Test Matches, New (or are they old?) Players, Gossip, and Daal Chawwal to Steady the Nerves

I'm having a much better morning.  I'm still in a tizzy, but I'll get over it because there are 2 test matches going on today!  Yes!  Nothing makes me happier than a test match and for extra awesomeness 2 of my favourite teams are playing.  Pakistan my mostest favourite, is playing South Africa and then India, my second mostest favourite, is playing New Zealand!  What's a girl to do when there's so much fabulousness around?  Easy:  Watch Pakistan on the TV and watch India on the streaming live feed on the internets!

Fee-fi-fo-fum, Misbah-ul-Haq smells the blood of South Africa!

Today really will be a test for Pakistan's new test captain, Misbah ul-Haq.  I'm not exactly jumping for joy about his captaincy because I think that Younis Khan would be the better skipper, but what can you do when you live in a shoe.  And that shoe happens to be a PCB sneaker.  Ugh.  But as they say, the proof will be in the pudding. 

Let's hope it's a sweet pudding to reflect a sweet victory!

And there are some other interesting additions/omissions to the team.  My favourite, Fawad Alam, is not playing.  Weird.  Taufeeq Umar, who hasn't played a test since 2006, will be the opening batsman.  That's crazy talk!  Adnan Akmal will be the new wicket-keeper (I think they should have picked the other guy), and Mohammed Sami will be the new pace bowler.  I don't know anything about him and haven't found his profile on cricinfo yet.  We'll see how it all goes.  But I will say one thing to the team:  Win or lose I demand to be entertained!  Go Pakistan!

And some gossip:  Zulqarnain Haider, the recently retired wicket-keeper who is now in London has become the champion of all decent Pakistanis and has vowed to fight corruption in cricket.  He is so brave and so good.  Here is what he said at a press conference a few hours ago:

       "I am trying to build my image and my family's image and my country's image.  We have a lot of good people in Pakistan.  I am making this stand for Pakistan and for all cricket"


Zulqarnain Haider sticks out his tongue at Corruption


Now if that doesn't make you fall in love with him a little bit, you're plain old heartless.

Right.  And now the food.  Today it's Daal Chawwal, or Lentils and Rice.  This is a very comforting dish which will steady the nerves and provide fortitude to withstand all of the beautiful drama that the Pakistan team will certainly provide us with tonight! 

1 cup of masoor daal (the split red lentils)
1/4 onion, finely diced
6 or 7 cloves of garlic, crushed or very finely chopped
3 cm piece of ginger, crushed
1 roma tomato, finely diced
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon lal mirch
about 4 cups of water
salt

1.  Rinse the daal until the water draining away is clear
2.  Put everything except the salt in a big pot and bring to a boil.
3.  Simmer until the daal has turned into a uniform mush.  You shouldn't be able to see the individual lentils anymore.  This will take about 30 or 40 minutes.
4.  Add the salt. 
Since we're eating this with chawwal (basmati rice), make sure that the cooked daal isn't too thick.  Add more water if necessary.

Now, daal is usually "finished" with something called a tarka. This adds a terrific richness and depth of flavour that really makes the daal jump out at your tastebuds. I'll give you two types of tarka, choose the one you wish!

tarka #1
1/2 onion, very finely sliced
5 cloves of garlic, finely sliced or coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
chopped green chilies
3 or 4 tablespoons of oil

In a frying pan, heat the oil and fry the sliced onion and chopped chilies
When the onion is golden brown, add the cuminseeds and garlic, fry until the garlic is golden.  Don't burn the garlic!
Add the tarka to the cooked daal and stir.  The daal is now ready to eat.

tarka#2
3 dried red chilies
5 cloves garlic, finely sliced or coarsely chopped
cumin seeds
5 or 6 fresh curry leaves
3-4 tablespoons oil

In a frying pan, heat the oil and fry everything at the same time until the garlic turns a light golden colour.  Add to the cooked daal and give it a stir.  Ready to eat!

Serve the daal on a bed of basmati rice.  If you don't remember how to cook basmati rice, check here http://kikiscookinforcricket.blogspot.com/2010/10/t20s-in-abu-dhabi-guls-grace-and.html.

You can also serve it with roti, but make sure to cook the daal a bit longer so that it becomes thicker.

I'm looking forward to the test matches. Pakistan Zindabad!

Happy Eating and Happy Cricket!