How to Make Sesame Chutney (Til Chutney Recipe)

Sesame chutney (til chutney in Urdu) is one of many Indian chutneys that we make regularly at home. First, sesame seeds are ground into a fine powder. Then, freshly grated coconut, spices and water are added to create a thick paste. The coconut is what gives the sauce a rich mouth-feel. The condiment can be served with rice dishes, idlis or dosas (enormous, thin, crisp, Indian-style crêpes).

Dosas are my husband Lulu’s favorite Indian food, and the reason I haven't posted a dosa recipe yet is that I haven’t been able to successfully make them on my own. Pali appa (Lulu's aunt), who lives in Oakland, comes to visit us from time to time and makes the best dosas from scratch. She taught us how to grind urad dal and rice and let the mixture ferment. On the several occasions when we've made the recipe with her, the dosas were wonderfully delicious. However, on my own, I've failed miserably so far. Will post a detailed recipe once I succeed. Stay tuned!

Masoor Dal Recipe (Yellow Dal)

Masoor dal is an Indian dish made with coral-colored lentils. Lentils are a very common ingredient in the Indian diet because they provide a great amount of protein for a vegetarian diet. The lentils are mixed with chopped tomatoes, turmeric, ginger garlic paste, onions and curry leaves, then slow-cooked at low temperature.

I think I mentionned that this last summer, we had a terrible planting season this year because of gopher infestations in our garden. We did get a few tomatoes from potted tomato plants Lulu added to the garden later in the season. I gathered that last little crop of Sweet 100 tomatoes and used them for the dal. The natural sweetness from the tomatoes works very well in the dish. It's a simple recipe but both tasty and healthy, and it's also ideal for a vegetarian diet. Serve the legume with a starch and a complete meal is ready.

Lamb Kebab Recipe

These lamb kebabs are called kofta kebabs. Unlike Greek lamb gyros, the patties are pan-fried instead of grilled. I mixed the lamb with garam masala, ginger garlic paste, chiles, ground almonds and bread, which gives the kebabs a denser texture. The finished dish is very refreshing, served with roasted vegetable couscous or pita bread and hummus.

As I think I've told you, lamb is probably one of my favorite meats, but I don't cook it very often because of the high cholesterol. If you're serving lamb for a party, I would advise you to season the meat well with lots of spices to cover the strong, distinct smell that some people might not like.

Indian Salsa: Kachumber Recipe (Chop Chop Salad)

Indian meals are typically composed of a starch such as basmati rice or flat breads (naan, roti, paratha), a meat dish (or fish), a lentil dish such as kali dal,  crudité-style vegetables such as horseradish and cucumbers, raita, and of course kachumber.

So, you ask, what is kachumber? Kachumber, also spelled cachumbar or kachumbar, is often referred to as "chop chop salad". It's a blend of onions, chiles and raw vegetables with lemon juice and other spices. It looks very similar to regular salsa but with a lot more onions and a lot more heat. For regular salsa, there’s usually a tomato base, whereas in the Indian version, onion and lemon form the base of the flavor. It’s wonderfully refreshing, and really cuts through the heaviness of Indian dishes.

Grilled Tandoori Chicken Recipe

Summer is almost over! It’s hard to imagine, but school starts next week for the girls, so I thought I'd use the barbecue one more time before storing it until next season. I marinated chicken breasts in tandoori sauce (I removed the skin because Lulu's aunt who’s visiting doesn't like it).

A generous amount of plain yogurt is necessary to ensure that the meat is moist. The traditional spices from garam masala are also used (cumin, coriander, red chile and other spices). I grilled the chicken breasts for about 10 minutes and the meat was ready to be served. It’s actually a pretty stress-free recipe if -like me-, you have a ready-made jar of garam masala in your pantry.