Two Additional Dishes

We made a Potato Gratin as a side dish. We have made many versions of Potato Gratin this is a great version. Incidentally, the Magimix makes slicing the potatoes in perfect slim slices a breeze! I am really glad with have this kitchen tool.


We decided to make a recipe for Birbal Kee Khitcheree from the cookbook Masala Farm by Suvir Saran. Suvir owns one of our favorite Indian Restaurants in New York City: Devi. This is a complex recipe but very good. It really has the taste of India.

Birbal Kee Khitcheree

Masala Farm

Suvir Saran

Serves 6

FOR THE TOPPING

6 to 8 cups/1.4 to 1.9 L peanut oil

1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1/4 cup/10 g finely chopped fresh cilantro

2-in/5-cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced into very thin matchsticks

I jalapeno, finely minced (remove the seeds for less heat)

I tbsp fresh lime juice

FOR THE KHITCHEREE

1 cup/190 g split and hulled mung dal

2 tbsp ghee or clarified butter

10 whole green cardamom pods

8 whole cloves

3 bay leaves
2-in/5-cm cinnamon stick

I tsp Panch Phoran

1/8 tsp ground turmeric

Va tsp asafetida

1 cup/185 g basmati rice

1/2 medium head cauliflower, divided into very small florets

1 medium red potato, cut into 1/2-in/12-mm pieces

4 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped

7 cups/1.65 L water I0-oz/280-g bag frozen peas

FOR THE FIRST TEMPERING OIL

2 tbsp ghee or clarified butter

1/2 tsp Panch Phoran

1/2 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1-1/2 tbsp kosher salt

2 tsp ground coriander

2 large tomatoes, finely diced

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

3 cups/750 ml water

FOR THE SECOND TEMPERING OIL

2 tbsp ghee or clarified butter

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Pinch of asafetida

1/2 tsp Garam Masala

Birbal Kee Khitcheree

When craving comfort food, I most often dream of khitcheree. The vege­tarian one-pot meal of lentils, rice, and vegetables is transported to another dimension via multiple layers of spices—every bite is a new discovery of tastes and textures. The dish includes Panch Phoran, a spice blend of whole cumin, fennel, and the wonderfully exotic, nutty flavor ofnigella seeds that are gently fried in ghee or clarified butter with coriander and tomatoes, and then a second boost of spice from a ghee-bloomed blend of more cumin, some cayenne, and oniony asafetida. It is such an incredible dish that there is even a legend behind it: Hundreds of years ago in mid-fourteenth-century India, Birbal, a court official of Emperor Akbar, made a khitcheree that was so enchanting the emperor decided to make Birbal a Raja king! At our house, we like to say that if it's good enough for Akbar and Birbal, it's good enough for you. This dish is so lovely that I often serve it with nothing else except for some Raita and perhaps crispy papadum on the side. Make the recipe a few times and then begin to play with the flavors and simplify it as you like. I promise you won't be disappointed.

To make the topping: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot (use enough oil to fill the saucepan to a 2-in/5-cm depth) over medium-high heat until it reaches 350CF/180°C on an instant-read thermometer. Add the onion and fry until crisp and browned, about 2 minutes, turning the onion occasionally. Use a slotted spoon or frying spider to transfer the onion to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. (The oil can be saved for another use, but first let it cool, then strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into an airtight container.)

In a small bowl stir together the cilantro, ginger, jalapeno, and lime juice and set aside.

To make the khitcheree: Place the mung dal in a large frying pan over medium heat and toast it until fragrant and lightly golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the dal to a large plate and set aside.

Place the ghee, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon, panch phoran, turmeric, and asafetida into the same pan and roast over medium heat until the spices are fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add the rice, toasted dal, cauliflower, potato, and carrots and cook until the rice becomes translucent and the cauliflower sweats, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the 7 cups/1.65 L of water, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add the peas, bring back to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

To make the first tempering oil: Heat the ghee and panch phoran in a large frying pan over medium heat until the cumin in the panch phoran begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the onion and salt and cook until the onion is browned around the edges and soft, about 10 minutes. If the onion begins to get too dark or sticks to the bottom of the pan, splash the pan with a bit of water and scrape up the browned bits. Stir in the ground coriander and cook»stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and the cayenne and cook until the tomatoes are jammy, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Once the rice and dal are cooked, remove the lid and use a potato masher to smash the mixture until only a few carrots and peas remain whole (remove the whole or large spices while mashing if you like). Stir in the first tempering oil along with 3 cups/720 ml water. Return to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.

To make the second tempering oil: Wipe out the pan from the first tem­pering oil and-heat the ghee for the second tempering oil over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, cayenne, and asafetida and cook, stirring often, until the cumin begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Immediately stir it into the rice and dal mixture.

Divide the khitcheree among 6 bowls; top with some of the reserved ginger mixture, a pinch of garam masala, and the fried onions; and serve.