Special curried chick peas (channa curry)

Serves 4
225 g/8 oz chick peas
1.2 litres/2pt water
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
100g/4 oz butter or ghee
1onion
2or 3 bay leaves
cardamom seeds from l pod
2.5 cm/ l in cinnamon stick
3 cloves
15 g/2 oz fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp fennel seeds
3 cloves garlic, chopped
175 g/6 oz tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tsp chilli powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
Leaves from 1-2 sprigs coriander
1/2 tsp paprika
2tsp ground coriander
1tbsp lemon juice
Salt

Steps:-

1 Pick over the chick peas and wash thoroughly. Soak in water for at least 10 hours. Drain and cook in the measured water with the bicar bonate of soda for 1-1A hours, depending the of the peas, on age until tender but not soft.

2 Heat three-quarters of the butter or ghee in a good-sized pan and add the onion, bay leaves, cardamom seeds, Cinnamon, cloves, ginger, fennel seeds, garlic and tomatoes. Fry until the onion is golden, squashing the tomato under the back of wooden spoon to make a a thick paste.

3 Add the chilli powder, half the cumin, the coriander leaves and paprika and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4 Add the cooked chick peas with l about 120 ml/ Apt of their cooking l liquor and cook over a low heat for 8-10 minutes

5 In a separate pan, heat the remaining butter or ghee and when hot, add the remaining ground cumin. Fry for a few seconds, until the fragrance emerges, and add to the chick peas.

6 Sprinkle on the ground coriander and lemon juice, and add salt to taste.

Lentils with vegetables I (kootu)

Serves 4

1 Pace the toovar dal, water, turmeric and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 35-40 minutes until the dal is soft. Add the vegetables and continue to cook until they are tender
urid small curry dal, dal and are to is Grind a minutes. milk the being

2 While the too ar dal cooked, heat the oil in saucepan and fry the peppercorns, red chillies, leaves and coconut until and coconut turn golden. a paste.

3 When the dal and vegetables cooked, add the paste and continue to cook for 5-10 Serve hot with rice.

Lentils flavoured with garlic (rasam)

Serves 2

1 Wash the toovar dal in several changes of water and bring to a boil in a large saucepan with the mea sured amount of water, turmeric and salt. Cover, leaving the lid slightly and simmer for about open, 30 minutes until the dal is soft. Blend until smooth

2 In the meantime dry roast the cumin, coriander, peppercorns and red chillies and grind finely.

3 Mix the tamarind juice, the powdered spices, 10 curry leaves and garlic and bring to a boil. Sim mer until it has reduced to half the amount.

4 Add the cooked dal and tomato and simmer for 5 minutes.

5 In a small heat saucepan, the ghee until very hot, add the tsp of cumin seeds and the remaining curry leaves and let them sizzle for 5-6 seconds. Add to the cooked dal. Serve very hot with rice or as a soup.