Ingredients
- 1/4 cup ghee or clarified butter
- 1 1/2 cups diced onions
- two tablespoons minced garlic clove
- 2 jalapeno peppers, cored, seeded and minced
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and crushed
- 2 cups orange lentils
- two tablespoons finely minced ginger root
- two tablespoons Garam Masala, recipe follows
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 3/4 cup diced tomato plants
- 1/2 tablespoon grain vinegar
- 8 cups chicken stock
- Garam Masala:
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1/2 tablespoon whole cloves
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds
- 3 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 3 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 4 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
- 1/4 cup dried red chiles
- 1/2 tablespoon freshly grated nutmeg
Directions
Inside a large pot, heat the ghee and stir-fry the onions just until wilted, don't brown. Add some garlic clove, jalapeno, cumin, lentils, ginger root, Garam Masala, salt, pepper, sugar and bay leaf. Saute for one to two minutes, before the spices and herbs blossom (aromatic). Add some tomato plants and deglaze using the vinegar. Add some chicken stock. provide a boil after which lower to some simmer and prepare until lentils are tender, stirring from time to time. Taste and adjust seasoning with cumin, salt, pepper and sugar.
Inside a large saute pan, combine the black peppercorns, cloves, cardamom seeds, cumin seeds. coriander seeds, cinnamon sticks, and dried red chiles. Over medium heat, prepare just until slightly toasted, stirring constantly. Switch off heat and stir within the grated nutmeg.
Transfer to some mixer and grind to some fine powder. Go through an excellent strainer. Let it awesome to 70 degrees. Store within an airtight jar. Use when needed.
Recipe thanks to Wolfgang Puck, 2002