Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker - Lynn Alley [7]
Add a pinch of curry powder and salt to taste, then stir in the half-and-half.
Serve hot, garnished with sprigs of cilantro.
SUGGESTED BEVERAGE: Because of the richness of the cream in this dish, I could go with a light-to medium-bodied white wine, a good blanc de blanc (sparkling wine), or even a rosé.
DAL WITH GROUND CINNAMON, CLOVES, CARDAMOM, AND CUMIN
Serves 4
Dal can be a soup or stew (depending on how much liquid you use) of dried lentils, vegetables, and seasonings. Traditionally served over rice in much of India, it is a staple of the Indian diet. Millions of variations exist from region to region and cook to cook. Here is just one of many variations. This recipe makes use of the Indian technique of adding some last-minute ingredients for freshness rather than subjecting them to the full cooking time.
1 cup dried lentils
1-inch piece cinnamon
3 whole cloves
4 green cardamom pods
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
4 to 5 cups cold water
Salt to taste
Tempering oil
2 tablespoons oil or ghee
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon peeled, minced fresh ginger
1 fresh hot green chile, minced
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
Juice of ½ lemon or lime
Thoroughly rinse the lentils, being sure to remove any small stones or dirt, then place them in the slow cooker insert.
In an electric coffee mill or a mortar and pestle, grind the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pods, cumin seeds, and turmeric to a fine powder.
Add the spices and water (the amount will depend upon the consistency you desire) to the slow cooker insert, cover, then cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or on high for 2 hours. Add salt to taste.
To make the tempering oil, heat the oil in a sauté pan and sauté the onion until beginning to brown, then add the garlic, ginger, and chile and cook just long enough to soften the chile, about 15 seconds.
Stir half of the tempering oil into the dal along with half of the cilantro and all of the lemon juice.
Ladle the dal into bowls and spoon what remains of the tempering oil over the top of each bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve.
SUGGESTED BEVERAGE: Again, I would opt for one of those light-to medium-bodied, very chilled white wines, such as a light, French-style Chardonnay, a crisp Albariño, or perhaps a Pinot Blanc.
STUFFED PEPPERS WITH YOGURT SAUCE
Serves 4
Practically every country in the world has a recipe for stuffing peppers: Spain, Greece, Italy, Hungary, and Mexico, to name a few. India is no exception. The following recipe offers a variety of colors, textures, and flavors, with the stuffing being relatively mild and the raita-like sauce offering much of the dish’s flavor and texture. For a really stunning presentation, garnish with a sprinkling of fresh pomegranate seeds, Mogul style.
4 red, green, yellow, or purple bell peppers
Stuffing
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup chopped yellow onion
½ cup sliced almonds
2 cups cooked basmati rice
6 ounces fresh spinach leaves
1 cup raisins Salt to taste
1 cup water
Sauce
2 cups plain yogurt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 cloves garlic
½ cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
1 or 2 fresh serrano chiles, seeded, deveined, and finely chopped
½ small red onion, finely chopped
Salt to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
¼ cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
Prepare the peppers by slicing off their tops and removing any seeds and veins from the inside.
To make the stuffing, grind the cumin and coriander seeds coarsely in an electric coffee mill or a mortar and pestle. In a sauté pan, melt the butter and sauté the onion and almonds just until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the ground spices and sauté for another minute. Thoroughly mix in the rice, spinach, and raisins and add salt to taste. The spinach