Two Indian low-fat recipes

[Guest guest]

I've just started to browse the low-fat Indian cookery books I'd ordered

from online. As always, ordering online is a mixed blessing. One of them,

for instance (Mridula Baljekar's " Fat free Indian cookery " ), was a

disappointment, as most of the recipes were for animal dishes. There is a

section of vegetarian main dishes and in the opening text I read " Please do

not think that I want to convert you to a vegetarian diet " , as if only

vegetarians eat pulses and vegetables!!!! Another one, Roshi Razzaq's

" Indian Low-Fat cooking " was much more vegetarian friendly. I tore off the

offending pages, and I was left with a very acceptable and well-organized

book with beautiful pictures, although somehow small print for my taste.

 

Ms Baljekar, the author of the first book, supposedly a U.K. TV-celebrity

cook, has also made a book specifically for vegetarians. Although I don't

trust much vegetarian recipe books made by non-vegetarians, this one is

good. It's called " The low-fat Indian vegetarian cookbook " . From the over

250 recipes, I've chosen a couple that might go very well for a festive

dinner and typed them for you. Of course you must have all these ingredients

handy. I do, so it's not a problem for me to find coriander, cumin etc,

since I use them almost daily in my cooking. Curry leaves on the other hand,

are more tricky. And mint leaves- well, I have a spearmint pot in my

mother's terrace, it should do.

If you make these two recipes together, you can put the lentils to soak in

the morning as soon as you get up, and then when you start making them, put

the rice to soak. When you are done preparing the first recipe and put it on

the stovetop, your rice will be soaked and ready to be dealt with.

Alternatively, you can just make or buy chappatis or tortillas or pita bread

to go with the lentil cakes, and serve with a raw green salad and a raita

(yoghurt-cucumber-dill-fresh onion)

 

Irene

Towards_health_and_beauty/ Friendly support

and guidance to everyone struggling with weight and wellness problems.

 

 

 

Lentil cakes in Tomato, Mint and Coriander Sauce

 

Preparation time: 20 minutes plus time for soaking the lentils

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Makes 14-16

 

This is a two in one recipe: the lentil cakes can be served without the

sauce as an appetizer; and with the glorious tomato, int and coriander

(cilantro) sauce, this is a dish that will grace any dinner party table.

 

For the cakes:

225g /8oz/1 cup red split lentils (masoor dhal)

2,5 cm/ 1-inch cube root ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 green chilli pepper, chopped (seeded for less hotness)

15 g /1/2 oz/ 1/8 cup coriander (cilantro) leaves and stalks, coarsely

chopped

1 tsp salt or to taste

1 red onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp sunflower or light olive oil

a little flour for dusting

 

For the sauce:

175g/6 oz/1 cup chopped canned tomatoes with uice

140 ml/ ? pint/ 2/3 cup water

5 cm/ 2-inch piece cinnamon stick, halved

2 bay leaves, crumpled

1 green chilli pepper, chopped and seeded

1 tbsp sunflower or plain olive oil

4 large garlic cloves, crushed

½ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander seeds

90 ml/ 3 fl oz/ ½ cup water

½ tsp salt or to taste

2 tbsp coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped

1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, chopped

 

1. Wash the lentils several times and soak in cold water for 2-3 hours.

Drain well and place them in a food processor along with the remaining

ingredients for the cakes, except for the onion, oil and flour. Blend the

ingredients until smooth, transfer to a mixing bowl and add the onion. Mix

well.

 

2. Pour half the oil into a non-stick frying pan (skillet), brushing it

across the entire surface. Heat the oil over a medium heat. Mould the

lentil mixture into flat cakes approximately 2,5 cm/ 1 inch in diameter and

about 1 cm/ ½ inch thinck. Use two tablespoons to mould the cakes if you

find it difficult to do this between your palms. Dust each cake lightly

with the four, brown on both sides and drain on absorbent paper. You will

need to do this in two batches.

 

3. To make the sauce, put the tomatoes, water, cinnamon, bay leaves and

chilli pepper into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 15

minutes. Remove from the heat and sieve the mixture, discarding what's left

in the sieve.

 

4. In a small pan, heat the oil gently and fry the garlic until browned.

Add the turmeric, cumin and coriander (cilantro) and fry for about a minute.

Sprinkle with two tablespoons of water and continue to cook for a further

minute or two, then remove from the heat and set aside.

 

5. In a frying pan (skillet) large enough to hold the lentil cakes in a

single layer, heat the spiced and sieved tomatoes, the cooked spice mixture,

salt, coriander leaves and mint. Mix well and remove half the tomato

mixture. Arrange the lentil cakes in the pan and spoon the other half of

the sauce over. Cover the pan and simmer gently for 7-8 minutes. Remove

from the heat and serve with Lemon Rice or chappatis and a salad.

 

 

Lemon Rice

 

Preparation time: 5-10 minutes plus soaking time for the rice.

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves 4

 

The flavour of fresh curry leaves adds a distinctive taste to this simple

rice dish. They are available in Indian stores and can be frozen, but if

you cannot get them, use dried ones, which can be bought from larger

supermarkets.

If you still cannot find them, do not despair. The rice is very good without

them too!

 

225 g/ 8 oz/ 1 cup basmati rice

2 tbsp sunflower or olive oil

1 tsp black mustard seeds

6-8 fresh or 10 dried curry leaves

25 g/ 1 oz broken cashew pieces

? tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp salt or to taste

2 tbsp lemon juice

 

1. Wash the rice in cold water at least twice and soak for 15-20 minutes,

then drain wel.

 

2. Heat the oil in a non-stick saucepan over a medium heat. When the oil is

quite hot, but not smoking, add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and cashews

and let them sizzle for 15-20 seconds.

 

3. Remove a few pieces of cashew nut and add the rice, turmeric and salt to

the pan. Stir-fry the rice for 2-3 minutes and add 450 ml/ 16 fl oz/2 cups

hot water, followed by the lemon juice. Stir once and bring to the boil.

Let it boil steadily for 2 minutes.

 

Cover the pan tightly and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes,

remove from the heat and let it stand undisturbed for 6-7 minutes. Fork

through the rice and serve garnished with the reserved cashews.