Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Beef with spinach and lentils
Lindsey Nair
Features staff writer Lindsey writes about food, restaurants and recipes.
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- What restaurant staffers shouldn't do
- Good gourds: How to make your own pumpkin pie filling
- How sweet it is
Recipes
Ingredients:
1 lb. beef cubes
4 Tbsp. plain yogurt
1 tsp. ginger paste
1 tsp. garlic paste
1-inch cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
8 black peppercorns
6 cloves
1 level tsp. garam masala
1 level tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 level tsp. salt
10 oz. (give or take) frozen
spinach 6 oz. (give or take) masoordal (split brown lentils)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 inch fresh ginger, cut into matchstick-sized pieces
1/4 cup canola oil, divided
Directions:
1. Add yogurt to meat and mix well, then add garlic and ginger pastes and all the spices, including the salt. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for one hour.
2. While the meat is marinating, thaw the frozen spinach. Wash lentils in a few changes of water until the water runs clear. Leave to soak in water for 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, put the marinated meat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over low heat for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture has evaporated and the meat is half-cooked.
4. Add half of the oil to meat and stir-fry for about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and drained dal (lentils) to meat. Mix well, then pour in enough water to cover by one inch. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat and leave to cook for about 25 minutes or until dal is tender. At this stage, the spinach and lentils should be well-blended and creamy (thicker than soup).
5. In a small frying pan, heat remaining oil, add finely sliced onion and ginger. Stirring constantly, fry to a rich golden color. Transfer the meat mixture to a serving dish, then pour the fried onion and ginger on the top and serve at once with chapati or naan bread.
Source: www.contactpakistan.com
