Lentil dal with fresh ginger, chili and cilantro

Hello again! It is now almost 11 and I am going to call it a night. Last recipe. As you can see Dan and I have been eating Indian food. It has been fun to try some new recipes and make somethings we have never tasted before! Dan was actually the one who made this recipe. It was a nice meal to come home to! Here's what you need:

• 1 cup orange lentils
• 1/2 tsp tumeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 cups of water

Step one:
Put the lentils in a large saucepan with tumeric, salt and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer covered for about 20 or 30 minutes. Make sure the lentils are soft. If you need to, add water while cooking.

Step two:
Take out about 1/2 of the lentils with a ladle and mash them. Take the mashed lentils and add them back to the soup/dal. Continue to let simmer for about 5 minutes to let it thicken, uncovered. Give it a good stir. If you like stick soup keep it how it is. If you like it a bit thinner, add water. Keep it on low heat, stirring every so often.

TEMPERING OIL
You make this in another pan. You will use half of it to stir into your soup and the other half to garnish the top of the soup.
You need:

• 2 1/2 tbsps oil
• 1 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 tsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 tsp chili sauce
• 1 tsp green curry paste
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsps chili powder

In a frying pan heat up the oil, garlic and ginger. Heat for a minute or two then add the cumin, chili powder, chili sauce, green curry paste, and the cayenne pepper. Cook for about a minute. Remove the pan from heat and add a few drops of water to it.

Take half of the tempering oil and add it to the soup/dal. Stir it in nicely. Also add half of the cilantro and all of the lemon juice. Simmer for another few minutes. VOILA..it's finished. Serve nice and warm. Place a bit of the tempering oil on top of your bowl of dal and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Enjoy this dish. It is super good.

xo

Scallops with ginger, garlic and chili

Hello, hello!
This was a lovely dinner. We have been having fun trying new recipes. I hope you all enjoy this one!
You need:

• 20-30 fresh bay scallops
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1-2 tsps of chili sauce
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground tumeric
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• salt

Let's get started..
Step one:
Drain the scallops and let them sit in the colander until you're ready to cook them.

Step two:
Heat up the oil until it is almost at it's smoking point. Put the scallops in the pan. Spread them out evenly. Immediately add the ginger, garlic and chili sauce. Toss the scallops. Don't stir the scallops. You don't want them to give off all their juices and become rubbery.
Toss them again, and add the ground spices. Salt, and add cilantro.

The scallops should only be cooked for 3 to 4 minutes. So make sure everything is prepared in advance to make it go quickly. Serve as soon as they are done cooking. It's nice with rice because there is a lot of juice that is made with the scallops.
Enjoy everyone!

xo

Garlic and Cilantro Naan

Mmmm...Naan. I love naan. It goes great with so many tasty dishes! I am going to be honest with you...this was my very first time making naan. I know, I know..I always say that I make things from scratch, but I don't. :( I always just end up buying naan. I feel so much better after confessing that. hahahh. Although I always buy naan, I would recommend you make it yourself. It tastes wayyy better. Here is what you need to make yourself some naan! *This recipe makes three*

• 2 1/2 cups of white bread flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 tsp honey
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 4 tbsp plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Step one:
In a large bowl mix together flour, salt, and coriander. Stir in the garlic and yeast.

 Make a well in the center and add the honey, lukewarm water, yogurt and oil. Stir well so that the dough comes together. Knead it with your hands so that you get everything off the sides of the bowl. Take the dough and place it onto a floured counter. Continue to knead it well. Do this until it becomes smooth and elastic.

Step two:

Make your dough into a ball. Brush your bowl with oil and make sure you get oil on all the sides of your ball. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rise for 1-2 hrs. Make sure the dough doubles in size.

Step four:

Preheat the oven to 475F. Prepare your three cookie sheets, and place them in the oven. You need them to be hot. Take your dough and place it on a floured counter top again. Punch the dough down with your fist. I like that part :) Now divide your dough into three equal pieces. Roll them out a little bit then brush both sides with oil. Roll them all into a tear drop shape.

Step five:

 Place the 3 pieces of naan onto the hot cookie sheets. It kinda sizzles one you put the naan on the sheets. Place your chopped cilantro on the naan evenly. Make it look nice and pretty! Place the sheets into the oven for 5 minutes, until puffed up.

Take them out and transfer the naan to a broiler pan (which we didn't have so we just placed the naan onto our shelves in the oven) brush with some more oil and broil for 2 minutes. You need to watch them the whole time because you don't want them to get too dark or burn...they won't taste nice. Serve them nice and warm!

 Enjoy!
xo

Dhaniawala Gosht

I got this amazing Modern Indian cookbook from a friend of mine at our wedding shower. Everything we have made from the cookbook has been scrumptious!! This meal is full of spice and flavor! It is called lamb with coriander in English. Unfortunately we decided not to buy lamb because it was quite pricey here...but we used pork. It turned out great so I recommend making it with pork. We ate it last night for dinner and all day today my mouth has been watering to eat it again tonight..before we go snowboarding!! It's been snowing all day here so I can't wait to eat another warm bowl of it! Let's get started.. Here is what you will need:

-2 tbsps of ground coriander
-1 tbsp ground cumin
-4 or 5 dried chilies
-2 cinnamon sticks broken into 1/4's
-3 tbsps oil
-1 lb of leg of lamb or pork chopped into cubes
-3 onions, chopped
-1 heaping tbsp of very finely chopped fresh ginger
(I normally freeze my ginger and grate it. I find it alot easier than chopping it)
-2 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
-4 tomatoes chopped
-3 or 4 tbsp chopped cilantro
-salt

STEP ONE:
-Roast the chillies and the cinnamon sticks in a frying pan over low heat. Cool then crush in a mortar or a small grinder until you get a consistency of crushed peppercorns.

STEP TWO:

-In a large saucepan heat the oil then add the meat.

-Cook over high heat until all the sides are browned.

-Add the crushed chilies and cinnamon mixture to the meat. Sautee for three minutes then reduce heat to medium. 

STEP THREE:

-Add the onions. Cook until the onions are cooked through(clear). Once they are cooked through add the chopped garlic, ginger, coriander and cumin. Sautee for a couple of minutes.

STEP FOUR:

Add enough water or stock to just cover the meat. Season with salt. Cover and let simmer for about 8 minutes. Then simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes. You want it to thicken and reduce the liquid.

STEP FIVE:

Add the chopped tomatoes and let simmer a few minutes. Mix in the chopped cilantro.

SERVE with plain white rice and enjoy every bite!

xo