Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Green Toor Dal (Pigeon Pea) with Chinese Potatoes

Me and food events are jinxed, either I can't find a good recipe for the event or I am too late to even get in the game. When Linda announced JFI-Toor Dal, made a mental note to "better not miss this event" So I am proud to announce that I am well in time and participating in the event.

One very good thing about commuting to work using public transportation is the amount of time I have in my hands. I devour newspapers for which I had to find time before and also end up reading a lot of mystery novels, my favorite kind of (pulp) fiction. I am going to keep a running count of the books I read and the authors as a way to keep track of them. I remember reading a novel a few months back about a author I thought wrote very well but can't remember either the name of the book or the author. By keeping track of them in this blog (no way I can't handle another one) I can refer to them whenever I want.

Now before Linda flings a book at me let me get to the recipe. Linda hope you are also accepting recipes with Green Toor dal.


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Update:What is Chinese Potato?
Chinese Potato is called Arrow Root : Cook's Thesaurus
It is called Koorka in Malayalam : InjiManga



Ingredients
1. 1/4 Cup Frozen Pigeon Peas
2. 1/4 - 1/2 Cup Cut Chinese Potatoes (I used the cooked frozen ones)
3. 1/4 onion chopped
4. 1 tsp grated ginger
5. 4-5 garlic cloves
6. 1/4 cup tamarind pulp
7. Seasonings : mustard, cumin seeds, methi seeds and curry leaves

Paste
1. 6-8 small onions + 1/4 red onion
2. 3 green chilies
3. cumin powder 1 tsp
4. 1/2 tbsp corriande powder
5. 1 tomato

Saute the above in the order listed and blend to a paste

Method
1. In a pan heat oil and add the seasonings, when the mustard starts to splutter
2. add onion and saute till translucent, add the garlic and ginger and saute a minute
3. add the pigeon peas and potates and saute them a little bit
4. add the blended paste, salt and about 3-4 tbsp of water enough for the peas and potatoes are cooked
5. Add the tamarind juice and heat till the required conistency is reached.

Serve with rotis or rice. Goes well with both.

Mystery Novel
Magic Time - Doug Marlette
A Deeper Sleep - Dana Stabenow (Kate Shugak Novel)

Happy Thanksgiving!

23 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness, ISG -- your type A blog is showing me a new recipe at night! I *love* your JFI dish. Of course green toor dal is wonderful, thank you! Matter of fact, I am going to make this for supper. I have everything you listed here and it looks SOOO yummy! Your gravies always leave me wishing I could spoon them off the screen.

    Only one question -- what's a chinese potato? I will have to use plain old taters tonight.

    And no, won't throw any books at you my friend ;)

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  2. Thats seems to be a tasty combo. Cool entry :)

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  3. Nice recipe...btw whats chinese potatoes..never heard of it before

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  4. This is one new but very delicious looking combo, dear! Green Tuvar tastes great, doesn't it :)>

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  5. ISG..lovely recipe..reading this post ,increased my knowledge on green t.d.
    I had earlier not known the english name. Also a sweet memory of peeling these out of the pods returned to me!
    wd surely try your recipe.

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  6. It's rare to hear of Chinese and potatoes in the same breath - that's one vegetable I've never come across in Chinese cooking. What are Chinese potatoes?

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  7. Mmm...the combination of dal and potatoes is rather unusual to me; this looks hearty and delicious.
    I agree with you: commuting is wonderful for catching up with lots of juicy reading (and doing sudoku!). Looking forward to your book recommendations!

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  8. Linda, I am late to answer your question, yes the regular potato would work too. I have no idea why it is called Chinese Potato, I found it at the Indian Grocery store in the frozen section. If you have jack fruit seeds that is a good substitution too. I think Inji had an article on it, I'll link to it and add more information.

    Dhivya, thank you.

    easycrafts, I will add some info on chinese potato.

    Musy, do love Green Tuvar and a try to add a fist full to any dish :)

    Purnima, I used the frozen one and have never seen the green one with pods and all. Let me know how it turns out. Do you remember how it was used in your home?

    Sra, that is true I am a succor for anything potatoey so not surprising that I grabbed it when I saw it at the Indian Grocery store. Have no clue why it is called "Chinese" Potato.

    Nupur, these potatoes are not starchy as the regular potatoes and the lovely Green Tuvar made a great combo. Sudoku! yes, that is great past time. I actually look forward to the commute, which would not be the case if I were driving while DC traffic is quickly catching up with LA traffic :(

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  9. Have never tasted green toor before. Thanks ISG, for the next month I will have to borrow many of your "beany" ideas.

    Do you read only mystery ?

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  10. u always come up with the most delicious looking dal with thick gravies indo which i cant stop drooling at.
    so how were those two mystery novels?

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  11. Great dish with While Toor dal for JFI. Looks thick and delicious!:))
    Happy Thanksgiving, see you again on Monday!:))

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  12. Unique entry ISG. Never cooked with pigeon pea before. Where can I find it? Please help.

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  13. I've never cooked a dish with arrowroot before (I've used the powder and like the flavor/consistency of it though) - this sounds really interesting!

    Thanks for the new recipe.

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  14. Sandeepa, they look like peas but don't taste as sweet and has a hardier texture. Let me know how the beany diet goes :)
    Oh I read pretty much everything, mystery is my favorite for relaxed reading.

    Sia, thanks both are pretty good, I am still reading the second one, so far good.

    Asha, thanks, you have a great thanksgiving too.

    Kribha, I got it in the Indian Grocery store, most stores carry it, not the fresh one but definitely the frozen.

    KayKat this is the first time I am cooking them too, that reminds me I have seen arrow root flour in the stores :)

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  15. Just say the letter D as in dal and I'm there :)

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  16. Hi ISG,
    Great entry for JFI. I never tried green toor dal. Looks delicious.
    Happy thanks giving:-)

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  17. HI ISG,
    Great entry for JFI. I never tried green toordal. Looks delicious. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.

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  18. Hi ISG,

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    I have made your pumpkin paraths for Thanksgiving get together on Thursday. I also added toasted and crushed pumpkin seeds while mixing the dough. My friends were all praise. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.

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  19. Cynthia, it has not become dal yet :) but so what I am glad to have you over.

    MT, thanks, we had a great time at a friends house on Thanksgiving, do give these green toor dal a try, they are very tasty.

    Indira, hope you had a great thanksgiving celebration. I am so glad you tried the pumpkin parathas and thanks for letting me know. Toasted, crushed pumpkin seeds would have give the parathas amazing texture :)

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  20. ISG,sadly we dont get the frozen ones here..I checked out in 2 mega markets ! My place, Konkani recipe the dish is called 'Tori Ambat' the fresh ones are boiled with little water along with cubed potatoes+salt,and once it comes to a boil masala(coconut+tamarind+bedgi/red chillies paste) is added to it, bring to boil once more, in tadka pan, heat coconut oil, add finely chopped/minced red onion,brown the onions, add to the curry, put off flame and cover the lid for flavours to blend.It tastes heavenly..tks for bringing back a dish long forgotten thru your post!Trust this will help you ..give it a try.

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  21. Purnima, thanks so much for the recipe, I will cook it and post it. Deal? :)

    If it was not a frozen product, I can for sure mail it over to you.

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  22. ISG..done!!Its a deal..you post and I shall promise to drool over it!! :D

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  23. ISG..my sincere apologies to you here..I got carried away thinking about the green tuvar..forgot mention that boiled split tuvar is added when ground masala is added!
    here goes proportion..hope that u still hv some green tuvar and wd try this...
    Daal ingr :
    1/2 cup split tuvar daal
    1 cup peeled green tuvar
    1/2 cup peeled and cubed potatoes

    Masala ingr:
    3/4th cup fresh / dessicated coconut
    marble sized tamarind / 1/2 tsp extract of tamarind
    4-5 bedgi red chillies
    (grind these 3 to look -thick but fine paste half water..)

    tadka ingr:
    1 tbspn coconut oil
    1/2 medium sized onion finely chopped

    Method :
    Cook daal in pressure cooker with double water -3 whistles, cook covered, the gr.tuvar and potatoes with water enough to submerge it along with salt- covered -it is done in 10-15 mins..chk. Once cooked, add the ground masala,cooked yellow tuvar daal, bring it to boil..adjust consistency...one rapid boil, put the flame off. In tadka pan, heat coconut oil,add the finely chopped onions and stir till golden brown, add to the curry, cover and let the flavours blend.
    Sorry yet again...hope you will give it a try..(jeera/rai not reqd here, nor ghee..the actual taste is in onion,coconut oil and green tuvar blend)

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