This was probably one of the first recipes I added to this site, in November 2012.

It is one of my all-time favourites and I cook it regularly. I therefore thought it deserved an updated post.

Can be eaten hot or cold, freshly made with rice almost as a main course, or as accompaniment to other dishes, and cold as a side dish/relish.

2.5 cm cube fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled
50 ml water
750g aubergines
Plenty of vegetable oil
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp kalonji
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp ground corianderseeds
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp cayenne pepper (more, if you like)
Salt

Cut the aubergines into slices or wedges that are 2 cm thick and about 4-5cm long. Salt liberally and put in a colander to drain some of their liquid,  for an hour or so (this will limit the amount of oil that the aubergines will absorb later).

Blitz the giner and garlic with some water in a small food processor till a fairly smooth paste.

Pat the aubergines dry and fry the wedges in oil in batches over medium to high heat. They should turn a reddish brown before being placed in the sieve. Add fresh oil between the batches. Let drain for another hour.

Heat 3 tbsp oil in the frying pan and sizzle the fennel and cumin seeds for a few seconds. Add the tomato, the ginger-garlic paste, coriander, turmeric, cayenne and salt. Stir and cook for at least five minutes till a thick paste.

Now put in the fried aubergine slices and mix gently. Cook on a medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring very gently. Cover the pan, turn heat to very low and cook another 5-10 minutes if you think it is necessary. Spoon off any pools of oil that have collected.

Breakfast, brunch, grab-and-go lunch – whatever. These also happen to be gluten free. I do not suffer from gluten intolerance as such but I do have a feeling that my knee joints like me better when I try to eat as gluten-free as possible. My orthopedist here in Berlin confirms hearing that from many patients, although it is not scientifically proven.

They are also vegetarian, and vegan, unless you use ghee for frying, and accompany them with yoghurt.

The leek can be replaced by for example an onion and a tomato, or a bag of spinach.

• 100 g chickpea (aka gram or besan) flour
• 50 g rice flour
• About 100 g leek, a mixture of white and green bit, trimmed and finely sliced
• 1 chili, trimmed and finely chopped
• 1 tsp garam masala
• a big pinch ajwain (carom) seeds
• a pinch hing (asafoetida)
• a large pinch turmeric powder (aka haldi)
• red chili powder to taste
• Sal and pepper
• 1 tsp oil, plus oil or ghee for frying
• One half dl water or as needed for the batter

Mix the two types of flour thoroughly with the dry spices.

Then add the leek, chili and olive oil and mix well.

Add water and mix till the batter has a thick but ladle-able texture and can be easily spread faily thinly on the pan.

Fry on a pan in ghee or oil, about two to three minutes on medium heat. Serve with yoghurt (I always have goat yoghurt available), perhaps in the form of a raita, and/or a pickle.

Game is both lean and sustainable and I am happy to live in a country where it can be purchased easily when it is in season and is also served seasonnaly in many restaurants. I got this meat from Tellermitte.

Spice blend:

• Seeds from 14 cardamom pods
• 1 heaped tblsp cumin seeds
• 1 heaped tblsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick (Ceylon or Sri Lanka – not cassia), broken
• ½-1 tblsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 10 cloves

Vindaloo:

• 2 dl apple cider vinegar
• 1 kg venison, cut into 2-3cm chunks
• 8 tbsp oil or ghee
• 750 g trimmed and peedled red onions , chopped not too finely
• 12 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• 2 large thumbs of ginger, scrubbed and cut into matchsticks
• 2 red chillies, trimmed, deseeded and sliced
• Small handful dried curry leaves (approx 30 leaves)
• 4 tsp salt or to taste
• 3 tblsp tamarind pulp
• 2 tblsp light brown sugar
• 2 tblsp mustard seeds, either black or yellow
• water
• 2 tins chopped tomatoes

Like most dishes cooked with these spices, this is even better reheated the next day.

Dry-roast the cardamom, coriander and cumin seeds and the black peppercorns in a small pan for two minutes till fragrant.

Grind together with the cinnamon stick and combine with the chilli powder, turmeric and cloves.

Mix the meat, the spice mixture and the apple cider vinegar well and let marinade for maximum an hour.

Meanwhile, heat 4 tblsp oil or ghee and fry the onions about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, till the onions are soft, translucent and lightly caramellised.

Then add the garlic, ginger, chilies, curry leaves and salt and continue frying for five minutes.

Add the tamarind, sugar and mustard seeds, stir well and continue to simmer on very low heat.

Brown the diced venison in batches in the remaining oil and add them to the onions. Deglaze the pan with water between batches and add this as well. Add any marinade left after browning all the meat to the pan.

Add the tins of tomato. Stir well, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally and adding water if needed, till the meat is very tender.

Serve with this mix of brown rice, quinoa and lentils. Perhaps cooked with spices as follows:

Mix equal amounts of brown rice (cooked with a cinnamon stick), quinoa (cooked with turmeric and Indian bayleaves), and red lentils (cooked with ajwain seeds). Stir in a tablespoon ghee and sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves before serving.

Also this beetroot salad:

• 4 medium beetroots, boiled and cubed
• 1 tblsp olive or coconut oil
• 2 red onions, finely sliced
• 1 tblsp ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 chili (optional)
• 1 tblsp lemon juice fresh
• Sesame oil and chopped almonds for serving

Sauté onion and ginger in the oil. Stir in garam masala, stir, then stir in beetroot and chili and cook for a couple of minutes.

Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice, a sprinkle of sesame oil and sliced almonds.

• 400 g chana dal
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• Cloves of a whole garlic
• 1 large knob ginger
• 1 chili
• Oil or ghee
• 300 g red onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 10 whole cloves
• 10 green cardamom
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tin tomatoes
• 1 tblsp coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder or paprika (this is fo colour rather than heat)
• 2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, crushed
• Coriander leaves for garnish

• Soak and cook the chana dal according to instructions on the packaging, and add 1 tsp turmeric and 1 tsp salt towards the end of the cooking time.
• Crush garlic, ginger and the chili or blend it in a mini processor.
• Sauté the whole spices – cumin seeds, cloves, green cardamom and cinnamon stick in the oil for a few seconds. 
• Add the chopped onion and cook for around 3 to 4 minutes until they are soft and start to change color.
• Add the garlic-ginger-chili and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the tinned tomatoes, the rest of the spices and 1 tsp salt. Simmer for at least ten minutes.
• Add the boiled chana dal and simmer again. Add water depending on the texture you prefer.

Use oil instead of ghee, and bingo – it’s vegan.

I already adapted this from a five-dal recipe to a four-dal recipe, so you can of course use as many or as few different dals as you like/have available.

And yes, I definitely need a course in food photography. Am starting to look at the ones on KelbyOne. If for nothing else then for tips on how to make a dal not look like the dog’s vomit.

• 300 g part masoor dal, black urad dal, mung dal and chana dal 
• 2 tablespoons Ghee
• 1 heaped teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
• 2 red onions, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 knob Ginger, grated or very finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves (tej patta)
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken
• 2 tins tomato
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (Haldi)
• 2 teaspoons red chili flakes or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
• Salt to taste, and a hefty dose of freshly ground black pepper

Soak the dals in plenty of water for about three hours.

Roast the cumin seeds in the ghree till they crackle.

Add onion, ginger and garlic, and sautée until the onion softens.

Add the bayleaf and cinnamon stick and sautée for a few seconds.

Add the tomatoes, turmeric powder, chili flakes and asafoetida, sautée, stirring.

Add the dals, salt to taste and water to cover the dal by at least two cm.

Bring to the boil and simmer till the dal is cooked, 45 minutes to an hour, checking regularly for texture and adding water if necessary.

If you want a creamier texture, use an immersion blender till you have the texture you want.

A craving for Thai flavours. Found a pack of tofu in the fridge and one of broccoli in the freezer, a half-full jar of cashew butter that needs to be finished, and a bag of brown rice nearing its sell-by date.

IN PROGRESS

• 5 tablespoons water
• 4 tablespoons cashew butter (peanut butter would have been better, but cashew is what I had available)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ginger, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
• 2 large red onions
• 5 lime leaves (from the freezer)
• 2 red chilies, halved lengthwise, deseeded and finely sliced
• 400 g firm tofu
• 1  pack frozen broccoli (300 g)

Whisk together the water, cashew butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, ginger, and garlic. Set aside.

Drain the tofu, pat it dry and cut it into dice about 1 or 1,5 cm.

Sautée the onions, chilies and lime leaves in the oil.

Add the tofu and sautée on all sides, turning

gently.

In a separate pan, add the cashew butter sauce and broccoli, and cook gently for a couple of minutes.

Add the onion/tofu and cook for an additional 2 minutes, mixing gently.

Remove the mixture from the heat, garnish with basil or coriander. Serve on brown rice.

Gluten free, vegetarian, easily vegan if you want.

If you are going to be out all day, perhaps even outdoors most of the time, do yourself a favour and prepare this in the morning.

The flavours will develop when left to meld for a while, and it will feel like a real treat to come home and basically just have to reheat this:

I expect to have plenty left for tomorrow and for the freezer.

• 400 g urad dal (any type – I am using whole black here
• 1 large knob of ginger root, finely chopped, or better still, grated or shredded in a mini processor
• 1 teaspoon turmeric (I usually use a bit more – it does not yield a whole lot of flavour, but a beautiful colour, and it is supposedly good for the old joints, especially if used together with black pepper, hence:
• A hefty dose of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp cayenne or Kashmiri red pepper, to taste
• 2 tblsp olive or coconut oil (or ghee, but then it is of course no longer vegan)
• 20 cloves garlic, very finely chopped, or better still, grated or shredded in a mini processor
• 2 tins tomatoes
• 2 to 4 tsp garam masala
• At this point 4 tblsp yoghurt (I always have goat yoghurt available, but that is probably just me)
• 2 tblsp fenugreek seeds (kasoori methi), crushed
• 2 tsp sugar (optional, but adds a bit more depth)
• 4 tblsp coconut oil (or vegan butter if you have that available)
• Salt to taste
• Chopped cilantro to garnish

Place the dal, ginger, red pepper and turmeric in a pot, cover with water by about five cm, and cook until the dal is very tender, about 45 minutes in this case, checking that the dal is always amply covered in water. If you want a creamy dal, blend half the cooked dal into a smooth puree, or use an immersion blender now or later till you have the texture you want.

Heat the oil or ghee. Add the garlic and stir for about a minute, then add the tomato puree, still stirring, for a minute or two. At this point, I will add some yoghurt for the texture (I always have goat yoghurt available, but perhaps that is just me ….) – but then of course this recipe is no longer vegan.

Add the tinned tomatoes, mash and stir and simmer until the puree darkens, about five minutes.

Add garam masala and the crushed fenugreek seeds. Mix and add this to the dal. Adjust with water or vegetable stock, and salt to taste, blend if you want to adjust the texture, and simmer over medium-low heat for ten minutes.

Before serving, stir in some coconut oil or vegan butter, and sprinkle with chopped coriander.

Photos to come but may have to wait till I have attended a food photography course early in the new year :-).

Once you have tried homemade, you will never go back to storebought.

Hot lemon pickle

• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 half tsp asafoetida powder
• 3 lemons (organic and unwaxed, of course)
• 90 ml sesame oil
• 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 2 tsp red chili powder
• 3 chilies, deseeded and chopped
• A knob of fresh ginger, scraped and finely chopped
• 1 half tsp ground turmeric
• 4 tblsp salt

Dry-roast the fenugreek seeds and asafoetida for a couple of minutes and blend to a fine powder.

Boil the whole lemons completely covered in water for 15 minutes or until they soften. Reserve the cooking water. When the lemons are cool enough to handle, cut off the ends, divide in six or eight boats, then slice. Try to preserve as much of the juice that might come out of them as possible.

Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add chili powder, chopped chilies, ginger and turmeric and sautée for a couple of minutes.

Add the lemons and any juice from them, salt and fenugreek/asafoetida. Cook for a few minutes, blending well. Add a bit of cooking water if needed.

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.

Onion chutney

• 2 tblsp oil
• 2 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 4 tsp black urid dal
• 5 chilies
• 1 half tsp asafoetida
• 3 large red onions, finely chopped
• 1 small bunch coriander leaves
• A small lump of tamarind pulp
• Salt to taste

Sauté seasoning in one tblsp oil, and the onions separately in the other tblsp oil until light golden.

Blitz both in a blender or food processor. Add coriander leaves, tamarind pulp and salt and blend to a paste.

….. no literally, or rather: amazon prime and coffee and cake, followed by dinner.

Early in 2020, I made a mental note to go and see Persischstunden with, among others, Lars Eidinger, as soon as it hit the cinemas, and then Corona put a stop to that. I have since talked about the film several times with friends, and finally discovered that I can stream it on amazon, so a couple of friends are coming over today to watch it together.

This is a good occasion to start with coffee and cake, so I decided to try my hand at this baileys and white chocolate cheese cake. I always find that a full-size cheese-cake looks quite gross and unappetizing and the cheesy layer a bit too thick, so I increased the ingredients for for the base a little, and distributed everything in two 20 cm spring forms instead of one 23 cm. I baked them for 40 minutes, and since there will only be the three of us, I am freezing one of them.

After the film, I am cooking this old faithful: lamb shanks with dates and pumpkin, served with baked mashed potato. Yummy autumn food.

On another note, here is a photo I took with my smartphone during a morning walk on Tempelhofer Feld earlier this week: