Going green

So today at college we were talking about dietary requirements,Veganism, cooking for diabetics and celiacs and stuff. My friend being as self centered as she is, couldn’t understand how or why people would want to be a vegetarian let alone vegan!

Im not exactly a huge fan of meat, but I do love my fish, but I feel I could do without it.

But here I am now...Vegetarian for a week.

This doesn't bother me, because I love vegetables! I love my pulses and beans too and if anything I see this as an opportunity to get more intact with my roots. 

We are from the Indian part of Punjab you see!(well my family is)

Where foods like; Rajma,Rongi and saag are everyday foods! (Just to name a few of my favorites!)

As a student chef im always trying to new recipes and ideas, and I already find it hard to work with food, well taste it because I do not eat beef or halal.

Obviously Halal being cheaper for some unknown reason, we use allot more of it; I have no problem cooking it, its just eating it.

I struggle here because if I don’t taste it how do I know if I’ve cooked it right?!

But still enough of all this, im going to post you one of my favourite recipes!

Dhal Makhani!

150g whole urad daal
2 tablespoon Red kidney bean
1 1/2 litres of warm water
2 medium onions finely chopped
3 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoon turmeric powder
125g chopped tin tomatoes
25g Ginger piece
3 green chilies minced ( mine are really strong so adjust this to your chillies!)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
10 floz Double cream
2 tablespoons yogurt
2 teaspoons of tandoori powder
3 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoon Garam masala
Salt to your taste

Normally this dhal is cooked for about 3 hours! but i would say this takes just over a hour and a half..

Make sure the red kidney beans have been soaked the night before,just too speed things up a bit.(you can also soak your urad by the way)

The dhal should be cooked until soft,kidney beans contain toxins which can kill you!(eeek!) So please make sure you cook them properly,otherwise you wont be making my yummy dhal again,will you!!

To soak the beans just put them in a bowl and cover with boiling water and leave over night!The longer the better.

Anyway,enough of this morbidness!

Right!

In a largeish pan,heat your oil and heat your butter.

Temper your jeera.

Then add your onions and ginger,& cook until translucent.

Add your garlic and your chillies and cook until brown.

Add your Tumeric & tandoori powder,cook out for about a minute.

Then add your Urad dhal,and your tomatoes & cook out futher,until you feel the dhal starting to stick.

Add your water and you kidney beans and place a lid on your pan!

Leave for about half an hour and keep checking to make sure your dhal has plenty of water in it.

when you notice the water has reduced a bit,and the urad has started to fill out/split,test your dhal. Remove a kidney bean and urad dhal and squash it,there should be no hard bits in it.

If at this stage the shal is soft,add your yogurt & cream and salt and reduced to a desired consistency!


PS.
I will add pictures soon! and i am sorry about the state of this but the blogger editor is playing up and just making a bigger mess out of my mess :( !! HELP!!

P.P.S.
ive just returned from asda! i went to go get double cream so i can take pics of this for you people to see!
and the double cream split in the carpark and covered me! and im sticky and i probably smell like mouldyness and OH the shame :(  SEE WHAT I DO FOR YOU!