eglamkowski's Journal: slashdot cookbook

Continuing the indian trend, today is balti chicken with lentils. Had this just last week. Tasty :-)

1/2 cup chana dhal (split yellow lentils)
4 tablespoons corn oil
2 medium leeks
6 large dried red chillies
4 curry leaves
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoons mango powder
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
3.5 cups chicken, skinned, boned and cubed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

1) Put lentils into saucepan with enough water to cover and boil for 10 minutes, until they are soft but not mushy. Drain and set aside.

2) Heat the oil in a medium karahi (deep round-bottomed frying pan, or a skillet, or a wok). Lower the heat slightly and stiry fry the leeks, dried red chillies, curry leaves and mustard seeds for a few minutes.

3) Add the mango powder, tomatoes, chilli powder, ground coriander, salt and chicken. Stir-fry for 7-10 minutes.

4) Mix in the cooked lentils and fry for another 2 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

5) Garnish with fresh coriander and server paratha.

Notes:

• I used an onion instead of leeks and still it was very tasty.
• If you don't have 4 curry leaves, try 2 bay leaves instead.
• I didn't have any mango powder and I didn't substitute any for it. Maybe I'm missing something as a result, but, as I said before, still very tasty anyways :-)
• If you buy a sprig or two of coriander and just can't use it all quickly but don't like throwing away perfectly good herbs, chop up what you don't use and freeze it. Then when you need it in the future, use the frozen coriander directly, no need to thaw. Will keep for quite a long time this way.