There is a fuzzy period between Christmas and New Year, when no one fully remembers the date or plan. Festive gatherings continue, all fueled by food, drink and good humor. That’s the theory, anyway. A wide range of dishes that can be shared is a great place to start gathering everyone at bedtime all year round around the table. Break and share some bread and break some eggs to give new life – it’s a new year and a new decade. Happy new year, everyone. Eat and be okay.
Yogurt rice with chana dal and curry leaf oil (top image)
There is something super comforting about the combination of rice and yogurt. This matter of curd rice in India is quite spicy, so reduce (or undo) the chilli if you want to eat more suitable for children. You can make the rice in advance, but thin it with a little water when reheating. Serve as a light meal with lightly cooked vegetables.
Prep 20 min
to cook 1 hr 5 min
It’s useful 4
100g chana dal, soaked in plenty of cold water for at least two hours (and ideally overnight)
200g of basmati rice, wash until the water is clean and then drain
135 ml of olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1 large egg yolk
200g of Greek style yogurt
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
30 g of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 green peppers, 1 finely chopped, the other thinly sliced (remove the grind and seeds if you prefer less heat)
1 teaspoon garam masala
3 dried red peppers (the light and long type of fingers)
20 curry leaves (ie approximately 2 stems)
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
Drain the soaked chana dal and place in a small saucepan with enough cold water to cover about 3cm. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then simmer for 15-30 minutes, until the dal is cooked through, but keep its shape. (Schedules can vary greatly depending on the soaking time, so be sure to try it at the 15-minute mark and leave more time as needed.) Drain into a colander and then pass. under the cold tap to stop cooking the dal.
Fill a large 1.3 liter saucepan with water, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then keep warm over low heat.
Put the rice, two tablespoons of oil, 200 ml of hot water and one and three quarters of a teaspoon of salt in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Simmer, stirring often, until most of the water is absorbed, then repeat, adding 200 ml of hot water at a time and stirring often, until you have consumed 1.2 liters of water. water and make the rice look like a loose, creamy flour. (it will be overcooked): it will take about 20 minutes. Lightly grind the rice grains with the back of a spoon (you don’t want to grind them completely), then lower the heat to medium-low.
In a bowl, beat the egg yolk, yogurt and 50 ml of hot water until smooth, then stir the yogurt mixture into the rice and cook, stirring often, for about seven minutes, until that the mixture has thickened slightly, but still remains loose. porridge.
While the rice is cooking, make the icing. Put three tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden – about eight minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and chopped green chilli and cook for another four minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the chana dal, garam masala, 60 ml of water, three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt and a good pinch of pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chana dal begins. to brown in some places (about 10 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm.
Remove the pan and return to medium-high heat. Add the remaining four tablespoons of oil and the dried, sliced chillies and cook for three minutes, until they begin to soften, but do not color. Add the curry leaves, cook for another minute until translucent, add the mustard seeds and turmeric and remove from the heat.
To serve, divide the curd rice into four shallow bowls and top with the chana dal mixture. Drizzle everything with curry leaf oil and its solids and serve hot.
Palak tofu
This vegan palak paneer option uses brine-soaked tofu, but you can also use other vegan alternatives such as butter or roasted cauliflower. Kasoori methi are dried fenugreek leaves and can be found in the global food aisle of most supermarkets and in specialty stores in India and the Middle East. Serve with natural rice or naan.
Prep 30 min
to cook 50 min
It’s useful 4 as the main
Salt and black pepper
2 blocks of 280 g of extra firm tofu (I make an organic one), dried and cut into 2 cm cubes
500g of spinach for babies
20 g of coriander leaves, chopped approximately
75 ml of olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped (200 g net weight)
6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
40g of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 large green pepper, finely chopped, then and everything
2 plum tomatoes, well chopped
1 tablespoon coriander seeds and cumin, roughly crushed in a mortar
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon methi kasoori (dried fenugreek leaves)
½ teaspoon of Aleppo chilli
In a large, heat-resistant bowl, dissolve a tablespoon of salt in 700 ml of boiling hot water. Add the tofu, let it soak for 20 minutes (this helps season it all the time), then drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach, squeeze with a spoon to soak and blanch for about 45 seconds, until just done. Drain it in a colander and then pass it under the cold tap until it is no longer warm to the touch. Let the spinach drain for no more than 10 minutes and, after extracting some of the excess water, place it in a blender with the coriander leaves and bombard it until it is a homogeneous paste; you may need to scrape the sides of the blender. a few times as you go. Place the mixture in a bowl and set aside, then put 300 ml of water in the blender and turn to collect the remaining spinach.
Put three tablespoons of oil in a large skillet to fry over medium-high heat. Once hot, fry the onion for about seven minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli, and fry, stirring, for another four minutes, until fragrant and golden. Reserve about a third of this mixture and add the tomatoes, two thirds of cumin and coriander, all the turmeric, methi kasoori and a quarter teaspoon of salt to the pan. Cook for four minutes, stirring often, until tomatoes are completely broken, then add the pureed spinach, spinach water from the blender, tofu, a teaspoon of salt and a good grind. of pepper, and let it simmer. Cook for seven minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tofu has warmed up and the sauce has set.
Meanwhile, lightly toast the remaining cumin and coriander seeds, and add them to the bowl with the reserved onion mixture and add the remaining two tablespoons of oil.
Transfer the curry to a shallow dish, place the onion mixture all over the top, sprinkle with the Aleppo chilli and serve.
Stewed eggs with leeks, canelini beans and Iranian lime
This is a quick lunch at noon for when you want something special that doesn’t require too much labor. Try to use eggs with rich, golden yolks, because they will stand out very well against blueberries with jewelry. Made crumbled and some hot dishes would go well with that.
Prep 20 min
to cook 35 min
It’s useful 4
2 tablespoons blueberries
30g of unsalted butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled, cut in half and thinly sliced (150 g net)
Salt and black pepper
500 g of leeks, cleaned well, cut in half and cut into crescents 1cm thick
6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1½ teaspoon ground Iranian lime
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, roughly crushed in a mortar
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 x 400 g canned canelini beans, drained (240 g net weight)
15 g of dill, chopped approximately, plus 1 tablespoon of additional leaves to garnish
20g of parsley leaves, chopped approximately, plus 2 tablespoons of additional whole leaves
8 medium eggs
Put the blueberries and two and a half tablespoons of boiling water in a small bowl and leave to set.
Put the butter and two tablespoons of oil in a large cast iron skillet (or large saucepan) for which you have a lid and put it on medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and a teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for four minutes, until softened. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until everything is well caramelized. Add the garlic, Iranian lime, cumin and turmeric and cook for another minute, until fragrant, then add the beans, 200 ml of water, a quarter teaspoon of salt and a good grind. of pepper, and simmer. Cook for three minutes, until liquid is almost completely absorbed.
Turn the heat to medium-low, stir in the chopped herbs, then make eight wells in the mixture and chop an egg in it. Season the eggs lightly, cover the pan and cook for five minutes, turning the pan a few times to ensure even cooking, until the egg whites are cooked through, but the yolks continue to drain.
Drain the blueberries and place them in a small bowl with the herbs collected and the remaining tablespoon of oil. Place it on top of the eggs and serve directly from the pan.