Can-do the -Kaddooo!

Pumpkin (Kaddoo as I know it) season is here and everywhere!

Our journey into cuisine, will take us and the vegetables we know, to places familiar and new.
This journey is not going to be one of technique and precision but one of discovering the styles of souls around the world. And food will be our common language for emoting.

My mother's favorite vegetable vendor picks up fresh vegetables from one part of Mumbai at 5am drives his tempo - his wife and child in accompaniment and arrives at this tiny suburb by the ocean.. fondly referred to as "7 bungalows".. where originally only 7 homes lined a street facing the ocean.

Now this little suburb is filled with high rise apartments, the original seven bungalows not in appearance except in name alone.

Along the same street, a throng of people, early morning walkers and the like come to this "sabji waala's" (vegetable vendor's) tempo and buy out all his stock in 1hr! All cash of course, and some bargaining too.. Not much different and not much similar from buying one's vegetables at a temperature controlled supermarket in the U.S.

In making Kaddoo, as in-elegant as the name may sound, my mother is reminiscing and recreating very elegant memories - those of her father's favorite dishes found traditionally at Indian weddings. One of the funniest things I remember about my nana (maternal grandfather) is that when eating any food that he found particularly delicious, he always commented on how it paled in comparison with another dish he had eaten at a wedding. Eaten perhaps in the 1930's, decades before I was born, or even my mother for that matter. It is amazing how people and events pass, but sounds and smells and tastes prevail. Just like my nana's tastes show up in my mother's cooking today.

My nana, always the raconteur....It was my earnest wish that he had captured all his memories on paper.. I remember begging him to do that, knowing then when he was smiling at me with his mischievous smile, that he was not eternal. But he had other plans - I suppose he wanted his legacy to be discovered, for all of us to dig for the flavor that one can only find in self exploration.

So my meditation today, as I cook and eat.. will be to taste in each morsel, the generations whose taste buds are sewn in mine.... whose work I now create as myself.

"Kaali Dal", Amma's way!

I love Dal (दाल) / (Lentils) , it is my staple. But for years I have been petrified of cooking Dal, simply because I could not cook it right.!

Finally this year, I was able to overcome my fears, because the truth is I cannot hold up a candle to my mother's shadow.. so instead of trying to do this perfectly, I am giving you my Dal, true to Amma's style!

Ingredients:-
Kaali Urad Dal (Black Lentils or Split Urad with husk) 2 cups
Water (3 * Dal qty = 6 cups, but I measure by sight - make it as thick / soupy as you like)
Green chillies - 1 / 2 / to taste
Turmeric 1 tbsp
Ginger 1 tbsp (Peeled, finely chopped)
Garlic 1 tbsp (Peeled, finely chopped)
Cumin seeds 1 tbsp
Ghee 2 tbsps (or olive oil as a vegan alternative)
Red dry chillies whole 2 /3 / to taste
Red Onion one-half, thinly sliced
Red chilli powder 1tsp / to taste
Bay Leaf 1
Garam Masala  - one pinch
Salt - to taste
Fresh Cilantro / Coriander to garnish

Method:-
1. Cook Dal -

Measure and wash dal in a pressure cooker. Wash thoroughly until the water is clear.

Add water and bring to a boil. Once it begins to boil. it will foam on the top. Scrape the layer of foam off with a large spoon and discard.

Add ginger, garlic, green chillies, turmeric and salt to taste. Close the pressure cooker lid and let simmer on medium flame for 15-18 minutes.










During this time, keep the pressure cooker locked. Once the time has elapsed, and you turn off the burner, blow the whistle 6-7 times by turning the knob to "whistle" -

Once the dal is cooked set aside. It would look in consistency something like this - water and dal are one! :)

2. Make Tadka

In a separate pan (iron skillet or non stick), heat oil / ghee. Add cumin seeds. When they begin to swell up and pop, add dry red chillies and bay leaf. When it browns add sliced onions and cook onions until browned. Add Red chilli powder and Garam masala and cook for one minute.

3. Incorporate

Ladle cooked Dal into the pan with the spice mixture (we call this mixture "tadka") Be very careful as the pan will sizzle and perhaps splash a little so add 2 big ladles quickly to cover the surface of the pan. Pull all the spices, onions into the Dal and pour the mixture back into the entire cooked dal and incorporate. You can close the cooker lid and allow this to cook for another 5 minutes for the flavors to blend or just bring to a boil on the open flame.

Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro leaves before serving with hot roti's / bread / rice / naan!