ZUCCHINI SAMBAR

Saturday, 28 January 2012

INGRIDIENTS

½ cup toor dal

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

2 tablespoons corn oil

½ teaspoon asafoetida powder

1 whole dried red chilli pepper

½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 teaspoon urad dal

½ medium onion, cut lengthwise

1 small tomato, chipped

2 teaspoons samhbar powder

¼ cup tomato sauce

¼ teaspoon tamarind paste

 Teaspoon salt (more, if desired)

2 cups peeled and cubed zucchini

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

METHOD 

Boil 4 cups of water in a tall saucepan.  Add toor dal and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.  Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, for about 30 minutes until dal becomes creamy.  If water evaporates during the cooking process, add another cup of water and cook until dal becomes creamy.  Set aside.

In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  When oil is hot, but not smoking, add asafoetida, whole red pepper, fenugreek, mustard seeds, and urad dal.  Cook, covered, until mustard seeds pop and urad dal is golden brown.

Add onion and tomato.  Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until onions are tender.  Then add remaining ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and sambhar powder and stir well. 

Add tomato sauce.  Add toor dal mixture, plus 3 cups of warm water, to the mixture in the saucepan.  Stir mixture well.

Add tamarind paste and salt.  When mixture begins to bubble, add zucchini and cook, covered, over low heat, until zucchini is tender.

Add coriander and simmer for an additional few minutes.

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Walnut Date Burfi

Wednesday, 25 January 2012

INGREDIENTS
8 inch (2L) square cake pan, greased with ghee

3 cups whole or 2% milk

8 oz chopped dates

2 tsp ghee or oil

1 cup finely chopped walnuts, divided, optional

METHOD 

In a heavy saucepan (do not use a non-stick pan), bring milk to a boil over medium to medium-low heat.  Reduce heat to maintain a gentle boil.  This is critical.   As milk foams and rises to the top, every 5 to 6 minutes, stir it back in.  Boil gently until reduced by half.  This will take about 30 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, process dates into a paste.  Set aside.  When milk is sufficiently reduced, stir in dates and reduce heat to low.  Add ghee.  Cook, stirring continuously, until mixture begins to hold together, 5 to 6 minutes. 

Stir in half of the walnuts and mix well.  Place in prepared pan and pat evenly with a greased spatula.  Sprinkle remaining walnuts on top and press into place.

Refrigerate overnight to set.  Cut into bite-size pieces and serve.

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