Bitter melon (also known as bitter gourds) is that one vegetable that you either love or don’t. And I happen to LOVE the slightly bitter, crunchy, earthy bite of this vegetable and when fried, it is a form of culinary excellence. When I bring these melons home from the market, I rinse them, remove some of the outer, rough skin layer using a sharp knife (just a little bit to retain the crunch factor when cooked). I liberally salt them and set aside in a colander to remove excess moisture and some of the bitterness. *For the past almost twenty years, I have always used Kosher salt in my cooking as I find it has a milder, softer and way less harsh taste than table salt-an extremely useful tip I learned from my favorite celebrity chef, Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa.
A couple of pointers: this unique Daal recipe takes longer to make than probably my Hyderabadi biryani (or about the same time). So obviously there are several steps involved and a layered, methodical approach to its preparation. I use a store-bought ‘Sambar’ seasoning mix that adds a delicate yet full-bodied dimension to the otherwise bland lentils and works very well with all the other thought-out spices and ingredients.
I attest that no matter how many times I make Kathi Daal, it is never as good as my mom’s. Like ever. And I have accepted this fact. So when I was trying to create a fusion recipe with sour lentils as the base, I was a bit apprehensive. You see, Ami and Abu are my toughest critics, and rightfully so. Abu’s tastebuds have been spoiled by my mom and my mom is the best cook I know. Naturally, when I prepare a fusion dish using one of my mom’s authentic recipes as the foundation, I am so cautious as to not “mess it up,” or butcher it (no pun intended). Yesterday when my dad nonchalantly said “Tumhari daal bahuth achi th-Your lentil recipe was very good,” I was on cloud nine! And Ami said she liked it as well. Had he said “it was good,” I would have been thrilled enough, but emphasizing his approval by adding “bahuth achi,” as in very good, was indeed a compliment. A little side life note-it seems as you get older, ‘criticism’ from parents becomes more like beneficial advice and constructive feedback that helps you improve and become a better version of yourself. I wonder why when you are younger, it feels strident and unnecessary?! Some food for thought for the younger generation-including my daughters (insert smile emoji here).
What I did to modify this Kathi Daal and create a more fusion recipe is incorporate seasoned, fried bitter melons and use fennel seeds in the ‘Tadka,’ or tempering stage, instead of the traditional cumin seeds (‘Zeera’). ‘Tadka’ is a method in which you heat some neutral oil and lightly fry whole spices (mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fresh garlic cloves, dried red chilis and curry leaves) to create an intense but balanced flavor profile that is poured over a completed dish, such as lentils. The fried whole spices infuse the lentils with an unimaginable layer of profound flavor and texture, elevating the final taste beyond measure. I also deep fried some onions separately until crispy, golden brown and perfect and layered them into the lentils during the finishing stage of preparation. This addition beautifully balances the sourness from the Tamarind water, an essential ingredient in sour lentils. And I can eagerly vouch for this success of a creation. So incredible!
Kareley ki Kathi Daal – Tempered Tamarind Lentils with Fried Bitter Melons
Ingredients
For Lentil Base
- 1 cup Masoor lentils
- 1 cup Toor lentils
- 1 tbsp Canola oil
- 2 Roma tomatoes *roughly chopped
- 2 jalapeños *slit lengthwise and deseeded
- 1 tsp fresh ginger paste
- 1 tsp fresh garlic paste
- 2½ tsp Sambar powder
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 5 cups water
For Tadka
- ⅓ cup Canola oil *same oil used to deep fry onions
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 4 cloves garlic
- 12-14 curry leaves *Kadhi Patha
Other Ingredients
- Canola oil *as needed for shallow frying bitter melons and deep frying onions
- 2 large yellow onions *thinly sliced, deep fried in Canola oil until crispy and golden brown
- 6 bitter melons *bitter gourd vegetable
- 4 oz Tamarind slab *soaked in water. Recipe requires 2 cups Tamarind water. You can store the remaining in fridge.
- 2 tsp coriander powder *coarsely ground
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- ¾ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Kosher salt *or to taste
- 1 handful fresh coriander leaves *coarsely chopped
Instructions
For Tamarind Water
- Soak ½ slab of Tamarind (~4 oz) in cold warm water for two hours. Break Tamarind pieces with hands and squeeze until all pulp is removed. Pour Tamarind water through sieve and discard pieces/residue. Set aside. You can definitely make this in advance and store in fridge or freezer for later use!
For Lentil Preparation
- Soak lentils (both Masoor and Toor) in a large bowl with cold water for about 1 ½ hours.
- Heat a large saucepan or pot with 1 tbsp Canola oil on medium high heat. Add chopped tomatoes, jalapeños and ginger/garlic paste and sauté for 10 minutes, mixing as needed. Turn heat to medium, add Sambar powder seasoning and Kosher salt, continue to mix and sauté for another 5 minutes. Now add rinsed, strained lentils and cook in spices for 4-5 minutes on medium heat, mixing as needed. Add 5 cups cold water, bring to a boil on high heat and then turn heat to medium low and simmer lentils for 35 minutes until completely softened and cooked, stirring occasionally. Pulse lentils with immersion blender to desired consistency. Add 1 cup of Tamarind water, stir to combine, bring lentils to a boil and simmer on low heat for another 15-20 minutes.
For Bitter Melon Preparation
- While lentils are simmering, rinse bitter melons and using a sharp knife, remove some of the outer skin layer. Liberally sprinkle bitter melons with some Kosher salt and place in colander with bowl underneath for approximately 30 minutes or so to remove excess moisture and some of the bitterness. Rinse well, pat dry and cut bitter melons lengthwise and scoop out all seeds (try to keep some of the flesh intact). Slice halved bitter melons and place in mixing bowl. Add spices (coriander, cumin, chili powder, turmeric and Kosher salt) and toss to coat bitter melon pieces. Shallow fry spiced bitter melon pieces in Canola oil: heat large skillet on medium high heat with oil, add pieces and fry for 5-7 minutes, mixing as needed, turn heat to medium low, cover skillet and cook for 15 minutes. Remove fried bitter melons onto a paper towel lined plate to remove all excess oil. Set aside.
For Fried Onions
- In another large skillet, deep fry onions in Canola oil on medium high heat until crispy and golden brown. Remove fried onions onto a paper towel lined plate to remove all excess oil. I use two forks to toss the fried onions until cool and crispy. Set aside ⅓ cup of remaining oil to prepare Tadka.
For Tadka Preparation
- Heat ⅓ cup onion oil in a medium sized frying pan on medium high heat. Once hot, turn heat to medium low, add mustard seeds and fry for 1 minute, swirling pan as needed. Add fennel seeds, fry for another minute, add garlic cloves, fry for another minute, add 6 curry leaves, fry for another minute (there will be a lot of splattering!), swirling pan over heat the entire time. Remove Tadka from heat, turn garlic cloves to brown other side and set Tadka aside.
For Final Layering and Assembly
- While pot of Daal is simmering on low heat, add fried onions + fried bitter melons, add remaining 1 cup of prepared Tamarind water and prepared Tadka. Bring to a boil, mix well to combine all ingredients. Turn off heat. Add 7-8 fresh curry leaves and fresh coriander leaves.
- Comforting, tangy + spicy and delicious Kareley ki Kathi Daal is now ready to serve. Ladle over plain Basmati rice or savor with some Parathas to soak up all the goodness. Enjoy! Nosh Farma'aiye.