Chana Dal with Garlic Tardka & Cherry Tomato - Green Chile Achaar/Pickle

I've been missing Indian food, the kind of home style food that is everyday fare in Indian homes. As much as I love the restaurant Indian food, it's mostly Mughlai cuisine and is rich in nut sauces, thick yogurt, butter and cream. With summer in full swing in California, that is not what I'm gravitating towards. I want to use local seasonal vegetables like cherry tomatoes, green beans, bell peppers, chilis and thankfully Indian food has bunch of recipes using these vegetables. So this week I've decided to go full vegetarian and make the most of summer produce.

Last week was an excess in chicken recipes, so this week will make up for it!
Coming to the recipes below, the cherry tomato pickle is a genius idea from Priya Krishna. In fact, I almost think you could put cardboard in cherry tomato's stead and still have the salad taste delicious lol! :P The crunchy seed topping is where it's at. It adds a huge flavor bomb to the salad and the texture from the seeds goes really well with rice and dal.

The chana dal is already going to be delicious because it's chana dal but add some garam masala and caramelized onions and garlic to it, and you take it over the top. It's a contrast in flavors, with sweetness coming from the onions and savoriness coming from the garlic and spices. Chana dal cooked properly is a study in texture, holding it's shape well but still giving way. Toothsome and smooth. Whole but tender. Add a scoop of rice to this dal and cherry tomato salad and you are all set. You'll be looking forward to leftovers!

Cherry Tomato - Green Chili Achaar/Pickle recipe adapted from Indian-is cookbook, Priya Krishna
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp nigella seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 jalapeños, quartered if thin or cut into eighths if thick
1.5 pints cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
1/2 tsp sea salt

Procedure:
In a small pan, warm the oil over medium high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add all the spices till fenugreek seeds (helps to have the spices already measured out and in one container ready to throw in the oil at one go). Cover with a lid and constantly shake the pan on the stovetop till the seeds sputter, about 1 minute. Add the chilis and close the lid again and keep shaking the pan and cook for about another minute, till the chilis get some brown crisp edges. Remove the pan from the heat and pour this over the cherry tomatoes. Gently mix in the salt and serve warm or room temperature. The salad will keep for a day or so in the fridge. Just bring it to room temperature before serving each time.

Chana Dal recipe adapted from Made in India cookbook, author Meera Sodha
Makes 6 servings (served with cherry tomato pickle recipe below....or 8 servings with a substantial side)

Ingredients:
14 oz chana dal (no other dal will do, sorry)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 large yellow onion, quartered and sliced every thinly
6 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp chili powder
2.5 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 fresh red chilis, pricked with a knife in several places

Procedure:
Wash the chana dal in cold water until the water runs clear. This might take a while, be patient. Add 6 cups cold tap water to a 4 quart saucepan along with the chana dal and bring to a boil on high. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 45-60 minutes, till the dal is cooked. It will be tender and not chalky. It took about 60 minutes for me to reach this. You will also likely need to keep topping off the dal with water as it's cooking. I probably added about 2 cups more water in installments.
About 15 minutes before the dal is cooked, heat 2 tbsp olive oil on medium in a non-stick pan and add cumin seeds. Once the seeds start sizzling, add the onion slices and cook, stirring often, for about 12 minutes till caramelized well. Add half the sliced garlic and cook by stirring well until the garlic is a little soft and a light brown in spots. Pour this into the dal once it's tender along with the garam masala, chili powder and salt. Mix well. Taste and adjust salt and water as necessary and transfer to serving vessel. Wipe the onion pan with paper towels and heat 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, rest of the garlic slices and whole red chilis. Cover with a lid and cook while shaking the pan on the stovetop for about a minute until the garlic slices are brown but not too dark (or it'll turn bitter). Immediately pour this oil on the dal in the serving bowl. Mix well and enjoy!