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The smoky Nepali dahi tikhari is the perfect antidote to a mid-afternoon snooze
For when your mid-afternoon yawns seem to be winning the shut-eye battle
People don't romanticise the hills for nothing.
Now if you can't jet off to the scenic peaks or anywhere around there anytime soon, there's plenty of options down here which at the very least give us a feel of the lush 'Pahadi' way of life, the easiest teleportation tool being food. And this dahi tikhari recipe, all the way from Nepal, is all that and much more. Follow the mouthwatering directions below.
Nepali dahi tikhari
Ingredients: Dry red chillies - 4 to 5, garlic cloves - 4 to 5 (fat), mustard oil - 1tsp + 1.5tbsp, thick curd - 1 cup, water - 3/4 cup, turmeric - 1/4tsp, salt - 3/4tsp, fenugreek - 1/4tsp, hing - a pinch, slit green chilli - 1; coriander and roasted cumin for garnishing
Method: Begin by soaking 4 to 5 dried red chilies in hot water until softened. Pound them into a coarse paste with 4 to 5 garlic cloves and a teaspoon of mustard oil. The texture should be rustic, not smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together one cup of thick curd with three-quarters cup water, turmeric, and salt until well combined, then keep aside. Heat mustard oil in a pan and add fenugreek seeds, a pinch of hing, and a slit green chili, letting them splutter gently. Add the chili-garlic paste and fry on low heat until it turns a deep brick red and releases a warm, smoky aroma. Lower the flame completely and slowly pour in the curd mixture, stirring continuously to prevent splitting. Cook on the gentlest heat for 4 to 5 minutes without letting it boil. Switch off, let it rest for five minutes, and finish with fresh coriander or roasted cumin.
(recipe from Vaibhav Boghani — @vaibhav_cooks)
Has the delectable Nepali dahi tikhari made its way to your winter lunch rotation yet?
