Vaghareli Mori Dal/Parsi Tempered Yellow Tur Dal...thanks again K

Vaghareli Mori Dal...better known as the Parsi Everyday Dal but in our home it is called K’s Dal J…adopted Kainaaz’s recipe from IFF, the tempering is the same as what we normally use at home but the sieving of the dal to get that smooth texture was new...always done for soups but never for dals that are served with main course...tried it and since then a regular at dinner…Thanks again K!!

Vaghareli Mori Dal (Parsi Yellow Tur Dal)

Ingredients: 

• Arhar/Tur/Split Pigeon Peas or Masoor dal/Red lentils, 1 cup   (K’s recipe specified Arhar dal)
• Turmeric powder, ½ tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Water, about 2 1/2 - 3 cups
• Garlic, 4-5 pods, finely sliced into thin rounds
• Cumin seeds, ½ tsp
• Fresh green chilies, 1-2, finely chopped (optional)
• Ghee/ Butter/Oil, 1 tbsp (or more J )
• Finely sliced and crisp fried Onion, (optional)

Instructions:

Wash the dal till water runs clear and soak it for about half an hour.

Drain the dal and pressure cook with water, salt and turmeric till soft and mushy(if cooking in a pan, please adjust water quantity accordingly)

When the cooker cools down, remove dal and either pass thorough a fine mesh sieve or liquify using an immersion blender. The texture of the dal needs to be smooth, thick and pourable.

For tempering, heat ghee in a small pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and when they start sizzling, add in garlic and green chilies, if using.  Fry the garlic till it turns crisp and golden brown.

Add the tempering to the dal and mix well. Top up with fried onion or if skipping onion, save a few garlic slices from tempering to top up.

Serve hot with main course or as soup

Notes:

Pictures of the dals to help identify...

Arhar/Tur/Split Pigeon Peas

Masoor Dal/Red Lentils

Parsi Caramelized Brown Rice...give me some sugar!!!

Parsi Caramelized Brown Rice…my affair with Parsi food started about 15 years back, when I started traveling to Bombay for work…one day, a friend took me home for dinner and after that my cribbing about going to Bombay and rush to finish work to catch the same day return flight stopped (and my food exploring in Bombay started)…at that time cooking was the last thing on my mind but over the years have picked up a few recipes…this is the first Parsi dish I ever learnt to cook…the sugar surprised me as I took my first bite but combined with Dhanshak, the flavor works beautifully…the sugar sweetens the rice slightly, the caramel adds the depth and the spiced ghee works like a charm!! J

Parsi Caramelized Brown Rice - with sugar version

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice, 2 cups 
• Green cardamom, 3-4
• Cloves, 4-5
• Bayleaves, 2
• Cinnamon, 1” stick
• Black peppercorns, 8-10
• Onions, 1 large, finely sliced
• Ghee/Clarified butter (or oil), 2 tbsp
• Sugar, 3 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Water, 4 cups

Instructions:

Wash the rice till water runs clear, soak for 15-20 minutes in cold water and drain in a colander

Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed deep pan. Lower the heat and add green cardamoms, cloves, bayleaves, cinnamon, star anise and black peppercorns.

When the spices start to sizzle, add the onions. On low heat, fry the onions till they start turning pale golden brown.

Add the sugar and stir until sugar starts to melts and then caramelize and onions takes on the colour. Keep a constant watch and low heat – all that caramelized goodness can very easily burn and go bitter.  

Add in the drained out rice and salt. Gently mix everything so that the rice gets nicely coated with onion mix – do the mixing gently so that the rice grains don’t break up.

Add in the water now and increase the heat. Give a final stir.

Once the water comes to a boil, cover with a tight fighting lid and lower the heat. Let it cook till all the water evaporates and rice is cooked.

Lightly fluff up the rice with a fork. Cover the mouth of the pan with a thick kitchen towel and put the lid back on. Remove the lid and towel after 10 minutes.

Typically served with Dhanshak (meat with lentils) but goes quite well with all other dals, curries and kababs as well.

Notes:

• Typically cumin seeds and black cardamom are also added, but I normally skip for my version.

• Do adjust the amount of water used to the kind of rice you use.

• If you are not convinced that sugar will taste nice in the rice, you can try no sugar version posted here. The sugar version gives a darker richer brown colour – below is how both versions of rice look.

Vagharela Chawal / Parsi Brown Rice – without sugar version...Thanks K!!

Vagharela Chawal / Parsi Brown Rice – without sugar version …My take on Kainaaz’s recipe from IFF...thanks K!!

Vagharela Chawal (Parsi Brown Rice) – without sugar version

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice, 2 cups 
• Green cardamom, 3-4
• Cloves, 4-5
• Bayleaves, 2
• Cinnamon, 1” stick
• Star Anise, ½ piece
• Black peppercorns, 8-10
• Onions, 2 large, finely sliced
• Ghee/Clarified butter (or oil), 2 tbsp
• Salt, to taste
• Water, 4 cups

Instructions:

Wash the rice till water runs clear, soak for 15-20 minutes in cold water and drain in a colander

Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed deep pan. Lower the heat and add green cardamoms, cloves, bayleaves, cinnamon, star anise and black peppercorns.

When the spices start to sizzle, add the onions. Fry the onions till they turn golden brown – patience is the key here, as on high heat onions will burn and if the onions are not properly browned, rice will lack that colour.

Add in the drained out rice and salt. Gently mix everything so that the rice gets nicely coated with ghee – do the mixing gently so that the rice grains don’t break up.

Add in the water now and increase the heat. Give a final stir.

Once the water comes to a boil, cover with a tight fighting lid and lower the heat. Let it cook till all the water evaporates and rice is cooked.

Lightly fluff up the rice with a fork. Cover the mouth of the pan with a thick kitchen towel and put the lid back on. Remove the lid and towel after 10 minutes.

Typically served with Dhanshak (meat with lentils) but goes quite well with all other dals, curries and kababs as well.

Notes:

•  Do adjust the amount of water used to the kind of rice you use.

• The original Parsi rice version with sugar gives a darker richer brown colour  and is posted here