Rice and Lentils with Curry Leaves and Ginger (Ven Pongal)

Sometimes, when you have been pursuing something for a long period of time, the solution comes from the most unexpected place. For years, I have been trying to identify this one taste I would pick up in Indian food that was prepared outside of my kitchen. It was a deep, smoky flavor that permeated everything certain curry dishes, especially those with lentils. I have tried many lentil-based recipes, from a variety of Indian recipes sources, and was never able to capture the secret.

On a lark, I tried this recipe -- from Cooking Light -- and it produced the very taste I have been looking for for years! It proves that Cooking Light is much more than just a low-calorie publication, but is instead a resource for healthful, flavorful dishes. No wonder I turn to them more often than I had expected I would.

The secret comes from toasting cumin seeds (here, mixed with peppercorns) and then mushing them up into a paste with a mortar and pestle. I don't think you would want to lick the mixture directly, but added into a sauce, it is just deliciousness. Enjoy this nice variation of rice and beans -- easy to prepare, good re-heated.

Rice and Lentils with Curry Leaves and Ginger (Ven Pongal)
Cooking Light, May 2008

1/4 tsp canola oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp peppercorns
1/2 c red lentils, uncooked, rinsed and drained
4 c water
1 c rice
3/4 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 cilantro, chopped
2 T ginger, peeled and julienned
1 T butter
12 curry leaves

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and peppercorns to pan. Cook 30 seconds or until cumin turns reddish brown, stirring constantly.

Transfer to a mortar; let cool. Crush cumin mixture with a pestle until coarsely ground.

Rinse lentils in a sieve under cold running water until water runs clear. Combine lentils, 4 c water, and rice in a large saucepan; bring to a boil.

Stir in cumin mixture, salt and turmeric; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 10 minutes, stirring once. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro and remaining ingredients. Serve immediately

Comments

Chicken Traybake with Roasted Poblano and Tomato Salsa

This dish is delicious! Easy! And, beautiful to look at! The original recipe calls for you to process all the cooked vegetables together into a chunky salsa, but I recommend serving it as is so you have an automatic side dish. The original also calls for cooking chicken bone-in, but, the more I cook traybakes, the more I advocate for slicing chicken into tenders and cooking boneless. Just a safer bake that way because everything comes to the same temperature at the same time. Chicken Traybake with Roasted Poblano and Tomato Salsa Milk Street 1 T chili powder 2 poblano, stemmed, seeded, chopped 1 yellow onion, root end intact, in 8 wedges 1 pint cherry tomatoes 1/4 c olive oil 1 T brown sugar 1 T oregano, dried 3 lb chicken, bone-in, skin-on, trimmed 10 cloves garlic, peeled 1 T vinegar 1/4 c cilantro, chopped Heat oven to 450. In small bowl, stir together chili powder and 2 tsp salt. In large bowl, toss together pobloanos, onion wedges, tomatoes, and 1 T of the chili-power...

Mayocoba Beans with Green Chiles

I love this dish so much that I can barely stand it. Delicious the night it was made, and fantastic as leftovers throughout the week. Mayocoba beans are easily replaced -- try pintos, if you can't find mayocobas. Mayocoba Beans with Green Chiles Baptism of Fire 3-4 green chiles, roasted and chopped 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 T lard or olive oil 1/2 tsp oregano 1 tsp cumin pepper 1 c mayocoba beans, dry 3 c water 1 tsp salt Cook the green chiles, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, and black pepper in the fat until the onions begin to caramelize. Add the water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let the beans sit, uncovered, for an hour. You may drain the water to remove some of the slightly indigestible sugars that cause gassiness. If you decide to drain them, add enough water back into the pot to cover the beans with about 2" of water above the beans for cooking. Bring the beans back to a boil and cook, until tender. This will take...

Curried Chicken Soup

I made this soup so often in the 1990s, but frankly had forgotten about it. Flipping through this cookbook, I found this recipe and was flooded with memories. When I was in grad school, this soup was my "feeling decadent" food and reminded me of something people might eat after hitting the slopes -- a thing I have never done. A few decades long, and with a lot more experience with cooking, I realize that this is basically a chicken curry with a thin sauce and the rice already in the meal -- but don't let that in any way discourage you! It's delicious as is and is a wonderful take on what is otherwise chicken and rice soup. I have become a fan of using rotisserie chickens, especially during the pandemic. They are so cheap, and I can use the meat in a soup like this on the day-of grocery shopping, and, crunch the bones down for the freezer for making stock in the future. Of course, this soup can be made with a fresh chicken, but I have modified the recipe bel...

Donut Army

Search This Blog