2007 March 17
Recipe for Split Gram/potatoes “Machusi” (Gravy) dish”“ Pravin”™s Creation
The below is the recipe for Split Gram/potatoes (small) “Machusi” (Gravy) which is a special Pravin”™s creation. This dish was developed during January 2007 for a dinner. on a Saturday evening in January 2007 when Pravin & his wife, Jashoda had invited their daughter (Nina) & son-in-law (Sunjay Mistry) for dinner. The dinner was to celebrate “Pravin finally giving a retirement letter to his employer for retirement (effective 2007 April 16)”. Sunir could not join, as he was further away in Ottawa.
The recipe was again prepared during a dinner for when we invited our friends (in Deep River) on Saturday 10 March 2007. There were a total of 16 persons (including ourselves) at the dinner.
The recipe is good for 16 persons if this dish is supplemented by other 2 other similar dishes (curry vegetables or eggs etc). If the only dish, then the recipe is good for 6 persons.
INGREDIENTS
2 ¼ cups ”“ Split Gram (small cheek peas ”“ lentils) dal (without skin)
2 lbs small rounded whole potatoes (white and red mix- any proportion)
1 butternut squash (medium) or 5 small bottles of squash (baby food)
2 large size onions ”“ chopped very small pieces
2 large firm red tomatoes ”“ chopped small pieces or diced
11/2 table spoonful of fresh ginger ”“ minced (or 1 inch thick minced ginger)
4 clove garlic ”“ minced
2 1/2 teaspoon(s) of olive oil (or any vegetable cooking oil)
1 tablespoon filled with a mix of cumin seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric (haldi) powder and a bit of chili (red) powder.
4-teaspoon salt (or salt to taste)
11/2 tablespoon tomato paste or spaghetti sauce ½ cup
Additional 1 ½ teaspoon turmeric (haldi powder) for color
Additional 1 tablespoon of red chili powder (or add to taste)
1 ripe Kiwi Fruit or Peach ”“ cut into small pieces
Fresh Coriander (or parsley) ”“ chopped
1 ”“ 2 spoons of sugar (Splenda)
1 fresh green lime
Pravin”™s Special Ingredients (adds subtle flavour)
3 tablespoon of Japanese Plum Wine
1 tablespoon of Ginger wine
(One can substitute to suit his/her own flavour)
COOKING PREPARATION
1) Clean whole potatoes in running water (at least 3 times) ”“ scrub and remove any dirt or soil etc
2) Wash Split Gram (small cheek peas ”“ lentils) dal in a pot to clean. Check for any stone etc & remove
3) Boil whole potatoes (with skin) in a deep pot. After one boil on high heat, boil on medium heat till tender but not too soft.
4) When potatoes are tender, remove & let these cool (under running cold water). Cut each potato in half (keep skin intact). Set aside (Note: Any potato which had become too soft ”“ remove skin, mesh & add to butternut gravy).
5) Simultaneously or otherwise, boil dal in separate pot (small) .The dal & water not to be greater than 1/2 the pot in height. After one boil on high heat, boil on medium heat till tender but not too soft. Keep stirring occasionally as required so dal does not stick to bottom. Add a spoonful of salt in the boiling water. When done the soft dal (with remaining water) to be set aside.
6) Remove skin from Butternut squash. Cut into half, remove seeds and loose pulp.
Dice it (or cut into small pieces)
7) Simultaneously or otherwise, boil (in only in limited/sufficient water) cut (& skinned) pieces of butternut squash in a separate pot till soft. Mesh the squash ( a thick gravy!). When done, set aside meshed butternut squash…
NOW YOU ARE READY FOR REAL COOKING
1) In a good size (large) wok on the stove at MAX, put 2 1/2 teaspoon(s) of olive oil (or
vegetable oil). Heat it to just be ready for frying. Once it is hot ”“ put 1 teaspoonful
filled with a mix of cumin seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric (haldi) powder, a bit of chili
(red) powder. Cover the wok (to avoid any spray of hot oil outside). It will fry, (with
a pop and sizzle). Turn the temp down a notch (7 or 8), add immediately chopped
onions . KEEP stirring (with a wooden spoon) so that it does not burn or stick to the
bottem of the wok.
2) Let the onions simmer till shine ”“ do not cook too much. Add diced tomatoes and stir. You may want to heat up the wok a little – keep stirring till tomatoes integrate in the mix. Add ½ cup of water to the mix to help the mix not to stick to the bottom of wok.
3) Add minced ginger and garlic (mix well). Keep stirring the mix.
4) Add soft dal to the sizzle mix. On high heat, keep stirring for 5 minutes.
5) Then lower heat (5 to 7), add
· 1 ½ teaspoon turmeric (haldi powder)
· 1 tablespoon of red chili powder.
· 4-teaspoon salt
Stir and mix. Cover the wok and let dal &mix cook on slow heat for about 5 minutes.
6) Add cut potatoes (with skin) to the dal mix (on the range). Put heat to high heat for
2 minutes and stir the potatoes and the dal mix well. Keep stirring as required so
that the mix do not stick to the bottom of the wok.
7) Add meshed butternut squash (gravy) to the mix. Keep stirring on low heat.
8) Add special ingredients ”“ 3 tablespoons of Japanese Plum Wine & 1 tablespoon of ginger wine (you may want to substitute to your taste). Keep stirring on low heat.
9) Add (keep stirring as required)
· 1 ripe Kiwi Fruit or Peach ”“ cut into small pieces
· Fresh Coriander (or parsley) ”“ chopped
· 1 ”“ 2 spoons of sugar (Splenda)
10) Add 1-1/2 tablespoon tomato paste or spaghetti sauce ½ cup (for color). Stir as required.
11) Optional ”“ Add squeezed fresh lime juice (1 green lime)
Remove from the range and transfer to serving dish. Spread chopped coriander or parsley leaves over the top of the “machusi” for decoration.
Done – Enjoy your “special machusi” with Chapatti or nan or toast or by itself.