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Dal Makhani- Black Lentils with a Cream Sauce

Diwali is coming up and this is a must in our house… people typically make this lentil dish for a special occasion but it is so simple… you can make it any day you want… yum!

1 cup whole urad dal (black lentils)
¼ cup rajma (red kidney beans)
¼ cup channa dal (gram lentils)
4 cups water
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 inch piece of ginger, minced
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon ghee or butter
2 teaspoon garam masala
3 tablespoons half and half

In a pressure cooker or sauce-pan, add the urad dal, rajma, channa dal, water, crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, salt, cayenne pepper, coriander powder, turmeric and ghee. If using a pressure cooker, then close the lid and cook on high till the pressure is built, then turn the heat on low and cook for an hour. Turn the heat off, and take the lid off- check the consistency. The dal should be like a thick soup or a think stew. If there is excess liquid, then turn the heat on high and begin to evaporate the liquid. Add the garam masala and half and half. Cook till the dal reaches desired consistency. Taste for seasonings.
If using a sauce-pan, then bring the mixture to a boil and lower the heat, cook for at least 2 hours or till the lentils are soft and mushy. Add the garam masals and half and half. Cook till the dal reaches desired consistency. Taste for seasonings.

A Restaurant Classic – Chicken Tikka Masala

Another staple for Diwali dinner… yum!

2 pounds boneless skinless thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
5-6 wooden skewers, soaked in water for at least an hour

3 garlic cloves
2 inches fresh ginger

Process the garlic and ginger into a paste and add to a medium sized bowl.

½ cup non-fat greek yogurt
2 tablespoons half and half
1 teaspoon red food coloring (optional)
Juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon coriander powder
3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon garam masala
½ cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup raw cashews, ground

Preheat broiler on high.

Add the yogurt, half and half, food coloring, lemon juice, coriander powder, salt, garam masala, cilantro and cashews into the bowl with the ginger and garlic. Mix well and add the chicken pieces. Marinate over night or at least two to three hours.
Take out the pieces out of the marinade and place them evenly onto the skewers. Broil on a broiling pan on high for 5 to 6 minutes on both sides or till the chicken is golden brown. Take the chicken out of the skewers and keep aside.

3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 cans (14 ounces) tomato sauce
1/3 cup milk
¼ cup half and half
Pinch of sugar
Salt
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
3 tablespoons dried fenugreek
½ cup cilantro, chopped

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the cumin seeds on medium high heat. Saute for a minute and add the ginger and garlic. Saute for another minute and add the tomato sauce. Add the milk, half and half, sugar, salt, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well and add half of the chicken pieces (the rest can be used for another recipe). Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Add the fenugreek and fresh coriander. Check for seasonings.

Bolognese Garlic Bread Sandwiches

I watched Rachel Ray make these on her show and loved the idea. I changed up the recipe a bit and added mushrooms to make the dish healthier. I also jazzed up the ricotta cheese. These sandwiches were absolutely delicious. My daughter gave them two thumbs up!

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup chopped pancetta
1 pound ground turkey
5 ounces Cremini mushrooms, grated
2 medium shallots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small bunch, thyme
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup tomato sauce, preferably home made
2 cups milk
Salt

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the pancetta and sauté for a minute or two. Add the ground turkey and separate the meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Saute on high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, shallots, garlic and thyme. Saute on high heat for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and sauté for a minute. Add the tomato sauce, milk and salt. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer with the lid on. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes or till the meat is cooked through. Take the lid off and check for seasonings. Keep aside.

Ricotta Topping

1 cup full fat ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, grated
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon salt

Place the olive oil, garlic and parsley in a small frying pan. Heat over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes- just enough time to cook the garlic without browning. Add salt and let cool. Add to the ricotta, mix well and keep aside.

4 ciabatta rolls
2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Add the garlic, oil and salt to a small frying pan. Cook on a very low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn’t get brown. Take off the heat and drizzle the garlic mixture all over the four rolls. Toast in the oven until fragrant and golden brown. Take out and assemble the sandwiches. Place about half a cup of the ground meat. Top with ricotta mixture and serve.

Greek Chicken with Potatoes & Feta

1 to 1½ pounds chicken thighs and legs (bone in)
5 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh oregano (1 teaspoon dry)
½ cup kalamata olives (pitted)
Juice of half a lemon
2 teaspoons salt

Transfer the garlic, oil, olive, oregano, lemon juice and salt into a mortar and pestle (or a processor). Take the paste out and add to a large zip lock bag with the chicken pieces. Marinate for 3 to 4 hours.

3 to 4 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
3 to 5 plum tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces and seeds squeezed out
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt
½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Add the chicken with the marinade. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, oil and salt. Mix well and bake in oven for 40 to 45 minutes till the chicken is tender and potatoes are crisp. Take out of oven and garnish with feta. Serve with roast vegetables and couscous.

Indian Stye Chicken Roast

Marinade

1 pound chicken thighs, boneless, without skin
Juice of one lemon
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 inch ginger piece, grated
3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon oil or ghee

Transfer all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix well and marinate the chicken for 2 to 3 hours or over night in the fridge. Take out half an hour before using.

2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
10 to 15 curry leaves
¼ cup finely ground cashews
½ cup cilantro, chopped

Transfer the chicken to a large saucepan and cook over a low flame with the lid on for about 15 minutes or till the chicken is tender and cooked through. Take out of pan and let sit for at least half an hour. Wipe the pan with a paper towel and add the oil and heat over medium heat. Add the curry leaves and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the chicken and sauté over high heat until all the liquid is cooked away, about 10 to 12 minutes. Make sure to stir constantly. Add the ground cashew and sauté on medium heat for another 3 to 4 minutes. Check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro.

Mango Avocado Kale Salad with Mango Tamarind Dressing

This recipe reminds me of summer and mangos are still available .. in case you can’t find them, substitute any seasonal fruit like an apple or pear… it will be delicious!

1 to 2 mangoes, cut into ½ inch squares
1 avocado, cut into ½ inch squares
2 cups fresh kale, cleaned and chopped (I used a mix of chopped cruciferous vegetables)
1/3 cup slivered onions

Transfer all the ingredients to a serving bowl.

Dressing

1/3 cup mango juice
2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate
Juice of one lime
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Add the mango juice, tamarind, lime juice, cumin, cayenne, honey, salt and oil to a air tight container with the lid on. Shake really well and taste for seasonings. Pour over the veggies, toss well and serve.

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