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Boiled Peanuts With
Chile Salt
MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS Fresh shell-on
peanuts are available only at harvest time
and are hard to find, but unroasted shell-
on peanuts work just as well and can be
found in many supermarkets and online.
4 cups fresh (green) or raw
(unroasted) shell-on
peanuts (about 11.5 oz.)
4 tsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp. coriander seeds, divided
1 Tbsp. flaky sea salt
1½ tsp. red chile powder, preferably
KashmiriCombine peanuts, kosher salt, and
1 Tbsp. coriander seeds in a medium
saucepan. Pour in water to cover and
stir to combine. Let peanuts sit in brine,
stirring here and there, 3 hours.
Bring peanut mixture to a boil over
medium-high heat. Reduce heat, partially
cover pan, and simmer, adding more
water as needed to keep peanuts
covered, until peanuts are tender with
no crunch left at all, 2 hours if fresh,
4–4½ hours if raw. Drain; let cool.
Meanwhile, lightly crush remaining
1 Tbsp. coriander seeds with a mortar
and pestle (or gather on a cutting board
and crush with a skillet). Mix in a small
bowl with sea salt and chile powder.
Transfer peanuts to a bowl and toss
with about three-fourths of spice mixture.
Serve peanuts with remaining spice
mixture alongside for sprinkling over.
Little Gem Salad With
Buttermilk Chaas
8 SERVINGS Do not start to heat the
oil until all of the chaas seasonings
are measured out and close at hand;
blooming the spices goes quickly.
DRESSING
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
5 dried chiles de árbol, lightly
crushed, seeds removed if desired
4 curry leaves
1 tsp. cumin seeds
½ tsp. brown mustard seeds
Kosher saltSALAD AND ASSEMBLY
1 bunch red and/or French Breakfast
radishes, trimmed, thinly sliced3 heads of Little Gem lettuce, torn
crosswise into 2"-wide strips
1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
½ cup fresh English peas, sugar snap
peas, and/or 1½"-long pieces
green and/or wax beans
1 sprig mint, leaves torn
2 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
Kosher salt (optional)DRESSING Pour buttermilk into a
measuring glass or small bowl. Heat
oil in a small saucepan or skillet over
medium-high until shimmering. Add
chiles, curry leaves, cumin seeds, and
brown mustard seeds one at a time,
pausing for a second between each
addition and swirling pan. Cook until
spices are toasted and curry leaves
sizzle and pop, about 10 seconds (take
care as oil will splatter!). Quickly pour
spice oil into buttermilk; stir to combine.
Taste chaas dressing and season with salt.
DO AHEAD: Dressing can be made
1 day ahead. Cover and chill.SALAD AND ASSEMBLY Soak radishes in
a bowl of ice water until they curl, about
10 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
Toss half of the radishes in a large
bowl with lettuce, cucumber, peas, mint,
and cilantro. Drizzle in dressing; toss to
coat. Taste salad and season with salt if
needed. Top with remaining radishes.Sweet-and-Sour Dal Bhat
8 SERVINGS This dish is triply aggressive,
with sweet, sour, and spicy tastes strung
together in an intense interplay. To make it
your own, experiment with the balance
of those three elements—you might make it
more sour, or very, very spicy, depending
on your palate and preferences.DAL
1 plum tomato, coarsely chopped
1 cup toor dal (pigeon peas), rinsed,
picked over
5 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 3 Tbsp.
Morton kosher salt
3 serrano chiles, halved
6 oz. ginger, peeled, coarsely
chopped (about ½ cup)
1 cup (lightly packed) grated
jaggery
6 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. red chile powder, preferably
Kashmiri
1 tsp. ground turmericRICE AND ASSEMBLY
2 cups basmati rice
9 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
6 curry leaves
3 dried Kashmiri, guajillo, or New
Mexico chiles, seeds removed
1 Tbsp. brown mustard seeds
1 tsp. asafetida
½ tsp. fenugreekINGREDIENT INFO: Jaggery, also called
gur or palm sugar, can be found at
Asian or Indian markets. Asafetida can
be found at Indian markets. Both can
be found online at foodsofnations.com.DAL Bring tomato, toor dal, salt, and
8 cups water to a boil in a medium
saucepan over medium-high heat,
skimming foam from surface and stirring
occasionally, 8–10 minutes. Reduce
heat and simmer, stirring and skimming
occasionally, until dal are very soft
but not disintegrated, 45–60 minutes.
Meanwhile, process chiles and ginger
in a food processor to a coarse purée,
about 1 minute. Transfer to a 2-cup
measuring glass or a medium bowl; stir
in jaggery, lime juice, chile powder, and
turmeric. Set seasoning mixture aside.
Once dal is done, mix in reserved
seasoning mixture and simmer until
flavors are melded, about 5 minutes.
Blend dal with an immersion blender or
in a blender until smooth; it should be
about the consistency of heavy cream.
DO AHEAD: Dal can be made 3–4
hours ahead. Cover and keep warm.RICE AND ASSEMBLY While the dal is
cooking, place rice in a medium bowl
and cover with cold water. Swish around
with your fingers to remove surface
starches, then drain through a sieve or
colander. Repeat process until water runs
clear, about 4 or 5 changes of water.
Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a medium pot over
medium. Add rice and stir to coat grains
in oil. Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil
over high; reduce heat to low, cover pot,
and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
Just before serving, heat remaining
7 Tbsp. oil in a small skillet over medium-
high. Add curry leaves, chiles, mustard
seeds, asafetida, and fenugreek one at
a time, pausing for a second between
each addition and swirling pan. Cook
until spices are toasted and curry leaves
sizzle and pop, about 20 seconds.
Spoon spices over dal; serve with rice.