I did not really know what to call this dish - It is Matki in tomato gravy, creamed with some ground cashews (That's because I have stopped using cream - remember the veganism?!), and it has the same effect on the palette as dal makhani has! Satya (Thanks!) informs me that it is called dew beans in English:)
All the search engines failed in giving an English alternative for matki. It is best described as small brown eyed beans or moth beans, or chinna payaru (The dark brown variety) in Tamil!
Since its late and I don't really have any story to go with it except that my constant voting (5 a day) has kept Harshith in the lead in 'Jo Jeeta Wohi Superstar', and today's singing did justice to the votes:). Here's the recipe:
Roast the beans till slightly warm. Soak for an hour and boil under pressure till very soft. I gave it 5 whistles and cooked in sim for 15minutes. The skin should burst open on cooking, and the beans should become really tender.
Ingredients:
Matki - About 1 and 1/2 cups.
Tomato puree - 2 and 1/2 cups (Blanch, remove skin and puree the tomatoes)
Onions chopped fine - 1 big (Optional)
Ginger - 1tsp. grated or julienned
Garlic - 1 tsp. grated (Optional)
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp.
Cashew/Magaz(Melon seeds) paste - 2 tbsp. thick (I used more magaz and 2 cashews)
Oil - 2 tbsp.
Garnish:
Temper the dal with jeera as I did but it tastes and smells better when you add some curry leaves, dry red chillies and ginger sticks with the jeera. My kids were already singing for their supper so I just had to leave out these!
Method:
1. Keep the cooked beans aside.
2. Heat oil. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and fry till onion turns brown.
3. Add the tomato puree and fry stirring occasionally till juices dry.
4. Add the salt, turmeric and chilli powder powders and mix.
5. Add the dal alongwith liquid if any.
6. Add the Magaz-Cashew paste and mix well. Add water to bring it to just thinner than custard consistency. Bring to a boil and remove.
7. heat a tsp. of oil and crackle jeera. Pour over the dal and serve hot with rice or rotis.
Try this - I like this better than the dal makhani made with sabut urad (black lentils) or sabut moong (Green lentils), and let me know your preferences and style of preparation:) The more the suggestions the merrier is Sunshinemom:)
Note - The number of tomatoes depend on how thick or thin you would like the gravy to be and on how sour they are. If the tomatoes are very sour add more magaz-cashew paste, and if less add a pinch of amchoor.
I did not realize but this is the 102nd post. Yippeee! I crossed a century:)
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More on legumes:
Akbari Chhole / Chickpea in Yellow GravyChickpea Salad In Italian DressingDry Black Chickpeas / Aloo Chana SukheMixed Sprout Salad / SubziRajma / Kidney Beans in Tomato Gravy_____________________________________________________________________
Labels: Colour - brown, Cuisine - North Indian, Ing - Lentils, Vegan - Side dish
