Mid-week meals can be a breeze with Pratibha Karan's delicious and unusual Sri Lankan Parippu Hodi.
The dal goes well with a bowl of steamed rice and chapatis.
Sri Lankan Parippu Hodi
Serves: 8
Sri Lanka is known for its spices -- cloves, cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, nutmeg and mace -- that are grown aplenty.
It is, therefore, natural that Sri Lankans use them a lot in their cuisine, making it delicious and aromatic.
Spices, coconut, shallots and red chillies are combined in this dish to give it a wonderful flavour.
Ingredients
For the baghar or tadka
Method
Pratibha's Note: For Sri Lankan Curry Powder use the following ingredients:
15-20 sprigs curry leaves, 50 gm dhania or coriander seeds, 30 gm jeera or cumin seeds, 1 tbsp sonf or fennel seeds, 1 tbsp methi or fenugreek seeds, 1 dalcheeni or cinnamon stick, about 3-inches long, 1 tsp lavang or cloves, 1 tsp green elaichi or cardamom seeds.
Wash and shake dry the curry leaves. Remove the leaves from the stems. Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan and lightly dry roast the curry leaves over medium heat till completely dry. Do not allow to brown. Remove and keep aside. Next, dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel, fenugreek seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom for just a minute or 3 till it emits a nice aroma. Do not allow to brown. Remove and allow to cool. Now grind together all the above ingredients to a fine powder. Store in an air-tight jar. Will remain good for use for long.
Excerpted from The Book Of Dals by Pratibha Karan with the kind permission of the publishers Penguin Random House India.
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