CURRY TARKA DHAL

TARKA DHAL

One of my favourite dhals, I love the depth of flavour you get from adding the tarka, a crispy nutty ghee fried garlic, fresh coriander and garam masala mix at the end of the cooking, it really does make all the difference from a plain dhal to a sumptuous dish.  I like to scoop this dhal up with ghee loaded parathas, they are basically a chapati that has been folded and painted with ghee several times which renders them flaky and buttery when cooked, just perfect with this rich dhal

TARKA DHAL

Ingredients

(serves 2-4)

The Dhal

1 cup of red lentils soaked

6 cups of water

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp mild curry powder

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp coriander stalks finely chopped

The Tarka

8 fat cloves garlic sliced

1 small onion finely diced

1 tbsp ghee

1 small bunch coriander roughly chopped

1/2 tsp garam masala 

1 red chilli finely diced optional

Sea salt to taste if needed

1.  Drain the lentils and place in a deep saucepan with the water and sea salt, bring to a simmer, pop on a lid and turn down to a low simmer and leave to cook for around 30 minutes, the lentils may need as much as 40 minutes, you are looking for a thick soft texture where all the lentils have cooked down and created a lovely dhal.

2.  In a frying pan heat the ghee and gently fry the garlic until nutty brown, remove from the ghee and leave to one side while you next add the onion and fry until softened, add the garam masala, cumin turmeric mix well add back the garlic along with the chilli if using.

3.  Add the tarka to the dal and stir in along with the fresh coriander and serve with some parathas for dipping scooping and stuffing.

PIE GLORIOUS PIE SLOW BRAISED STEAK AND KIDNEY

BRITISH PIE WEEK 

I could not let British Pie week pass without re-posting this recipe as it is very dear to me, firstly it is my most top favorite dinner that my Nan used to make for me, the memories start with the original recipe from my Nan and Nan got it from her mum, it is one of those wonderful recipes of history, my Nan was a great cook who moved with the times hence the addition of curry powder, I won't tell you about Nan's experimental Malibu roast chicken gravy though!

PIE GLORIOUS PIE

Nan did not make this as a pie, we had this a braised dish with the most creamy buttery mashed potatoes that Nan always put a hint of vinegar in, turns out that the vinegar lowers the absorption of carbohydrates.  The very special part of this dinner was my Nan's brown 1960’s tea mug that she filled with extra braised gravy for me to drink with my meal, I always eat this meal with a spoon, this is so I can get the maximum amount in my mouth each time!  Wonderful memories every mouthful :-)

Nan’s gravy mug, pride of place in my kitchen

I made this dish for my now husband as this pie, this was a deal sealer and resulted in a proposal of marriage, 33 yrs later this is still my husbands favourite dinner as a pie or braised.

INGREDIENTS

I always make extra if your are putting the time in to slow cook, this is not only time efficient but also cost effective and you’ll have another dinner to go in the week or from the freezer.

(makes 8 braised portions or 2 large family pies)

1.5 kg chuck/braising steak 2" square chunks

2 tbsp flour (optional). I leave this out.

700g trimmed weight lambs kidney rough chopped (optional)

2 onions finely chopped

2 sticks celery fine chopped

2 carrots finely chopped

1 large glug of ooil

50g butter

1 ltr rich beef stock

4 cans of Guinness 

1 tsp salt and black pepper

2 tbsp mustard powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp curry powder

4 bay leaves

2 tbsp ground black pepper

FOR THE BEST EVER SUET CRUST PASTRY

(This makes 2 pie top crusts)

For double crust pies double the recipe.

330g supreme self raising flour

100g cold butter grated

130g atora suet

Water as needed (150ml+)

1 tsp salt and white pepper 

Make the pastry first so that it can rest in the fridge.  Place all the ingredients except the water in a large bowl and very gently mix, you do not want to over work the mix as this will make it rubbery and this pastry is the best ever because it is light and crispy with a flakey texture finished off with a hint of almost dumpling texture underneath, that soaks up the gorgeous braise steak gravy.  Add the water a glug at a time probably overall 150ml and just bring the pastry mix together, wrap in paper and place in the fridge until needed.  

FOR THE PIE / BRAISED STEAK FILLING

Heat a deep casserole dish on the stove and melt the butter and ooil, gently fry the onion, celery and carrot until soft and onions are translucent, toss the diced beef in the flour then sear in a casserole dish until brown all over, add all the mustard powder, cayenne, curry powder, salt and black pepper then the beef stock and Guinness.

Bring to a gently just simmer, pop a lid on, keep the heat ticking over for around 3-4 hrs or pop in the oven 160 C / 320 F or slow cooker until the beef falls apart when you touch it.  Lesson learned you can not rush this recipe in a pressure cooker!!!  The steak has a tougher texture even though it is falling apart.

Once the steak is cooked you may or may not need to thicken the stock, I generally I take equal quantities, approx 50g of butter and supreme sponge flour melted together.  I spoon half in to the braised steak and gently cook this out, this is generally enough to slightly thicken the stock gravy enough.

Roll out your pastry for the lid, fill your pie baking dish with the gorgeous braised steak Guinness pie filling, egg wash the top of the pie dish, pop on the suet pie crust lid, crimp the sides and egg wash the top, decorate the top of your pie with a hint of personality, egg wash and bake in a pre-heated oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and hopefully some of the juices have oozed out over the parts of the pastry and created a rich chewy beef braised crust.  Serve with roasted potatoes and vegetables or buttery mashed potatoes, enjoy.