I love Nepalese cuisine. Today I decided to cook traditional Tarka Dal with rice, Khukura Re Pyal Tareko (Chicken Curry with Onion), Alu Acchar (Pickled Potatoes) and Tuareg Tea with Honey from Corsica and Lemon.

There is the recipe:

Tarka Dal with Jasmine Rice

250g chana dal (yellow dried split peas), rinsed for 1 hour
1 litre water
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 small onion, chopped
1 whole green chillies, pricked with a knife
2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin strips
3 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
3 tomatoes
¾ tsp ground turmeric
¾ tsp garam masala
1½ tsp ground coriander
salt and freshly ground black pepper
handful chopped fresh coriander leaves

2 cups of jasmine rice

1. Place the lentils and 900ml of the water into a pan, stir well and bring to the boil. Skim off any froth that forms on the surface of the water with a spoon. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer, stirring regularly, for 35-40 minutes, or until the lentils are just tender, adding more water as necessary.
2. When the lentils have cooked through, remove the pan from the heat and use a whisk to break down the lentils. Set the mixture aside to thicken and cool.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and fry for 20-30 seconds, or until fragrant.
4. Add the onion, chillies and ginger and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until golden-brown.
5. Blend the garlic and tomatoes to a purée in a food processor. Add the purée to the pan and stir well to combine.
6. Add the ground spices and 100ml/3½fl oz of water to the pan and stir well to combine. Season, to taste, with salt and simmer over a medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the oil from the sauce has risen to the surface of the sauce.
7. Add the cooked lentils to the sauce and stir well, adding more water as necessary to loosen the mixture. Bring the mixture to the boil and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the chopped coriander just before serving.

Khukura Re Pyal Tareko (Chicken Curry with Onion)

1,5 kg combination of chicken breasts and thighs
(well rinsed, skinned, boned, visible fat removed and cut into small square pieces)
4 tablespoons clarified butter (gheu) (or use half vegetable oil combination)
2 whole green cardamom pods, slightly cracked
2,5 cm stick cinnamon
4 cloves, head bud pinched off
1 medium cassia or bay leaf
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced to a fine paste
2,5 cm piece fresh gingeroot, peeled and minced to fine paste
Salt to taste

½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2-3 medium-size white or yellow onion (halved, cored and chopped)
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika powder
1½ teaspoon garam masala

Garnish
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
some fresh cilantro (coriander) (washed well, chopped)
2 mild green chili pepper (seeded and sliced fine)

1. Wash chicken pieces thoroughly in cold water and pat dry removing as much moisture as possible. Place them in a cutting board and remove visible fat, bone and skin. Cut into 1-inch square pieces. Set it aside.
2. Prepare herb and spices as indicated in the ingredients and set it aside.
3. Heat oil or(clarified butter) in a heavy-based large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot add cardamom, cloves, cassia leaves, cinnamon sticks and fry until they release a pleasant aroma.
4. Add chicken pieces and cook until golden brown on all sides to seal the meat. Add ginger-garlic paste, salt and turmeric and continue frying until chicken is half cooked, tender and moist. At this stage of cooking the oil starts separating from the chicken, now add onion and the remaining ingredients and continue cooking, stirring continuously until onions are rich, dark brown. Adjust the heat to low to prevent burning. The finished dish should be quite dry, the onion should still hold its shape, but be soft and transparent.
5. Remove from heat and add the garnish. Transfer to serving dish and serve hot.

 Alu Acchar (Pickled Potatoes)

6 large potatoes
1/4 cup sesame seeds (til)
2-3 green chillies (to taste)
1/4 tablespoon turmeric
3-4 tablespoon lemon juice
1-2 tablespoon mustard oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
coriander (cilantro) leaves (to taste)
salt according to taste

1. Boil and peel potatoes. Chop them into cubes (1 inch).
2. Heat the sesame seed (til) in a pan till crisp. Remove from heat and let it cool. Grind into a fine powder.
3. Mix the powder, chili, salt, turmeric, lemon juice and mustard oil to potatoes. Mix well. Then add green chilies.  
4. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Tuareg Tea with Honey from Corsica and Lemon

5 tbs tuareg tea
1 l water (75 °C)
honey from Corsica or clasic honey
lemon juice (according tasty)

Let me know if you try it out and what you think!