Cannellini beans with Lamb and Eggplant

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

I do love a hearty stew and this is one of my favourites, it is Turkish inspired and has my most favourite vegetable, the eggplant/aubergine. Add this veggie to any dish and I'm in love! I used Cannellini beans for this recipe but you can use any bean you wish, also if you want to make this a vegetarian dish simply omit the meat. This really is a quick simple recipe, yet unbelievably flavourful. Do give it a try!

Cannellini Beans with Eggplant and Lamb

Here is what you will need.

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless lamb
3 eggplants
3 cans of cannellini beans
3 large onions
2 long red peppers
Salt to taste
1 tspn garam masala
2 tspn black pepper
Red chili flakes
5 cloves of garlic crushed
1 cup of Olive oil
2 tbspn of Ghee ( Clarified butter, can be found in Asian groceries)

Method

1. Chop the eggplant into cubes and fry in some of the olive oil until the brown. Set aside.

2. Add some ghee to pan and brown meat on high until it releases own juices. Add in crushed garlic black pepper and garam masala.

3. Now add the chopped peppers and tomatoes. Stir well and then add one cup of warm water and cover and let simmer for about 30 mins.

4. In the meantime brown onions in a separate pan ( You can add onions in the beginning before the meat but I prefer it this way as fried onions add more flavour later on in the cooking process) Add onions to the meat when the 30 mins are up.

5. Let this all cook together for another 15-20 minutes.
6. Next add the eggplant and cannellini beans and combine well. Let this simmer so that the flavours of all the ingredient can infuse.

7. Add 2 cups of warm water and bring to boil, when boiling turn heat down and let it simmer for around 20 minutes so that it all looks well combined and there is enough sauce.

8. Serve with warm crusty bread or pilaf

Serving suggestion; serve with Orzo Pilav

For the Pilaf with Orzo recipe click link below.

 http://roosfoodfusion.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/pilaf-with-orzo.html 

Bil-hana wa as-shifa'a

( May you have your meal with gladness and health)

Panchratan Daal (Five Jewels Daal)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Rive Jewel Daal

Panchratan daal (Five Jewels Daal) is a traditional Rajistani recipe. It is a combination of five daals, and each bring their own texture and flavour to this jewel of a dish!

With its high nutritional value and earthy flavours, this daal is perfect for those no meat days when you crave something simple, fulfilling yet satisfyingly delicious, and this truly truly is a delicious daal recipes! My children absolutely loved it and I am pretty sure you all will too!

Ingredients
20g Urad daal
50g Mung daal
20g Toor daal
20g Chana daal
25g Masoor daal
(All of these daals you can buy at local Asian shops and groceries)

Going clockwise: Urad, Toor, Mung, Masoor and chana daal.

1 Tbsn of Turmeric
1/2 tspn of Asafoetida
1 1/2 tspn of salt
5 heaped tbsn ghee (clarified butter)
1 Large onion thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves thinly sliced
5 green chilies, slit down the middle
2 tbsn julienned ginger (sliced into thin strips)
1 tspn Garam masala
Juice of a lemon or lime
Chopped Coriander leaves.

Method

1. Wash all the daals in a bowl until water runs clear and leave to soak for and hour. Then drain.

 

 3. Put the drained daal into a pot and add 1 litre of water, bring to boil, remove any scum that comes to surface.
4. Add Turmeric, and good pinch of Asafoetida. Simmer till lentils are well cooked and combined but still holding their shape and texture.

Daal should look well combined.

5. If you want daal to be more runnier then add more water and bring to boil again until it reaches desired consistency. Please make sure that you cook it well so that no separation between daal and water can be seen.
6. In separate wide pan heat the ghee, add a pinch of asafoetida and the cumin seeds. When they begin to splutter add the onions and fry till golden brown.
7. Now add the ginger, garlic, green chillies, and fry all the mixture till golden brown and onions are crisping.

Brown till onions are crisping.

8. Pour this onion mixture over the daal and carefully combine. Or if eating straight away put daal into individual plates and pour some onion mixture on each plate.

 

9. Squeeze a little bit of lemon juice on top and serve warm with Roti or Basmati rice.


Enjoy!

Asafoetida is known as 'devil's dung' because it has a potent aroma and is added to dishes that contain lentils because it is an anti-flatulent!