Amiri Khaman

I'll never make an author, and there's a good reason why. I'm lazy. The more I think about how much there is to do, the less I feel like doing it. I'm ok if I just start writing without any plan in mind - that way I can write a lot... but give me a something specific to write about, and inevitably I end up only thinking about writing it. With that attitude, once I actually finish writing, I dont bother to look at it again. The very thought of having to revise or rewrite is anathema, and has always been that way. (A little revision and rewriting back in school might have paid better dividends... but hey, laziness rules!) Hats off to novelists who revise their manuscripts and rewrite and then perhaps rewrite some more...

So basically that's what happens as far as the food events are concerned... I think "Oh yes, i can make something for that event" - and then I go ahead and think some more, flip through my recipes to see what would be suitable, then decide on a recipe, then think some more about actually making the recipe... and the next thing you know, the time for submission is over, and another event is past.

I've had all November to take part in Suganya's "Vegan Month" event. Plenty of time to think about what to make. I saw myself making at least half a dozen vegan items, but in the event, all I've been able to manage is one recipe, and that very nearly at the last minute. BUT... considering my success rate in events past, I think I'm ahead of the game at this point!

Amiri Khaman is a recipe that appeared in my inbox from Tarla Dalal's website. It seemed different (ish), something I'D never tried before, so I went ahead and made the recipe. Its name is a bit of a puzzle because there's nothing particularly "amiri" (rich?) about it. It's just a fairly easy snack to make and quite nice to eat especially when it's hot. But I suppose that's as good a recommendation for a recipe as any!



This is my very-nearly-last-minute, nearly-missed-it entry for Suganya's Vegan Month. I've pretty much followed Tarla Dalal's recipe except that I used fresh Thai red chillies instead of green. And because I didnt have any fresh lemons or limes (or even lime juice from a lemon-shaped knobbly yellow squeezy plastic bottle), I used sumac in its place. It worked quite well because sumac is a bit sour-tasting - but I would recommend fresh lemon juice as laid out in the original recipe. There's nothing like fresh lemon or lime juice for that juicy sharp sourness.

Recipe for: Amiri Khaman



1 cup split yellow gram (yellow moong dal)
6 fresh green or red chillies (or to taste)
1" piece ginger
1 tsp soda-bi-carb
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp caster sugar
Juice of 1 large lemon (or enough sumac to taste)
2 tsp mustard seeds
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste

For the garnish

2 tbsp chopped coriander
1 cup sev (thin deep-fried gramflour noodles, as required)

Method

1. Soak the dal for at least 6 hours.

2. Leave 4 tablespoons of the dal aside and grind the rest with the chillies and ginger.

3. Add the whole (unground) dal and mix.

4. Add the soda bi-carb, turmeric powder and salt and keep the mixture aside for at least 4 hours.

5. Steam the mixture in a pressure cooker for 12 minutes or till done. I used idli plates, but you can also spread the mixture to 1/2" thickness on a flat greased plate and steam it.


Ready for steaming


Just out of the steamer.



6. Cool and crumble.

7. Add the sugar, sumac/lemon juice and a little salt, and mix well.



8. Heat the oil in vessel and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the chopped garlic and asafoetida and fry again for a few seconds.

9. Pour this mixture on top of the crumbled dhoklas, add the chopped coriander and mix to distribute evenly.





10. Serve garnished with the sev. If you have mint chutney or tamarind chutney, so much the better.