Methi makes me think of Meth

Let's just talk about the food today. As you probably already know, the most recent food obsession has been all forms daal. It's slowly become my ideal snack as well as go to when I need a quick savory brunch. Daal on scallion pancakes, daal on fresh rye bread, daal on flour tortillas...who knows when I'll tire of it? It just feels so much healthier than potato chips.

Nevertheless, although I've made daal a few times, I'm still haunted by my own ineptitude in regards to flavor differentiation. I struggle with even making different types of lentil daals actually taste different! It might be my own palate, but while I can can taste the distinctions between different types of legumes (for example, mung beans are sweeter and have a deeper and more savory taste than lentils), I cannot distinguish between lentils themselves. Whether they be green, yellow or red, my lentil daals all kind of taste the same, and not only that, but they also seem to look the same. In fact, many of my recent daals have adopted the characteristic muddy green or brown shade I've come to dread. Now, this may all be because I've been using a similar combination of spices in each dish, and while I really should branch out, I'm a bit at a loss for what other spices to even use. I've tried varying the spice levels and also added a variety different types of seeds (went a little crazy at the supermarket and purchased all kinds of hella seeds) or nuts, but to no avail. I've substituted fennel seeds for anise and caraway, fresh cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and more, but the more I add, the more muddy the flavors get. One small step forwards is this: I find that I prefer the softer anise flavor over the sharper fennel bite.

I should stop mixing and keep it simple, right? Anyways, all of you should join in and make daal and tell me of your ventures, because I'd really like to find a new combination of spices. Here is my latest attempt to make a different kind of daal, using fresh methi leaves and split chana (instead of lentil or mung beans...though I do love mung beans). Chana methi daal is a little happier in color for my daals than usual, and it will tide me over as I continue experimenting with red, yellow and green lentils. In this case, the yellow of the split chana (or chickpeas) is enhanced by the turmeric, but overall, the daal is still a bit darkened by the garam masala spice. I'm sure you could omit that if you'd like a brighter yellow color. Its flavor is good, but it's definitely less savory than the Moong Daal Tadka I made awhile back. Last note, I found fresh methi leaves (fenugreek leaves) at the Korean market, yay for impulse buys, and thought that maybe it would make a noticeable difference in flavor of the daal. In the end, I didn't actually notice a huge difference in flavor, besides the whole dish tasting a bit more anise-y in general because of the fennel seeds, but the methi leaves certainly add some nice green color. It's quite a pretty herb, despite the unfortunate name, no? Apparently if you don't cook it long enough, it might be a bit bitter, so make sure to simmer.

Either way, pretty boring post for today.  Have fun making daal!

Chana Methi Daal 

1 C dried chana daal

3 TB salted butter or oil

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds

4 cloves garlic, diced fine

3 stalks celery, diced fine

1 small onion, diced fine

1 birds-eye chili, diced fine, seeds reserved

1/4 C roasted peanuts, chopped fine

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

2 teaspoons turmeric

2 C methi leaves, rinsed

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Soak the dried chana daal overnight. Boil in a large pot of water the next day until chana is soft but still retains its individual kernel shape. Drain.

In a large pan, heat your butter or oil until smooth and shiny. Add in your fennel, cumin and mustard seeds and fry a bit. Then add in the diced celery, garlic onion, birds-eye chili, and peanuts and fry for longer. Then add in the dry spices (coriander, turmeric, and garam masala) and the fresh methi leaves. Cook all of this for a few minutes, then mix in your chana daal, salt and sugar. Add water until the daal is the consistency you'd like it to be, then simmer for 30 minutes.