Tim's No-Show Surprise Birthday Party

We decided to make a vegetarian Indian Dinner. Cathy found a recipe for Mung Bean Dal With Apples and Coconut Tarka in the New York Times. This is the first time that I remember cooking with Mung Bean, they look like yellow lentils. It is cooked with both coconut milk and shredded coconut. It is a good recipe. With the Dal and Rice we served Roti that we purchased at India Sweet and Spice. With recipes like this, I could become a vegetarian (or at least eat less meat.

The dal came in handy when Billy and Kevin decided to have a surprise birthday party for Tim. Because one of the guests, Sumon, was from Bangladesh, and we mistakenly assumed he was therefore a vegetarian, we took the dal. The surprise was on us, however, because Tim, unaware that this was his birthday party, never showed up. Once we realized he wasn't coming over to eat his birthday dinner, we decided to go on without the birthday boy. Sumon, who as it turned out, was not a vegetarian, declared the dal as excellent!

We also made Macaroni and Cheese. As faithful readers of this blog know, this is one of our ALL-Time favorite dishes! he recipe is from Paris Bistro Cooking by Linda Dannenberg and is called: Gratin de Macaroni a l’Ancienne. You can find the recipe in our blog of: Feb. 2, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe.

We also purchased a delicious Coconut Cake from The Village Bakery and Cafe. They made the cake especially for Tim. He picked up the leftovers the next day, but didn't get to blow out the candles.


Mung Bean Dal With Apples and Coconut Tarka
New York Times
Time: About an hour
1 1/2 cups dried mung beans, washed and picked over
2 medium green apples, cored, peeled and chopped
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons minced garlic
Pinch ground turmeric (optional)
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
Juice of 1 lime.
1. In a large pot, combine beans, apples and coconut milk. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat down to medium-low so mixture bubbles steadily but not violently. Cook, stirring occasionally and adding salt as beans become tender, until beans are quite soft, 45 to 60 minutes; add water as needed to keep everything moist.
2. When liquid has thickened, put butter or vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat until it melts and is foamy (or shimmering if using oil). Add coconut, ginger and garlic and cook. Stir frequently and adjust heat to prevent burning, until mixture (called a tarka) crisps and turns golden, 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Add turmeric if using it, then stir in scallions, mint and lime juice. Cook for a minute or two more, then stir butter mixture into pot of beans. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings.