Simple Chana Dal, Dill and Tomato Khichri

Indian khichris, rice and split bean pots flavoured with herbs, spices or vegetables, are a favourite of mine for very quick, easy and nourishing lunches or suppers. Not surprisingly, the full texture of cooked chana dal makes it a popular variety of split bean to use in khichris alongside the delicate texture of rice, and while I've already posted one chana dal and dill khichri, that particular combination of split beans and herbs is worth another recipe.

While the first was a dry, fragrant medley of rice, split beans and herbs — or a sookha khichri — this second version is a moist and savoury stew, known as a geeli khichri. Adapted from Yamuna Devi this takes longer to cook but is almost just as simple to prepare, and makes a hearty and delicious supper served with bread and a green salad.

Simple chana dal, dill and tomato khichri

3/4 cup chana dal
3/4 cup basmati rice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons ghee, or a mixture of butter and olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
4 dried red chillies
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
2 medium tomatoes, cut into narrow wedges
1 teaspoon sea salt

Rinse the chana dal under cold running water and soak in water for at least 4 hours. Drain before cooking. Rinse and drain the rice.

Put the dal, rice, dill, turmeric and garam masala in a large saucepan with 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat.

Heat the ghee, or butter and oil, over medium heat in a large frying pan or medium saucepan. When hot, add the cumin seeds and red chillies and stir until the cumin seeds turn brown. Toss in the asafoetida, then immediately add the tomatoes. Fry, stirring gently, for 2 minutes, making sure that the tomato pieces are coated and glistening with the ghee or oil.

Pour into the dal and rice and stir in the salt. Serve hot. Serves 4 to 6.

Ginger chewies

The lovely Susan is hosting a beautiful event called “Christmas Cookies from Around the World” – if you want to bake cookies and need inspiration that is the place to go!



I have been meaning to bake something for the event ever since she announced it but had a hard time choosing the recipe. I have posted lots of cookies lately, but I wanted something more Christmassy for the event. And I

Best-Ever Rum Balls

I made these rum balls a few years back for a Christmas treat and have made them every Christmas since. They are somewhat like truffles, only stronger in taste because of the rum. Yum! I suggest you use a nice dark Jamaican rum for this recipe. If you want to include crushed nuts, substitute 1 cup of the wafers for 1 cup of nuts, such as hazelnuts. And use 4 1/2 tablespoons of chocolate chips to equal 1/2 cup of chocolate.

I have submitted this recipe to Food Blogga who is currently showcasing Christmas cookies from around the world.

Best-ever Rum Balls

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on December 21, 2007 Dark, rich and sweet with a truffle-like consistency and the wonderful aroma of a good dark rum — these are the best-ever rum balls for a holiday treat Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 cup dark chocolate 1/2 cup milk chocolate 1/2 cup icing sugar 3 tablespoons corn syrup 3 cups vanilla wafers, crushed 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons vanilla 1/3 - 1/2 cup dark rum powdered sugar, rice flour or cocoa for coating Instructions: In a heavy pot, melt the chocolate on low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the icing sugar and corn syrup. Beat in the vanilla wafers (and nuts if you are using them). Next stir in the salt, vanilla and rum until well combined. Refrigerate the mixture until firm. Roll the mixture into small 1-inch balls. Roll in the coatings of your choice. I like cocoa and rice flour. Makes about 3 dozen rum balls

Chocolate chip (sort of) whoppers

I made chocottones again this year (gifts to my coworkers) and after baking them for an entire afternoon I had no eggs left in my pantry. Zero. Nada.
I wanted to bake cookies but was too lazy to go to the grocery store… Luckily I found a recipe for a crisp chocolate chip cookie that did not call for eggs.

The dough is super easy to put together and I baked the cookies in a heartbeat. I didn’t

Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup

If you are looking for a spicy and warming soup to ease the winter chills, I would highly recommend this hot and sour soup that I came across at Food and Fun. As usual, I've made a few modifications, but believe I captured the unique flavour of this vegetable soup that Mansi describes as Chinese, Indian style. Unlike most soups, this one is best enjoyed shortly after its prepared.

Vegetable Hot and Sour Soup

4 cups of water
1 - 2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons of tamari sauce
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons of ginger, finely chopped

1/2 cup of water
1 tablespoon of corn starch
2 jalapenos finely diced (or 2 - 3 red or green chilies or a combination of both)
3 spring onions, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup of cabbage, finely chopped
1/4 cup of fresh or frozen corn
1/4 cup of fresh or frozen peas

1/2 cup of paneer cheese, cut into small cubes

In a large pot, bring the water, chili powder, cayenne, tamari sauce, vinegar, ginger, sugar, salt and pepper to a boil. Next add the chopped vegetables. If you are using frozen corn and peas, do not add them yet. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for about 5 - 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender.

Dissolve the corn starch in the 1/2 cup of water and stir into the soup. If you are using frozen corn and peas, add them now and cook for another few minutes. Add the paneer cubes at the end of the cooking time.

Serve hot and garnish with bits of green onion. Serves 4 - 6.

On the menu with:

Yunnan Stir-Fried Azuki Beans and Green Pepper
Simple Lemon Rice

Tropical Christmas Steamed Pudding

There's a popular school of thought out there that romanticizes a White Christmas as something very much to be wished for every year. Well, speaking as someone who lives in a part of the world where there is rarely any other alternative, I can say that all those people who spend their time listening to Irving Berlin songs can have my White Christmas … I'd much rather be spending my Christmas on a tropical island. So this tropical twist on the traditional steamed Christmas pudding can at least let me imagine a little bit sitting on a sandy island beach at Christmas-time surrounded by warm tropical breezes as I watch the snow drift outside my window.

The steaming of these kinds of puddings really brings out the plumpness and freshness of dried tropical fruits… any kind that you can find or that strikes your fancy. For my own pudding I used an equal mixture of mangoes, papayas, pineapples and bananas, but any combination of any sort of tropical fruit that you can like — guava or jackfruit for example — can be used here. Make sure to look for dried tropical fruits without sugar and preservatives at a specialty store like an Asian grocery or a natural food store. This is my entry to Sugar High Friday - the theme this month is pudding.

Tropical Christmas Steamed Pudding

2 1/3 cups dried tropical fruit, diced
2 tablespoons crystallized ginger, chopped
1/3 cup sultanas
1/3 cup gold raisins
2/3 cup dark rum
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1/3 cup pistachios
1/3 cup roasted cashews, chopped
1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup coconut cream
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

To serve:

1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon dark rum

Stir together the chopped tropical fruits, ginger, sultanas and raisins along with 1/3 cup of the rum and let stand at room temperature for at least 4 hours, or overnight, stirring once in a while.

Thoroughly grease a 2 quart (2 liter) pudding mould or heatproof bowl. Pour the syrup into the mould and sprinkle 1/2 cup of the fruit mixture on top. Stir the pistachios and cashews along with 1/3 cup of the flour into the remaining fruit mixture, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and then beat the coconut cream into the butter until smooth. Beat in the brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, followed by the whipping cream and the other 1/3 cup of rum.

In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining cup of flour together with the bread crumbs, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cardamom and cloves. Pour the coconut mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until thoroughly blended. Fold in the reserved fruit and nut mixture.

Scrape the batter into the mould, smoothing and tapping with a spatula as you pour to remove air pockets. Place a circle of parchment paper directly on the surface of the batter and cover the mould with a tight-fitting lid or with aluminum foil securely tied with kitchen string.

To steam the pudding, you will need a pot wide and deep enough to accommodate the mould or bowl comfortably with some room at both the sides and the top. Place the mould in the pot and fill the pot halfway up the sides of the mould with boiling water. Bring the pot to a boil on the stovetop, then cover and reduce the heat to a strong simmer. Simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, adding water occasionally to keep it level halfway up the side of the mould. The pudding is finished when a cake tester comes out the pudding completely clean. Let the pudding cool slightly before removing the parchment paper and lid or foil.

To serve, run a knife gently down the sides of the mould and invert on to a warmed plate. Just before serving, beat the whipping cream until whipped and drizzle in the rum.

Serve in a bowl with a spoonful of the whipped cream and rum on top or on the side.

*If you are making this ahead of time, remove the pudding from the mould, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate up to a week. To reheat, unwrap the pudding and return to the mould. Cover with parchment paper and a lid or securely tied foil and repeat the steaming process in a pot as before for 1 hour. To reheat in a microwave, turn out the pudding onto a serving plate and cover with large microwaveable bowl. Heat on High until hot, 7 to 10 minutes.

Oooops, I made these again... Jessica's super chocolate cookies

I must be going crazy. Or senile.Valentina posted a cookie recipe on her blog in Portuguese especially for my sister. They looked super tasty and Jessica and I baked them in one of the days she spent at my house.I was completely surprised to realize, more than a month later, when I was about to post the cookies, that I had already baked them…I didn’t notice it. Not even for a moment. They looked