First LJ Recipe Post: India's Rajma
I need a place to put my recipes, so why not here on LJ? Here's the first of what I hope to be many!
Rajma (Kidney beans with spinich in spicy tomatoe-yogurt sauce)
I have to thank KK for this recipe- through whom I am living the Indian culinary experience vicariously. When we talk on the phone or by IM I always ask her what she is eating. Then I usually foodblogsearch.com it and see if it seems like something I could make or would be interested in making.
I have to say, cooking Indian has been a process- a lot of times it just doesn't come out with that authentic taste- and by authentic, I mean it doesn't taste anything like it does in Indian restaurants in the U.S. But it sure does beat Egyptians take on Indian food- blech. I think they think that spices must be haram because there weren't any in my dish. I'm still looking for a good Egyptian koshari dish in any of you out there in LJ land know of one. That was good!
O.k. on to the Rajma.
I used http://www.monsoonspice.com/2008/01/pleasure-of-slow-cooking-with-rajma.htmla as my blue print but only mostly followed it.
Ingredients:
1 can Kidney Beans
1 large Onion, chopped
4 roma tomatoes, diced
1 inch Ginger, peeled and sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
5 fresh chiles de arbol, sliced thin (add or reduce for heat)
A pinch of pomegranate powder
1 tbsp of fenugreek seeds
1 inch Cinnamon (or a big pinch of powder)
3 pinches cardomom seeds
2 dashes of crushed clove
½ + ½ tbsp Oil
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
¼ tsp Hing/Asafetida
Salt to taste
A cup of spinach
A cup of yogurt
Saute the ginger, onion and garlic together. Add the chopped tomatoes & chiles. Saute for another 2 minutes. Let it cool a bit to let the flavors mix. Then puree the mix in a blender or food processor with the cardomom, cinnamon & cloves. I also threw a pinch of fenugreek in here as well as curry powder & chana masala powder.. I figured it could only taste more Indian that way...
Heat a little oil and put in the cumin seeds, asafetida, and the other half of the fenugreek seeds. When the cumin seeds begin to pop add the spicy tomatoe sauce mixture. Let cook for a few minutes.
Then add the beans and spinach. & pomegranite powder if you have it on hand. Once hot, add some water as you are going to let it simmer for 20 minutes. The last couple of minutes, add the yogurt, it makes it nice and creamy! But not necessary.
I also added a bunch of turmeric at the last minute as my ditch attempt to make my rajma the same as in the picture at the aforementioned website. I am not sure what made hers yellow and mine not.. her recipe doesnt even call for turmeric. Maybe it's the fenugreek LEAVES.. I didnt have leaves so I used the seeds. But still. Weird. I served it on a bed of cilantro basmati rice with papaya water.
I would say this recipe is a success. It really tasted like Indian food! Tonight I made enchiladas in mole poblano- & even though I bought the mole pre-made I still havent got that street vendor taste to it :( It'll come though, it took awhile to get the Indian down.
Rajma (Kidney beans with spinich in spicy tomatoe-yogurt sauce)
I have to thank KK for this recipe- through whom I am living the Indian culinary experience vicariously. When we talk on the phone or by IM I always ask her what she is eating. Then I usually foodblogsearch.com it and see if it seems like something I could make or would be interested in making.
I have to say, cooking Indian has been a process- a lot of times it just doesn't come out with that authentic taste- and by authentic, I mean it doesn't taste anything like it does in Indian restaurants in the U.S. But it sure does beat Egyptians take on Indian food- blech. I think they think that spices must be haram because there weren't any in my dish. I'm still looking for a good Egyptian koshari dish in any of you out there in LJ land know of one. That was good!
O.k. on to the Rajma.
I used http://www.monsoonspice.com/2008/01/pleasure-of-slow-cooking-with-rajma.htmla as my blue print but only mostly followed it.
Ingredients:
1 can Kidney Beans
1 large Onion, chopped
4 roma tomatoes, diced
1 inch Ginger, peeled and sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
5 fresh chiles de arbol, sliced thin (add or reduce for heat)
A pinch of pomegranate powder
1 tbsp of fenugreek seeds
1 inch Cinnamon (or a big pinch of powder)
3 pinches cardomom seeds
2 dashes of crushed clove
½ + ½ tbsp Oil
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
¼ tsp Hing/Asafetida
Salt to taste
A cup of spinach
A cup of yogurt
Saute the ginger, onion and garlic together. Add the chopped tomatoes & chiles. Saute for another 2 minutes. Let it cool a bit to let the flavors mix. Then puree the mix in a blender or food processor with the cardomom, cinnamon & cloves. I also threw a pinch of fenugreek in here as well as curry powder & chana masala powder.. I figured it could only taste more Indian that way...
Heat a little oil and put in the cumin seeds, asafetida, and the other half of the fenugreek seeds. When the cumin seeds begin to pop add the spicy tomatoe sauce mixture. Let cook for a few minutes.
Then add the beans and spinach. & pomegranite powder if you have it on hand. Once hot, add some water as you are going to let it simmer for 20 minutes. The last couple of minutes, add the yogurt, it makes it nice and creamy! But not necessary.
I also added a bunch of turmeric at the last minute as my ditch attempt to make my rajma the same as in the picture at the aforementioned website. I am not sure what made hers yellow and mine not.. her recipe doesnt even call for turmeric. Maybe it's the fenugreek LEAVES.. I didnt have leaves so I used the seeds. But still. Weird. I served it on a bed of cilantro basmati rice with papaya water.
I would say this recipe is a success. It really tasted like Indian food! Tonight I made enchiladas in mole poblano- & even though I bought the mole pre-made I still havent got that street vendor taste to it :( It'll come though, it took awhile to get the Indian down.