Today's lunch is a comforting and satisfying meal : a hearty dal, crispy fried fish, and tangy tamarind rice, making it a perfect wholesome meal.
Dal (Lentil Curry):
Ingredients:
200 grams dal (soaked for a few hours)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-inch ginger, finely chopped
6 green chillies, finely chopped
Salt to taste
A few curry leaves
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
2-inch fresh turmeric, sliced
1 tomato, sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
1/4 teaspoon hing (asafoetida powder)
2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped
Method:
1. Pressure cook the soaked dal along with sliced tomatoes and turmeric. Cook on high flame until the first whistle, then reduce the flame to low. Allow it to cook for one more whistle, then turn off the heat.
2. In a separate vessel, heat some clarified butter. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds; allow them to splutter.
3. Add finely chopped ginger, garlic, green chillies, hing, and curry leaves. Sauté until aromatic and lightly browned.
4. Stir in the chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.
5. Add the cooked dal, mix well, and add water as required. Season with salt to taste.
6. Simmer for a couple of minutes and finish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.
Tamarind Rice:
Ingredients:
40 grams tamarind soaked in 2 cups of hot water (extract the pulp and set aside)
3 cups pulav basmati rice (soaked for 15 minutes)
A few curry leaves
3 Kashmiri red chillies, broken into pieces
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
Hot water as needed
Method:
1. Heat clarified butter in a vessel and add cumin seeds, curry leaves, and red chillies. Stir until they splutter.
2. Add coriander powder, cumin powder, and pepper powder. Sauté well.
3. Gently stir in the soaked rice.
4. Pour the extracted tamarind pulp and mix well.
5. Add hot water, ensuring the level is about 1/2 inch above the rice.
6. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cook until the rice is fully done.
Fried Bombay Duck (Bombil):
Ingredients:
20 small Bombay ducks (Bombil), cleaned
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons vinegar
2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
Rice flour and semolina mixture (for coating)
Oil for shallow frying
Method:
1. Marinate the cleaned fish with chilli powder, coriander powder, pepper powder, cumin powder, garam masala, salt, vinegar, and ginger-garlic paste.
2. Allow the fish to marinate well for a while.
3. Coat each fish piece in a mixture of rice flour and semolina.
4. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the fish until crispy and golden brown.
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