I haven’t been outside all day, but it was darkish and overcast when I woke up the first time today. (I say “the first time” because I went right back to sleep.) It’s still overcast now, and I have to say I like the whole vibe. It might be body temperature out there, but it looks like it’s cooler.
This weather makes me want to cook.
I’m making curry for dinner tonight. I bought papadums and mint chutney at the store yesterday, and I’ve got lentils and basmati and ghee and all the spices I need to get my little Indian food freak on… Of course, my husband doesn’t like Indian food any more, so I might just make it now, eat some, and then feed him a sandwich for supper.
Not like Indian food? How can you not like Indian food, when you frequently and happily eat all the ingredients and all the spices in other dishes I make?
He doesn’t like soup, either. I don’t know how a person can not like soup, but apparently he doesn’t. I make brilliant soups, but he never has any if there’s anything else to eat in the house, and by ‘anything’ I mean peanuts, candy, chips… you know, stuff that doesn’t require assembly or preparation. He’ll leave a perfectly wonderful, healthy, filling soup right on top of the stove and eat junk food instead.
He’s a freak. The man will sit in front of the glass teat and eat half a bag of potato chips. Which is, like, a whole day’s worth of calories. I love chips, don’t get me wrong, but I know I’m not 22 any more so I put a serving in a bowl and leave the bag in the other room so they don’t end up on my belly, fer chrissakes.
When I started cooking for Brett, years ago, he liked my cooking. Or he said he did, at least. I fed him your basic vegetarian gourmet ghetto soups and sandwiches and salads mainly, and Indian and Japanese and Lebanese dishes, and something completely fattening and delicious and over the top thrown in occasionally, and I used to get compliments from him.
Now, he doesn’t like my cooking. It’s too “light,” not enough “meat and potatoes.” He wants steak and eggs, or chops and baked potatoes.
He wants a heart attack, apparently.
Yeah, you’re right. I’ll make him eat Indian food tonight, it won’t kill him. Plus, I have a jar of lime pickle, and he loves that shit. Mushroom curry, curried cauliflower, papadums, rice, chutneys, and dhal it is! Oh yeah!
I think I’ll go do some veggie prep and check on my laundry.
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Oh, you and I should totally exchange recipes. Pakistani food is almost identical to Indian, albeit with the inclusion of meat…mostly chicken stuff though. Scarily enough, the one thing I STILL can’t cook is daal.
Awesome! I have a killer daal recipe. I’ll send it to you.
Oh, I want the killer daal recipe too! (My husband and the cat like the current recipe, but the kids are sort of lukewarm on daal in general so I like to try a new one now & then.)
Dhal
Fry in 2 T. oil or ghee (30 ml) until golden brown:
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground tumeric (5 ml)
1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin (7 ml)
1 tsp. ginger root, finely grated (5 ml) (optional)
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom (1 ml) (optional)
Add:
1 c. dried lentils or split peas (250 ml) (if using split peas, soak overnight)
3 c. hot water (750 ml)
1 tsp. Salt (5 ml) or to taste
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove cover and and simmer over very low heat, stirring frequently, about 20 more minutes, until lentils are mushy and thick, about the consistency of refried beans. Garnish with onions, thinly sliced and browned, or a squeeze of lemon. Serve with rice.
Servings: 4-6
Cooking Time: 30 to 65 minutes, depending on lentils used
Ready In: 1 hour +
Source: Extending The Table, A World Community Cookbook
Author: Joetta Handrich Schlabach
My notes:
I use red lentils in this recipe so the cooking time’s more like 25 minutes. I often add a little extra liquid. And I don’t cook it until it’s thick enough to stand a fork up in, because I generally like my food more like *food* and less like the consistency of sludge.
But that’s just me.
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I thought Indian foods were only supposed to be served at restaurants because I thought it would be too difficult to try. The detailed recipe you wrote doesn’t seem complicated at all. I might wanna try that some time. That’s very informative. Thanks!!
P.S. I don’t eat indian foods with my right hand. I use chopsticks.
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