Indian Food in Europe

In Hindi, Chana means chickpeas. Masala means a mixture of spices. Put it together and you have the name of the spices used to spice the dish with the same name. Confusing? Maybe. But, it all begins to make sense eventually. And, it’s all delicious so that’s all that matters anyway.

Chana Masala (the spice):Granted, you can purchase this mixed spice blend from an Indian grocer store , but it’s fun to make your own. When purchasing pre-made blends, keep in mind that they do sometimes add salts and other additives – definite red flags . The key to chana masala the spice is that it uses dried wild pomegranate seeds and some black salt for its extra tang. For both you’ll need to head to an Indian grocer.

1/4 cup cumin seeds
1/4 cup coriander seeds
1/4 cup dried pomegranate seeds (anardana)
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
10 whole cloves
2 black cardamom pods
4 green cardamom pods
3 3-inch cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
1 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorn
5 medium cassia leaves, broken into pieces (or bay leaves)
10 whole dried red chiles, broken into pieces
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
2 tablespoons dried mango powder (amchur)
1 tablespoon dried, ground ginger
1 tablespoon black salt (kala namak)

1. In a shallow, heavy pan, dry roast all ingredients except the powders (mango powder, ground ginger, and black salt) over medium heat. Stay close, and keep shaking the pan to prevent the spices from burning. They will become reddish brown and aromatic when done. After about 4 minutes of roasting, transfer to a plate and cool for 15 minutes.

2. Once cool, put ingredients in a coffee grinder reserved for spices or the dry jug of a Vita Mix blender. Add mango powder, ginger, and black salt and process into a fine powder. Sift for a finer blend. Store in an airtight container for up to six months. *Cassia leaves are often mistakenly called Indian bay leaves. They come from a different tree and are actually unrelated, though the two can be used interchangeably. Cassia leaves are larger, more brittle, and have a muskier taste than European bay leaves and are found in most Indian grocer stores.

Cooked, Plain White Chickpeas
Slow cooker: 3 1/2-quart, cooking time: 4 hours on high, Yield: 7 cups

I know it’s so easy to run out and grab a few cans of chickpeas. But, canned beans typically taste mushy and often include added salt and other additives . I tend to opt to cook beans and whole lentils in a slow cooker with just water, and then keep them up to a week in the refrigerator or up to three months in the freezer. They can be used on salads, added to soups, or used for quick stovetop Indian curries. The possibilities are truly endless and so much more nutritious.

3 cups whole, dried white chickpeas, cleaned and washed
5 cups water
1. Put chickpeas and water in the slow cooker.
2. Cook on high for 4 hours.
3. Rinse beans in a colander with cold water to stop the cooking process and drain any excess liquid.
To make in a five-quart slow cooker, double the ingredients and cook for four hours. A double recipe makes 14 cups. Chana Masala(the dish):

I love chana masala. It’s so easy to make, amazingly delicious, and with everything above prepped minutes away!
2 tablespoons oil (grapeseed, canola, vegetable)
1 heaping teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons chana masala
1 large yellow or red onion, peeled and diced (2 cups)
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated or minced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and grated or minced
2 medium tomatoes, diced (2 cups)
1 – 3 green Thai, serrano, or cayenne chiles, stems removed, chopped
1 teaspoon red chile or cayenne
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 cup water
4 cups cooked chickpeas

1. In a deep, heavy pan, heat oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add cumin, turmeric, and chana masala and cook until the seeds sizzle, about 30 seconds.
3. Add onion and cook until softened, another minute.
4. Add ginger and garlic, cook another minute.
5. Add tomatoes, chiles, red chile, salt, and water.
6. Bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until all ingredients blend.
7. Add chickpeas and cook through. Serve over brown or white basmati rice or withroti or naan.

2) Brown Lentil Street Salad-Killing Your Inner Perfectionist

I love cooking Indian food because there’s never a need to be a perfectionist. I emphasize that Indian food is incredibly forgiving. No worries if you add a little extra ginger… garam masala…or chilies. There’s always a way to offset it (maybe with a little more water or by adding lemon juice). Unlike other cuisines you don’t have to be precise with your chopping and cuts. The less precision, in fact, the tastier. That’s what delicious homestyle Indian
is all about.

Brown Lentil Street Salad
Here’s a salad that will help you get it done without jumping through hoops. It’s so incredibly simple, easy, nutritious.

Indian salads are so easy to make and so much fun to eat because they are delicious. Cilantro and spices provide flavor rather than oil, making these salads some of the healthiest around. You can use any cooked beans or lentils, but one of my favorites is brown whole lentils ( masoor dal). Feel free to sub any veggies as well. I love grating anything and everything in from beets to carrots to chopped cooked potatoes or even celery.

4 cups cooked beans or lentils (see recipe below for slow cooked)
1 medium red onion, peeled and diced (1 cup)
1 medium tomato, diced (1 cup)
1 small cucumber, diced (1/2 cup)
1 medium daikon, peeled and grated (1 cup)
1 – 2 green Thai, serrano, or cayenne chilies, stems removed, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1 large lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black salt (kala namak)
1/2 teaspoon chaat masala
1/2 teaspoon red chile powder or cayenne
1 teaspoon fresh white turmeric, peeled and grated (optional)

1. Mix all ingredients together in a deep bowl. Serve immediately as a side salad, wrapped in a lettuce leaf or do as I do and serve with a side of warm brown basmati rice as a quick meal .

Note:
It’s not easy to find fresh turmeric let alone white turmeric, but if you happen to come across it (it’s mostly found at Indian grocery stores), a little grated and sprinkled over the salad will provide an extra layer of taste as well as nutrition.

Making whole beans and lentils in your slow cooker is so easy it’s almost laughable that we go out and buy more expensive and less nutritious canned or frozen options. For the above recipe I used brown, whole Masoor Dal. That’s the lentil that when split and skinned looks salmon colored (though when you cook it turns yellow ). You can find it at just about any grocer, Indian or otherwise. Just put 3 cups of the whole form of the lentil (cleaned and washed) into a 3 1/2 quart slow cooker. Add 5 cups water, cook on low for 3 hours. When finished, drain in a colander and use right away, put in fridge for up to 2 weeks and up to 3 months in the freezer.

3) Dry Chickpeas
Sookha Kabhuli Channa

SLOW COOKER SIZE: 3 1/2-QUART, COOKING TIME: 4 HOURS ON HIGH Yield: 8 cups
3 cups dried chickpeas, cleaned and washed 5 cups water

Put chickpeas and water in slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours. Once finished, drain in colander. Whatever you don’t use immediately, store in the freezer, where it can last up to three months. In the refrigerator cooked beans will last up to a week. Folks, try making chickpeas this way and stop using needlessly expensive canned varieties. They not only have additives, they are also mushy in texture. You just can’t beat eating a bean cooked from dried. Though, I always do keep a few canned beans on hand just in case I’m in a pinch.

Now…onto the good stuff.

Chickpea Poppers
Yield: 4 cups

4 cups cooked chickpeas (cook in slow cooker or use 2 12 oz. cans)
1 tablespoon masala (garam, chaat, chana, or sambhar)
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon red chile pepper, cayenne, or paprika

Adjust oven rack to the highest level in the oven closest to the burner and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place sheet of aluminum foil in baking tray for easy clean up.

Drain the chickpeas in a large colander for about 15 minutes to get rid of as much moisture as possible. If using canned, rinse first.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together gently and then pour onto a baking sheet.

Cook for 15 minutes. Take tray out of oven carefully, mix gently so that the
chickpeas cook evenly, and cook another 10 minutes.

Cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with red chile powder if you’re daring. Paprika works great too!

Try This!
Make an easy chaat with these poppers. With one cup of cooked chickpeas, add chopped onion, tomato, cilantro, lemon juice and a pinch of kala namak. Top it off with tamarind chutney. Serve it all on individual lettuce leaves for a fun variation on a salad.

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