Last night I decided to make some quick Indian food, and here’s what I came up with…

One of my favorite Anglo-Indian cookbooks (I can’t think of the name just now, but it’s the kind that Costco sells for like $6 with lots of color pictures) has a recipe for “Tarka Dal” (sp?) that’s my standby favorite for a quick week night dinner, especially since I usually have all the ingredients on hand.  You just boil 1/3 cup moong dal (split, skinless mung beans) and 2/3 cup red lentils in 2 1/2 cups water with a chopped onion, some garlic, some ginger and a little tumeric.  On occasion I’ve added a chopped green chile like a jalapeno.  Boil until the beans are soft and mush together, then add 1/2 tsp or so of salt and still/mash well.  Just before serving, in a separate frying pan, fry some brown mustard seeds and some nigella seeds in oil or ghee until they start to pop, then toss in some dried red chiles (or not) and some chopped tomato.  Last night I used some of those little grape tomatoes, since I had them.  Once the tomato is soft, stir the oil, seeds and tomato mixture in with the dal and serve.  Very tasty and super easy.

To go with, I made some Rogan Josh.  Again, super easy.  Brown and onion and some stew beef, throw in about a cup of plain yogurt, 1/2 cup or so of water, and some Rogan Josh paste or powder.  I use powder from Penzey’s, which is fabulous.  I usually add some extra fresh ginger, garlic and cardamom, ‘cause I like it that way.  Cook until semi-dry and the beef is tender. 

Throw the above over some basmati rice, and you’re good to go. 

If you like Asian food, or in fact anything with rice, and you don’t have a rice cooker, go get one.  Indispensable if you cook a lot of rice.  It always comes out right, and never burnt.  Even the cheap National brand ones are pretty good, but if you use it a lot it’s worth shelling out the $100 for one of the good ones.  I have a Zojirushi that I love.  It has settings for brown rice, sticky rice, etc.  Even a “paella” setting, which works pretty well.  If you like rice, you’ll LOVE a good rice cooker.