CHANTELLE’S INDIAN FOOD
You can serve any meat chicken or fish alongside this meal. Or you can add cooked chopped chicken fillet to the lentils to make it a complete meal. It’s a great meal to use Sunday’s leftover braai meat up or the leftover roast. It’s very economical if you have to feed a large crowd on a tight budget.
Fragrant rice
2 cups of rice
Salt to taste
3 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
1 small onion finely sliced and deep fried
Cook the rice with the salt, cardamom and cinnamon and 4 cups of water. When the rice is cooked fluff with a fork and mix in the fried onions.
Fried potatoes (aloo fry)
4 big potatoes peeled and cubed
4 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste
10 curry leaves
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
A big pinch of tumeric
Chilli powder to taste
Pour the oil in a big frying pan, add the curry leaves and mustard seeds and heat gently till just fragrant, now add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Put a lid on the pan and let it gently cook till the potatoes are cooked. You can add a bit of water if they start sticking to the pan.
Lentil curry (dhal)
1 small onion peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons oil
1cup pink or yellow lentils
1 chicken stock cube
1 small tomato finely chopped
A pinch of tumeric
Half a teaspoon ground coriander powder
Half a teaspoon ground cumin powder
Chilli powder to taste
1 teaspoon crushed fresh garlic
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
Fry the onion till golden, add all the other ingredients with 6 cups of water. Boil till the lentils are soft and mushy and has a consistency like gravy. Garnish with coriander leaves if you prefer
Yoghurt and cucumber salad (raaitia)
1 small cucumber finely chopped or grated
2 cups of plain yoghurt
1 finely chopped clove of garlic
Salt to taste
A pinch of cumin powder
Mix everything together and serve chilled.
RECIPE AND PHOTO: Chantelle Venter
