veggies
1 c oat groats to 3 c extra water, optional
2 tsp dhansak masala, more later
1/2 tb kashmiri pepper
Salt to taste
6 or 7 vegetables, plus the usual onions, ginger, and garlic , plus a cup of oat groats, pressure cooked for 12 minutes. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Then the mashed dal is stirred in, along with 1½ tb more of the dhansak masala, and some tamarind - about 2 tb concentrate. Then I let that simmer another 7 or 8 minutes, while I fix the tarka - cooking in a tb of oil over medium heat, 1 tsp each black mustard and cumin until they start sputtering, then add 5 or 6 Thai peppers, cooking very briefly, until it starts browning, then a dozen curry leaves and a half tsp of asafoetida, and let them spatter, then quickly add to the IP. Stir in about 1/4 c chopped cilantro, then serve.
Finished dhansak, after simmering 10 minutes with the masala, then adding the tarka. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
And to serve with this, I experimented with making a Belgian waffle, using 1 c jowar flour (sorghum), and 1/4 c ground masoor dal (red lentils), 2 eggs, 1 tb oil, a little salt, and 1 tsp baking powder (did this after the first one didn't do well!). I did this for a friend of mine with celiac disease, and it worked out great! The final one with 1/2 c batter worked best.
Some gluten free Belgian waffles, I tried for a friend, with jowar flour and some ground masoor dal. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
I made a new batch of dhansak masala, with 14 types of spices in it. All of these except for the turmeric and dried methi are toasted, then cooled and ground - the methi and turmeric are added when blending.
3 Byadagi peppers
8 Thai or other hot peppers
3 Indian bay leaves (tejpat)
2 tb coriander seeds
1 tb cumin seeds
2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tb cloves
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tb black mustard seed
3 blades mace
6 medium sized black cardamom, crushed
(1 tb dried methi)
(1/2 tb turmeric)
Spices ready to toast for the dhansak masala. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
While I was doing this, I was cooking the toor, moong, and channa dal in the Instant Pot, for 12 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally, then drained (not much liquid left).
1/4 c each, toor, channa, and moong dal, rinsed
2 1/2 c water
3 dals, cooked for the dhansak, drained, and set aside. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Then I chopped up a large onion, started by cooking that in some ghee, then added some minced ginger and garlic, plus 4 jalapeños and 4 large Numexes, finely chopped. Then peeled and cut up an old sweet potato, a small butternut I had to use first, two small red potatoes, a piece of bottle gourd cut up, and 3 small eggplants, cut up. I used up some junk tomatoes - about 10 oz total, which I liquefied, and added to the IP, then rinsed out the pan with 3 c water, to make up for the 1 cup of oat groats I added. I added 2 tsp of that spice mix, along with a half tb of kashmiri pepper, salt to taste, then I pressure cooked it for 12 minutes again, then let it release naturally.
1 1/2 c onions, chopped
4 tb ghee or oil
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tb minced ginger
peppers to taste - I had about 3/4 c minced
about 2 c ground up tomatoes, plus 1 c water
Vegetables - I had about 6 cups of cubed up veggies
1 c oat groats to 3 c extra water, optional
2 tsp dhansak masala, more later
1/2 tb kashmiri pepper
Salt to taste
6 or 7 vegetables, plus the usual onions, ginger, and garlic , plus a cup of oat groats, pressure cooked for 12 minutes. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Then the mashed dal is stirred in, along with 1½ tb more of the dhansak masala, and some tamarind - about 2 tb concentrate. Then I let that simmer another 7 or 8 minutes, while I fix the tarka - cooking in a tb of oil over medium heat, 1 tsp each black mustard and cumin until they start sputtering, then add 5 or 6 Thai peppers, cooking very briefly, until it starts browning, then a dozen curry leaves and a half tsp of asafoetida, and let them spatter, then quickly add to the IP. Stir in about 1/4 c chopped cilantro, then serve.
Finished dhansak, after simmering 10 minutes with the masala, then adding the tarka. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
And to serve with this, I experimented with making a Belgian waffle, using 1 c jowar flour (sorghum), and 1/4 c ground masoor dal (red lentils), 2 eggs, 1 tb oil, a little salt, and 1 tsp baking powder (did this after the first one didn't do well!). I did this for a friend of mine with celiac disease, and it worked out great! The final one with 1/2 c batter worked best.
Some gluten free Belgian waffles, I tried for a friend, with jowar flour and some ground masoor dal. by pepperhead212, on Flickr