Black Gram with Sour Cream

The sun may have been peaking through the clouds for a change, but it was so cold yesterday, I felt like I was living in an igloo. In an attempt to get warm, I cooked up a spicy Indian meal for dinner.

I used whole urad dal for this recipe, also known as black gram or black lentils. Commonly used in India, especially in the North, these little beans have creamy white interiors with black skins. They can be easily obtained at an Indian grocery store, but feel free to use azuki beans or mung beans instead.

On the menu with Methi Rice

Black Gram with Sour Cream

1 cup of whole black gram beans (sabut urad)
3 1/2 cups of water
1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt
1/2 cup of cooked kidney beans (3 tablespoons dried)
3 tablespoons of sour cream
1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely minced
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon of ghee or butter
1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
2/3 teaspoon of ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of amchoor powder (optional)
2 small tomatoes, finely diced
1 teaspoon of garam masala
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Wash the gram beans well and soak them overnight in a large pot with 2 cups of water.

Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of water and the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the beans are very soft - about 1 hour. Stir occasionally. Mash some of the cooked beans with the back of a spoon. Add the cooked kidney beans and the sour cream.

In a small saucepan, heat the ghee or butter over medium heat. When hot, add the asafoetida and cumin and stir and fry for about 1 minute. Add the ginger and garlic to the pan and stir and fry for another minute or two. Now add the tomatoes, ground coriander, chili powder and amchoor powder. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes thicken. Stir in the garam masala and cayenne and pour the tomato mixture into the pot of beans. Stir and cook over medium-low heat for another 5 minutes or so.

Serves 4.