Mixed Daal with Cauliflower and Potatoes and Peas

This was my final meal for Nepali week. I intentionally made it a simple meal because I had planned on making it on a Friday and I've mentioned before how Fridays are my tired days. After the previous disaster, I took a couple of days off from cooking to get my thoughts together and to become less stabby. The last thing you want is a stabby person using a large kitchen knife. It worked and I enjoyed making this meal and losing myself in the preparation. Cooking should be a form of therapy. I just Googled it and what do you know? It is. Well there goes my next "big" idea...

 The ingredients for Mixed Daal

1/4 cup split yellow mung beans, without skins

 

1/4 cup masoor daal, without skins. These are also known as pink or red lentils.

1/4 cup split white urad beans, without skins

1/4 cup split yellow pigeon peas, without skins

1/4 cup split yellow chickpeas. I didn't use these because a cup of beans was already enough. And I thought I had chickpeas at home so I didn't buy any but then I realized I didn't.

3 tbsps ghee

1 tsp cumin seeds. I used ground cumin.

1 1 inch stick cinnamon

2 small bay leaves

1/2 tsp ground tumeric

A large pinch of asafetida

1 large onion, finely chopped

3-4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tbsp minced ginger

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro. Garnish only.

Wash and soak your beans. How do you wash your beans? Put them in a bowl of cold water, swish them around, and empty the water. Repeat until the water is clear after swishing them.

Heat the ghee in a large pot. Add the cumin seeds and fry until fragrant. Add the cinnamon, bay leaves, tumeric, and asafetida, then immediately add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook until the onion is soft, stirring frequently, then add the tomatoes and cook until soft. Add the daal, salt, 4 1/2 cups of water and bring to a quick boil, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't boil over. I only used three cups of water because I took into account that the beans would have a good amount of water soaked in. Reduce head to medium-low, cover, and cook until the daal is tender. About 40-45 minutes. If you need to add water while it's cooking, do so 1/2 cup at a time. Serve hot. 

 The ingredients for the Cauliflower with Potato and Peas

1 medium sized head of cauliflower

1/2 cup mustard oil

2 dried red chilies, stemmed

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp Himalayan herb (jimbu). I didn't have this.

2 small red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

2 green cardamom pods, crushed. I had seeds so I crushed them. 

1 1 inch stick of cinnamon, halved

1/2 tsp ground tumeric

1 bay leaf

2 whole cloves

1 tbsp minced ginger. Look at how small that ginger is now!

1 1/2 tsps ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup fresh peas. I used frozen

1 small red or green bell pepper, cored and cut into 1 inch pieces. I didn't add this because I accidentally used the bell pepper I had bought for this recipe in the mixed veggie patties/stir fry.

1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro

3-4 green onions (white and pale green parts) finely chopped

1 tsp garam masala

Break the cauliflower into 1 1/2 inch florets. Discard any yellow leaves but reserve any green ones. Peel the stem and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Heat the mustard oil in a wide saucepan until it's smoking. Add the dried chili, fenugreek, cumin, and jimbu and fry until several shades darker and fragrant. Immediately add the potatoes, cardamom pods, cinnamon, tumeric, bay leaf, and cloves. Cook, stirring frequently, until the potatoes are light brown. With a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes and set in a bowl, draining as much oil as possible. Add the cauliflower, leaves, and stem and cook for about five minutes. Stir in ginger, coriander, cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper. Reduce  head to medium, cover the pan, and cook until the cauliflower is lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Mix in the potatoes, peas, and bell pepper, and cook, covered, until veggies are tender. Stir in the cilantro, green onions, and garam masala.

Both dishes were really good and I especially enjoyed how the spice livened up the peas. It was a good simple meal.

Aside from that one day, I really enjoyed making Nepali food. There are a lot of ingredients, FOR SURE, but it was fun trying out new things. I discovered asafetida and how frying the spices beforehand really makes a difference so it was a good experience. If someone can help me get rid of the scent, that would be cool, too!

Next up is Germany! Auf Wiedersehen!