Red Lentils With Bengali 5 Spices Recipes

BENGAL RED LENTILS WITH SPICES

Steps:

• Bengal Red Lentils with Spices (Bengali Masar Dal) From Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking, Julie Sahni 1. Pick, clean, wash and cook the dal using the red lentils, chilies, turmeric, salt and water. Put the ingredients in a deep pot; bring to boil. Stir often to make sure they do not lump together. Cook over medium heat, partially covered for 25 minutes. Cover, reduce heat, and continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes or until soft. 2. While the lentils are cooking heat the usli ghee in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the onion and fry, stirring constantly, until golden brown (about 10 minutes). Add the ginger and tomatoes and continue frying until the tomatoes are cooked and the contents reduce to a thick pulp (about 8 minutes). Stir frequently to prevent sticking and burning. 3. Blend the fried onion-tomato paste and salt to taste into the dal; continue cooking for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until the flavors have blended in. Keep the dal on a low simmer while you make the spice-perfumed butter. 4. Measure the spices and place them right next to the stove in separate piles. Heat the usli ghee in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the panch phoron spice blend. When the mustard seeds are spaterring and the cumin turns a little darker (about 15 seconds), add the bay leaves and chili pods. Continue frying until the chili turns dark (15-20 seconds), turning and tossing them. Turn off the heat, add the garlic, and let mixture fry, sizzling for 25 seconds or until it looks light golden. Pour the entire contents of the pan over the dal, mix well, and serve. REC.FOOD.RECIPES From rec.food.cooking archives. Downloaded from G Internet, G Internet.

BENGALI SWEET AND SOUR LENTILS

Steps:

• Rinse lentils thoroughly under running water, and remove any foreign matter.
• Combine the lentils and water in a large pan (which has a lid) and bring to the boil, skimming off the foamy scum as necessary. When the scum has ceased rising to the surface, stir in the bay leaves, chilies, turmeric and asafoetida.
• With the lid half covering the pan, let the lentils simmer gently for around 40 minutes, or until tender and the water is absorbed.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. Add the onion and ginger and saute, stirring frequently, for 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the grated creamed coconut, green chili, sugar, tamarind paste, garam masala, cumin and coriander, and stir for around 1 minute.
• When the lentils are tender, add the sauteed coconut/spice mixture and stir around to mix thoroughly. Taste and add salt, as necessary, and extra sugar or tamarind as desired.
• Transfer the dal to a serving dish, drizzle the hot ghee over the top, and sprinkle with the garam masala and cilantro.

DAAL - BENGALI LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• wash and rinse lentils under running water several times, dumping out gritty water after each rinse.
• in medium pot boil lentils in 6 cups water for 20 minutes under medium heat, watch for foam that develops and may overflow out of the pot.
• in frying pan saute onions for 10 minutes or until translucent
• add garlic and spices to frying pan and sautee for 5 minutes more, careful not to burn garlic.
• add salt to lentil pot.
• transfer fried ingredients into lentil pot and let cook together for 5-10 more minutes.
• add fresh chopped cilantro at the end for an extra fresh taste.

FISH WITH BENGALI 5-SPICES

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the 5-spice mixture. Place the fish pieces in a large non-reactive bowl. Add the 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and salt and mix well, making sure all the pieces are well-coated. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 and up to 4 hours. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and fry the fish pieces (leave any juices in the bowl), in 2 or 3 batches if necessary, until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a bowl. 3. To the bowl with the fish juices, add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, cayenne pepper, and water and mix well to make a paste.4. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet and add the panch-phoran they should splatter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan until the splattering subsides. Quickly add the turmeric paste, stir about 1 minute, then add the tomatoes and cook until most of the juices evaporate, about 5 minutes.5. Mix in the fish, plus any juices that may have accumulated, and cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes to blend the flavors. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the cilantro on top, and serve.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

RED LENTILS WITH BENGALI 5-SPICES

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the ginger-garlic paste and the 5-spices mixture. Then, place the dal, water, turmeric, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the dal, stirring occasionally and watching carefully that it doesn't boil over, about 10 minutes.2. Add the onion, ginger-garlic paste, green chili pepper, coriander, cumin, paprika (or cayenne pepper), and sugar, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the dal is soft and creamy, about 15 minutes. Remove to a serving dish, cover, and keep warm.3. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the red chili peppers, stirring, about 30 seconds (stand back in case they burst). Then add the panch-phoran they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Immediately, pour over the hot dal and swirl lightly to mix, with parts of it visible as a garnish and serve.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.