Main Dishes: (clockwise from bottom center) Sprouted Masoor Daal, Saffron Murg Makhani, Vegetable Biryani, Garlic Mint Naan, Roasted Eggplant with Peas,  Broccoli Yogurt Bharit, and Palak Paneer

Dessert: Carrot Halva with Almonds & Cardamom, and Red Grapes Frosted with Hazelnut Liquor and Sugar

Recipe for Sprouted Masoor Daal (Lentils) bottom center in the picture:Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

Note: I omit all chillies, peppers, black, red and white pepper as my husband has strong allergies. You may choose to add ½ teaspoon chopped green or red chillies to step 1 of the cooking procedure below.

• 1 lb dry whole green or black lentils
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
• ½ inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• ¼ cup shredded coconut flakes
• 2 teaspoons “goda masala” my grandmother’s recipe (or store bought garam masala)
• 1 ½  teaspoons canola or olive oil
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon Indian jaggery (or dark brown sugar)
• 1 teaspoon tamarind paste (or 1 1/2 teaspoon lime juice)
• ¼ teaspoon black mustard seeds
• ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• 4-6 curry leaves, washed, dried and cut on the slant into 1/4 inch wide slivers
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro finely chopped

Procedure:

1. To sprout the masoor:
2. Wash the masoor, drain, and in a large bowl add enough water to completely cover the masoor with at least 1/12 inches of water above the level of the masoor. Leave undisturbed for 12 hours.
3. Drain water completely, wash the masoor, then place in a large colander, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and place in the oven or other dark place for 2- 3 days.
4. Gently rinse the sprouted masoor and drain.

To cook the masoor daal:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan on medium high heat, add the mustard seeds and let them gently pop. Then add in order the cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric, coconut, and curry leaves, stirring continuously to gently saute on medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Make sure they do not burn. Add the onion, garlic and ginger in order, stirring and sauteing until they are light golden brown.
2. Add the sprouted masoor to the pan, stirring continuously, allowing the spices and masoor to mix well while sauteing. Add half of the chopped cilantro, the goda masala (or garam masala), cumin and corriander powders, lower the heat to medium.
3. Add the tamarind, salt to taste, jaggery (or brown sugar), 2 cups water, stir well, bring to a boil, lower heat to low, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water 1-2 tablespoons at a time if necessary to prevent sticking at the bottom of the pan.
4. Check the sprouted masoor (lentils) to see if they are cooked by pressing gently with the back of the spoon. The consistency of the masoor should be cooked and firm like baked beans, and not mashed.
5. Sprinkle the rest of the chopped cilantro and stit in additional lime juice to taste as desired.

Serve hot with Indian Bread (roti, phulka, naan), Rice Pulao, Broccoli Yogurt Bharit,

Recipe for Broccoli Yogurt Bharit:top right in the picture Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 4 small broccoli crowns
• 1 ½ cups fat free or low fat plain plant-based yogurt as my husband is vegan (you may use dairy yogurt for non vegan version)
• 1 1/2  teaspoons canola or olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black mustard seeds
• ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/8 teaspoon asafoetida
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• 3-4 curry leaves, washed, dried and cut on the slant into 1/4 inch wide slivers
• a small pinch of sugar

Procedure:

1. Cut the broccoli including the tender stems into 1 inch pieces
2. Add 2 teaspoons of water, cover, and cook in the microwave oven for 9 minutes.
3. Cool for 5 minutes, drain excess water, and coarsely chop in the food processor, pulsing occasionally. Do not grind it to a pulp.
4. Mix the yogurt with salt and pinch of sugar in a large bowl, gently fold in the cooked chopped broccoli
5. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan on medium high heat, add the mustard seeds and let them gently pop. Then add in order the cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric and curry leaves, stirring continuously to gently saute on medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Make sure the spices do not burn. Remove pan from the heat.
6. Add the oil and spice mixture to the broccoli yogurt mixture in the large bowl, gently mixing. Add some of the broccoli mixture to the pan to help get all the spices and oil and fold it into the bowl.

This is best served at room temperature, although it may be refrigerated and served cold. Serve with Masoor daal, Naan, Rice or Biryani, Eggplant with Peas.

Recipe for Carrot Halva: Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 pound baby carrots
• 1 ½ cups almond milk (you may use dairy milk for non vegan version)
• 1 cup finely ground almonds
• ½ cup slivered almonds
• 1 ¼ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons olive oil or canola oil (for non vegan version you may use 2-3 teaspoons of clarified butter)
• Seeds from 4-6 cardamom pods ground using  a mortar and pestle or 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon saffron threads
• 1  -2 teaspoons coarsely ground pistachios
• Pinch of salt

Procedure:

1. Grind or finely shred the carrots
2. Heat 1-2 teaspoons of the milk and soak the saffron in the hot milk
3. Cook the carrots with the remaining milk, ground almonds, and ground cardamom  in the microwave for 8-10 minutes, stopping the microwave and stirring the mixture every 2-3 minutes. Do not let the milk boil.
4. Heat the oil in heavy bottomed pan on medium heat, add the cooked carrots milk mixture, sugar, saffron milk, nutmeg, and pinch of salt, and stir continuously for 3-5 minutes. Turn the mixture over gently several times making sure the sugar touches the bottom of the pan, starts to melt, but does not burn..
5. Reduce heat to low-medium and continue stir frying until the carrot mixture is cooked to a dark orange color and the mixture has the look and consistency of a thick rice pudding.
6. Gently toast the slivered almonds in a pan on medium high heat stirring continuously until they are a very light golden brown color.
7. Mound the Carrot Halva on a platter, garnish with slivered almonds and coarsely ground pistachios and serve cold or warm – both are favorites of my family!