Short & Sweet & Spicy

Well, it's been a busy week here in Paradise, even though it's the nominal calm before the storm of Christmas and New Years. Just four simple, but tasty recipes for you to try this week.

Murgh Makhani & Chana Dal

Sally asked me to make “curried lentils” to take to a going-way party at work. When I discovered I needed both lentils and my favorite Chana Dal Masala spice mix, it was time for a trip to my local Indian Market. When I told the lady behind the counter what I was looking for, she pointed me to Chana Dal, not the common orange or green lentils. Chana Dal, it turns out, are split chickpeas. These are not the larger garbanzos that we see regularly, chana dal are smaller and more yellow. So I grabbed a 5 pound bag (as cheap as 2 pounds of green lentils at the megamart), and a package of Chana Dal Masala, and headed back to Sally's.

I cooked up an extra large batch of Chana Dal, so we could have some for dinner, and there would be plenty for Sally to take to the office.

1 cup Chana Dal or lentils

4 cups Water

3-4 Tbsp Chana Dal Masala

Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30-40 minutes until tender. Add a tablespoon or so of the masala to the lentils as they cook.

While the lentils cooked, I diced the “usual” additives – diced tomato, red bell pepper, and onion. These are folded into the cooked and seasoned lentils just before serving.

For dinner I made two orders of Murgh Makhani, also known as Butter Chicken, one of the classic dishes of northern India. Well, you know me – I made my version of the dish.

2 Chicken Breasts

3-4 Tbsp Butter Chicken spice blend

3/4c cup Half & Half

1 cup Almond Milk

Saute the chicken on the 'beauty' side for six minutes @ 350F. Remove from the skillet and cut into bite size pieces. Return to the skillet and add 2-3 Tbsp of the butter chicken spice blend. At the same time, add the half & half and the almond milk. Stir to combine. Put a lid on and bring to a foaming boil. The liquid will sort of curdle. Knock down the foam and stir vigorously to re-incorporate the curdled bits into the gravy. Taste, and add more spice if desired. Continue cooking until the gravy is nicely thickened. Serve with rice or lentils.

Butternut Squash Soup

For a couple days last week, we had a “taste of Winter” Temperatures into the 40s at night and daytime highs in the 60s and 70s. What a delightful change! Made us think of all sorts of things, including soups. Sally requested her favorite butternut squash soup for her lunches next week. This simple and Oh So Tasty!!

1 Butternut Squash – 2-3 lbs

1 large Sweet Onion (Valdosta, Walla Walla, etc.) diced

1 large sweet Apple (Honeycrisp, Ambrosia, etc.) chopped

10 whole Cloves

10 Allspice berries

1 whole Star Anise

1 Tbsp Cinnamon

1 Tbsp Nutmeg or Mace

1 Tbsp ground Ginger

Cut the squash into 1” thick rings. Discard the seeds and ends. Peel the rings with a sharp knife. Cut the squash into finger sized pieces and microwave on high for 10 minutes.

Put the whole spices in a linen garni bag or tied square of cheesecloth.

Put everything in a large pot. Add 6-8 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the squash is soft. Remove the soup, in batches, to a blender or food processor, and whirrrrr until you get a nice consistency. Leave some chunks if you like Add some half & half or cream if you please. Cook for about 45 minutes total Then serve with a dollop of sour cream and some crusty bread.

Yam Chips

I had two crummy yams and was trying to think of what to do with them. There are yam fries, why not yam chips? So I sliced them 1/8” or thinner. Then I laid them out on a baking sheet, drizzled a tiny bit of cane syrup (honey would do too). Then dusted them with a bit of cinnamon. After 5 minutes under the broiler, I flipped the pieces, then dusted this side with chili powder. Again with the broiler; and serve. Sweet and tangy and not quite crispy – Sally has ordered more for future meals.