DEALING WITH DILL | A power packed beneficial green to include in our diet…

BY: DR. KAVIRAJ KHIALANI- CELEBRITY MASTER CHEF.

Dill leaves a popular sharp and pungent green from the herb family is well known to us. It is one of those interesting ingredients available all year round and can be easily incorporated into our meal plans and variety of dishes though we are a little picky and choosy about using it very often.

It is one of those fresh herb which has well placed itself in variety of courses and category of dishes in various international cuisines. My experience with dill has been wonderful and it’s great to add it into lentils, a dough for a paratha or even a pasta for that matter, I also tried gnocchi with potato and semolina once with a touch of dill in it and it was just wonderful to go along a nice saffron cream sauce and wild mushrooms!

Dill leaves also called as sua bhaji or shepu in our local markets are best to use fresh, some of us also dry and store it for a later use depending on recipes. It’s always good to refresh it under running water and place it in chilled water for a few mins and then use it. This multi-tasking flavor bunch as I usually address it as has a lot to offer us nutritionally as well.

Health Benefits of Dill Leaves:

• Dill leaves are a good source of manganese, iron and magnesium.
• They are also regarded good source of calcium & are good for bone health.
• It is good for the kidneys and spleen, prevents infectious diarrahea.
• Dill is known to be helping activate bile and digestive secretions.
• It is also considered to be a good immunity boosting ingredient.
• It has calming properties and also helps in insomnia.
• Dill leaves help manage diabetes and also prevents excessive gas.
• It is helpful in free radical protection, to stop hiccups, And is also an anti-bacterial rich ingredient.

Here are a Few Culinary Uses of Dill Leaves:

• Dill has been in our Indian kitchens in numerous ways and in all seasons, I remember mix dal vadas with dill during monsoon with a curry leaf chutney and a piping hot cuppa filter coffee.
• Dill goes well with dals and lentils in daily cooking as well, yellow moong dal tadka with a handful of dill is just too good.
• I also enjoy dill with cucumber, mint, garlic and greek yogurt in the form of a summer salad, a chilled dip format to go with crackers works well too!
• Dill in parathas either in the dough or in the stuffing with boiled mashed sweet potatoes, green chili and a dash of roasted crushed jeera is great with a bowl of curd.
• Seafood has been well associated with dill leaves and a lot of continental, far-east and even American and English recipes use dill with Salmon, Bassa and other varieties including butter garlic prawns with dill is yum!
• Dill aur soy ka dum pulao, try this one with brown rice with a tempering of Bayleaf, peppercorns and green chilies this pulao is a sure hit with boondi ka raita!
• Salad dressings with mayonnaise also prefer dill with seafood elements attached for instance the tuna dill potato salad is very popular with mayo and splash of lime into it.
• Getting dill into baking some of my all-time favorites remain the roasted garlic and dill bread rolls, sun-dried tomato and dill baguettes, dill and olive croissants with cream cheese, dill and peri – peri spice tomato bread.

Here are some easy to make and tasty recipes with Dill:

Recipe-1] DILL WALE AATISHI ALOO [Dill and spiced potatoes]

Ingredients:

• Sweet potatoes- 400 gms. Peeled and cubed
• Oil/ghee- 2 tbsp.
• Hing- ¼ tsp
• Slit green chilies- 2-3 no.
• Ginger- 1 tsp chop
• Curry leaves-8-10 no
• Salt to taste
• Red chili powder- ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
• Dhaniya powder- 1 tsp
• Water-2-3 tbsp.
• Fresh dill leaves- 2 tbsp. chop
• Aamchur powder-1/2 tsp
• Lime juice-1 tsp.

Method:

1. Prepare the sweet potatoes and all other ingredients.
2. Heat oil/ghee in a pan and add the ingredients to temper one by one and then add in the sweet potatoes and mix well.
3. Add little water and salt and cover, cook them in steam for 12-15 mins.
4. Now add in the powdered spices, mix well and add dill leaves- roughly cut and saute for 1-2 mins.
5. Finally add aamchur, lime and toss – serve hot.

Recipe-2] DILL AUR SOY WADI KI SUBZI [dill with soy chunks in a mild spice mix]

Ingredients

• Dill leaves- ½ cup roughly cut
• Soy chunks -1 cup soaked in warm water -10 mins.
• Oil/ghee- 2 tbsp.
• Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp
• Chop green chilies- 1 tsp
• Dry red chili-1 -2 no
• Onions-1/2 cup chop
• Tomato- 1 small chop
• Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
• Dhaniya jeera powder- 1 tsp
• Red chili powder-1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Curd- 2 tbsp.
• Aamchur powder-1/2 tsp
• Water-1/4 cup as needed.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the subzi.
2. Heat oil/ghee in a pan add in onions and saute till pink, add in the ginger-garlic chilies and saute.
3. Add in tomatoes and all powdered spices little water and soy chunks and bhunao.
4. Cover and simmer for 8-10 mins then add in thick beaten curd and mix well, simmer add dill leaves and cook for another-4-5 mins. Serve hot with phulkas, chapati.

Recipe-3] DILL & PRAWN PASSION SUMMER SALAD

Ingredients

For the body of the salad:

• Boiled eggs-1 no cubed.
• Prawns- 500 gms, shelled, deveined,
• poached/boiled/grilled.
• Cucumber-1/2 cup cubed.
• Shallots-3-4 no sliced.

For the base of the salad:

• iceberg or assorted lettuce-1 cup.

for the dressing of the salad:

• dill leaves- 2 tbsp. chop
• mayonnaise – 1 cup
• mustard paste-1/2 tsp
• lime juice- 1 tsp
• salt and pepper to taste
• white wine-2 tsp.

for the garnish of the salad:

• micro-greens/cherry tomatoes/bell peppers/ seeds/nuts.

method:

1. Assemble all the parts of the salad as per the above list.
2. In a mixing bowl combine together the ingredients for the dressing and mix well.
3. Add in the body of the salad to the dressing and toss well.
4. Arrange the base on a salad plate and top with the body and dressing, garnish appropriately and serve chilled.

Recipe-4] SPICED DILL PILAF RICE

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice- 1 and half cup
• Oil/butter-2 tbsp.
• Garlic- 1 tsp sliced
• Onions- ½ cup chopped.
• Bayleaf-2 no
• Peppercorns- 4-5 no
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Veg stock/ water- 3 cups approx.
• Assorted toasted nuts/seeds- for garnish.

Method:

1. Pick, wash and soak the rice for 12-15 mins.
2. Heat oil/butter in a pan add in the whole spices followed by onion and garlic and saute well.
3. Add in the drained rice, salt and pepper mix well and add double the amount of water or stock and bring to a boil, simmer cover and cook the rice, once water is absorbed add in the dill leaves and cook another 2 mins.
4. Once done serve hot garnished with nuts/seeds and serve with dals, kormas, curries, non-veg gravies etc.