On Tuesday, Hindus celebrate the festival of Divali and as with most religious festivals there is a fasting period before which usually translates to meatless meals. This culminates with a wonderful celebration, highlighted with a grand feast.
Abstaining from meat for at least one day each week is a healthy cleansing option for our bodies. Meatless meals can be satisfying and delicious, incorporate hearty dried legumes and beans like lentils and chickpeas and spice them up with warming spices like cinnamon and cumin. Brighten the taste even further by incorporating fresh herbs like chadon beni, parsley and mint at the last stage of cooking.
Bring such an integrated nation we in Trinidad and Tobago enjoy each other's religious festivals and most of us prepare special and delicious treats to savor on these occasions. Here is a traditional and sumptuous menu should resemble a cone Tuck the end under and them push the pointed part into the dough. Flatten slightly and rest for a further 30 minutes.
Combine butter with oil.
Lightly flour a surface, roll each piece of prepared dough into a ten-inch circle and cook on a hot baking stone, turn, brush with oil, turn again brush with oil, cook until it balloons or bubbles on the surface then remove. This should take about three to four minutes in total.
Beat the roti with your hands or a wooden spatula to break and flake.
(Makes 8).
Serve with any curried dishes.
DHAL
1 cup yellow split peas
1 tsp turmeric
2 cloves garlic
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 tsp geera pods
1 pimento pepper seeded and chopped
4 cups water
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp geera seeds
2 cloves garlic chopped
salt as needed
Wash split peas, place in sauce pan with water, turmeric, garlic, geera and pimento, and salt.
Bring to boil and cook slowly until peas are tender, about 30 minutes.
Remove from fire swizzle until smooth.
Heat oil in a small pot, when hot add one tsp geera seeds, and two cloves chopped garlic.
The oil should be sizzling, when garlic is coloured and geera is darkened, pour into dhal.
Season with salt if needed, stir and serve.
(Serves 4 to 6)
PARATHA ROTI
For the dough:
4 cups all purpose flour
1 tbs butter, softened
1 tsp. Salt
4 tsp baking powder
Salt to taste
Filling:
6 tbs softened butter or ghee
To cook the paratha:
4 tbs vegetable oil
4 tbs melted butter or
8 tbs melted ghee
Combine flour with one tbs butter, salt and baking powder.
Add enough water to knead to a very soft dough, cover and rest for 30 mins.
Divide dough into 8 pieces, form each piece into a ball.
Roll out each piece of dough into a 6 inch round , place about 3/4 tbs butter onto dough and spread to the ends.
Cut the dough into half from the middle of the top edge, leave a one inch uncut portion at the base. Starting from the top right hand side portion, roll the dough all the way to the bottom and up the left side. Your dough should resemble a cone Tuck the end under and them push the pointed part into the dough. Flatten slightly and rest for a further 30 minutes.
Combine butter with oil.
Lightly flour a surface, roll each piece of prepared dough into a ten-inch circle and cook on a hot baking stone, turn, brush with oil, turn again brush with oil, cook until it balloons or bubbles on the surface then remove. This should take about three to four minutes in total.
Beat the roti with your hands or a wooden spatula to break and flake.
(Makes 8).
Serve with any curried dishes.
CURRIED CHATAIGNE
3 lbs chataigne
2 tbs curry powder
1/4 cup water
2 tbs oil
1 tbs chopped garlic
1 onion, finely chopped
1 hot pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup coconut milk
salt to taste
Peel chataigne, now remove the pulp and separate this from the seeds.
Peel the seeds by removing the outer shell. Reserve skin, and seeds and pulp.
Cut pulp or break into small one-inch pieces.
Mix water with curry set aside.
Heai oil in a sauté pan, add garlic, onion and pepper cook until fragrant, and add to pot.
Let it sizzle and cook until almost dry.
Add chataigne, stir well, season with salt and add coconut milk.
Lower heat and cook for about 50 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a small amount of water to prevent sticking.
When seeds are tender chataigne is cooked.
Adjust salt.
Serves 4
