Using Up My Pantry: Tadka Dal and Coconut Arborio Rice Pudding

To save money and the world, I am making more effort to use up as much of the contents of my fridge, freezer and pantry as I can. While reading one of my favorite blogs, Korean American Mommy, she posted a lovely recipe for Tadka Dal. I LOVE Indian food and of course had to try this. I didn't have to go to the grocery store as I had all the ingredients on hand, or so I thought. The only onions I had were red onions; a whole garlic bulb only had 1 nice clove, a bulb that was only bought a few days prior- that's a commissary vent post on its own; and I had no asafoetida on hand, but I was still able to make this meal AWESOME. Check out the recipe over at her blog: Korean American Mommy.

The only changes I made was that I fried whole cumin seeds along with fenugreek seeds with the red onions. I also used 1 clove of garlic and about 2 tsp of garlic powder. It tasted AMAZING and I will definitely make this again in the future. I also made naan bread. and spiced chicken. Delicious, big thumbs up from the whole family! I also made Naan as I also didn't have basmati rice on hand, and I was so sure I did!  The Naan is easy and delicious.

Naan Bread

Adapted from: Indian Food Made Easy

2 cups all purpose flour (i used bread flour)

2 t sugar

1/2 t salt

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 cup milk

2 T vegetable oil (i used  canola)

For topping

pick from nigella seeds, sesame seeds, minced, garlic, or fresh coriander

Note: I've used garlic and coriander in the past. Last night I used nigella seeds.

Preparation

For dough, sift the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder into a bowl.

In another bowl, combine vegetable oil and milk

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in liquid mixture

Slowly mix together the dough by working from the center and incorporating the flour from the edges of the well.

Dump contents on a clean counter top and knead for 8 to 10 minutes adding a little flour in case the dough gets sticky. Great stress buster! f you don't have the time, use a stand mixer or food processor.

Place in a oiled bowl, cover with damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow to rest in a warm place for 10 to 15 minutes. I let it rest for an hour while I prepared the Tadka Dhal.

Preheat broiler , and out a heavy duty baking sheet to heat.

Form dough into 5 balls and roll quite thinly into a teardrop shape (if desired).

Prick with fork so it does not turn into biggol pita bread!

 Sprinkle with topping of choice

 and bake in the oven for 1-2 minutes or until lightly browned. Brush with butter and serve warm!

Spiced Chicken:

2 T Peanut Oil

3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

2 t Ground Cumin

1 t Hot Madras Curry Powder

Salt to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet in medium high.

Season chicken then add to skillet skin side down. Fry for 15 minutes then flip over until cooked through- another 10 minutes. Allow to rest, then slice! Easy

On to dessert.

 My ultimate comfort dish Rice pudding. My husband isn't a big fan, so I tried it a new way. In my pantry was some coconut milk and arborio rice dying to be used and my fridge some leftover blueberries from my blueberry-balooza week. Growing up, rice pudding was always my fave, My father flavored it with many extracts, and loved them all the same. Nothing like a warmness of the cinnamon, the creaminess of the milk and the sweetness. MM, I have to go get some more!

This is my first time using arborio rice in a rice pudding, but as it is a creamy rice on its own, I was sure it'd make my all-time fave comfort dish twice as creamy, and it did!

Coconut Arborio Rice with Blueberries

2 cups water

4 T unsalted butter

Pinch of Salt

1 14 oz can of evaporated milk

1 14 oz can coconut milk

1/2 cup of milk
1/2 cup sugar

2 t vanilla

1 t cinnamon

1 t ground cardamom

pint of blueberries

This is delicious hot or cold!

Bring water, butter, and salt to a boil.

Add rice and cook on medium, stirring rice occasionally, until rice has absorbed the water, but the rice isn't mushy.

Meanwhile, in another bowl, mix together remainder ingredients except the blueberries and add to rice.

Cook on medium low, cover, but keep and eye on it stirring it occasionally. Takes from 30 to 35 minutes for the rice to absorb the milk creaminess.

Put blueberries in the bottom of a bowl and pour hot rice mixture over it.

 Sprinkle with cinnamon and cardamom then, put in fridge. If you want it right away like my husband and I, just swirl the blueberries around. Growing up we used raisins. If you do, put raisins in at the last 10 minutes of cooking. Oh and my husband really enjoyed this as well!

Hope you try this and and enjoy!!!