8 oz chana dhal
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
2 green chilies, split
1 lengthwise
1 tbsp corn oil
1 tsp mustard seed
1 medium onion, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, finely sliced
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Directions
Wash peas in cold running water. When water runs clear set aside to
soak for 4 hours.
Drain peas and put in sauce pan wit turmeric, salt, and green
chilies. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch, and bring to a boil.
Partly cover pan, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until water
has been absorbed and peas are tender but not mushy. Add more water
if necessary
Meanwhile, heat corn oil in a skillet. Add mustard seeds and cover
pan. Saute for 2 minutes.
Uncover pan, add onion and garlic, fry until golden. Stir in cayenne
pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Add cooked spices to the peas. Stir
cook for 2 minutes. Serve hot.
Servings: 6 servings
Chana Dhal (Or Dal) Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Indian
The History of Recipes
It is quite feasible to follow the history of written cooking instructions far back into the distant past, certainly as far into history as ancient Egypt, and possibly even further. Having said that, these, old cookbooks were just primitive hieroglyphic recipes for preparing food.
Interestingly, the oldest recipe discovered so far, according to experts are some tablets in Sumerian which describe the making of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as making anyone who tried it feel `exhilarated, wonderful and blissful`. Closer to modern times, there were a couple of interesting recipe books which appeared in the 1300s : a recipe book titled `Forme of Cury`, and another titled `Curye on Inglish`. Don`t be fooled by the titles though, these are not about the spicy food that we all know today, but rather recipes for the types of meals prepared by the chefs of the rich people of the period. Later, in the 15th century, people returning from the crusades brought us many foods and herbs from Arab cuisine, including spices such as parsley, basil and rosemary. These new foods and tastes caused an eruption in recipe books, most of which are kept safe in private collections. For the next few years, the rich families of the West tried to serve up the best banquets, and because of this the best cooks and their collection of recipes were greatly in demand. However, it wasn`t until the 19th century that cookery and recipe books reached a high level of popularity. The Famous Mrs Beeton in the UK, and Fannie Merritt Farmer in the US, dedicated their lives to collating, testing, and writing down recipes that were common in the better off homes of the day. The introduction of the TV brings us celebrity chefs and the spin-off recipe books. And that brings us to the present day and the invention of the internet, allowing everybody to search through thousands of recipes like those on this site. |
We hope you enjoy this Chana Dhal (Or Dal) recipe.
