It is 7:50 pm, local time Tuesday Evening and I do not like sitting to write Blog at this time. I am very much a morning person. Then, I so wish to share the above dal recipe with my readers tomorrow. What is stopping me? I have an invitation for lunch tomorrow at an elder sister like's home, in anticipation at this moment if at all I shall get to eat "goyna bori bhaja" her mother & sister-in-laws send her from their native place. In addition to that, I love to listen to the stories of her native place. It is on the way to Bengal's hot spot Digha, in acres of landed property by the sea. They have their own pond attached to their home full of "bhetki, tyangra, charapona, rui, katla." Their garden grows all sorts of fruits and vegetables and you can understand how my soul is transported to a tranquil township somewhere in the Midnapore district busy clicking ladies sitting under the sun and designing "goyna bori." This lady herself cooks very well, that is one more attraction for me including her two big balconies. She is tall having enviably long hair, what she lacks is the urge to look feminine. So, I got for her a mild perfume and a face mask this time. I am allergic to strong odours, so very fond of Elizabeth Arden's this range; it's branded but economic and mild. I can take very few perfumes and end up gifting people as per my choice without considering theirs. But I am choosy about buying stuffs. Today, I had spent 45 minutes in a store to buy something for the lady. I walked for 7 kilometres to my old neighbourhood after stopping at our favourite nursery for some necessary buys. Yes, I spend on things that lifts up my spirit. Cristine came back home with two orchid plants, two packets of soil, few big pots. On my walk I tore "kuchi togor er duto dal" and see what I was doing back home. Those are some lipstick stains I was testing thinking of buying for the lady I am going to meet tomorrow. Finally, I bought those two things. Yes, I do budgeting, never overdo but the thing has to be as per my choice.
Green Tea, Lavender, Cherry Blossom are my favourite flavours. Be it watching Cherry Blossoms in Japan or getting lost in the supreme beauty of McCluskiegang, I shall enjoy both tremendously. Who will take me there? Japan may still happen but the other? It is important for the partners to agree at a point, we do not. Thereafter when he will be done with his responsibilities, we may not be in the right health to travel; in the worst case scenario either of us may not be there at all. Who cares? Less responsible people enjoy the best fruits of life I have seen. I better write the blog which gives me pleasure. You will enjoy having this simple dal / lentil curry MUSHUR DAL FRY served with steamed rice, cumin rice, Southern Indian style rices, flat or puffed breads.
After all day outside, I had a late, refreshing shower. At this time, I enjoy reading or just sitting and waiting for the husband to come back from the office. The son as usual is locked in his room. This is not the time I can concentrate in Blogging. I am very much a morning person, good things happens to my body and soul in the morning. Then, I shall be busy tomorrow morning. When I visit some home, I like to carry some self cooked food. I forgot to buy raw produce today, but a woman's kitchen is "Annapurna's Bhandar" if you want it that way, tomorrow morning I shall prepare a big batch of "polao o aloor dum, shemai er payesh." Their lunch boxes would seem happy and I can take some good food to my friend's home. At the moment I am having puffed rice with mustard oil, onion, green chilli, pumpkin seeds and Jasmine Green tea.
I think the "muri and cha" thing helped me to write a blogpost at this time. You see, if you ought to say some real life story, writing it down is never an exercise. That is what I do. Whatever keeps happening inside, I jot down. In the process, I enjoy sharing whatever simple cooking I do. Take the example of this one, I enjoyed some dal / lentil curry in an Indian restaurant; felt I needed some more spices in it and I prepared this MUSHUR DAL FRY back to back two days in a week's span. Shall we share the recipe? We must.
SPLIT, HUSKED MASOOR / SKINLESS RED LENTIL : 1SMALL TEA CUP
CHOPPED ONION : 2-3TBSP [OF ONE MEDIUM SIZED]
CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 2TSP
MINCED GINGER : 1TSP
MINCED GARLIC : 11/2TSP
CURRY LEAF : 8-10
AESAFOETIDA : 2-3PINCH
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2TSP +1/2TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1/2TSP
CUMIN POWDER : 1/2TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1/2TSP
GARAM MASALA POWDER : 1TSP
LEMON JUICE : 2TBSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 3-4TBSP
PROCEDURE :
Wash the red lentil / mushurir dal well. Take it in a deep bottomed vessel, add 2 coffee mugs of water, salt, 1/2tsp of turmeric powder and boil in minimum heat, covered 1/3rd. I did the same in a pressure cooker up to 1 whistle at minimal heat.
Once the lid opened normally, I poured the dal on to a bowl.
We have peeled & chopped one medium sized onion, chopped 2-3 green chillies, minced a bit of ginger and few cloves of garlic, plucked the curry leaves from it's stem. We shall wash them all separately.
We shall heat oil in a wok and add the ginger & garlic mince. Then we have to fry till the garlic turns brown and emanates a wonderful flavour.
Let us add the chopped onions and green chillies now.
I forgot to add the asafoetida in the beginning; relax, hell did not break on your head. Make some space and add it now.
Let us stir fry at low heat for 2 minutes.
Now, add the washed and pat dried curry leaves and stir for 1/2 a minute at minimal heat.
Add the powdered spices like 1/2tsp of turmeric+cumin+coriander+red chilli powders, 1tsp garam masala powder, salt as required.
Let us stir at minimal heat for 1/2 a minute. Pour atop the bowl of dal. Pour the lemon juice too.
We had it with chapati. It can be enjoyed with steamed rice, cumin rice, lemon-turmeric-mango or tamarind rice or parathas & puffed breads. Do not forget to stir the dal before serving.
No comments:
Post a Comment