Korma Lunch

Dada asked me, “Are we going to have lunch?” We will go out for lunch without any fuss. Then Dada replied, “It will be a pleasure to prepare lunch for us.” A regular working day transformed into a beautiful day with a lunch prepared by Dada for my friends. Amanda exclaimed, “Mmm, we don’t need meat with this incredible food,” followed by Josie’s remark, “Words cannot describe this lunch,” and finally Madelaine added, “Absolutely terrific.” A spectacular emperor’s korma lunch indeed.

Our lunch was designed to introduce my friends to Dada’s cooking. Dada’s approach—preparing what was available in the kitchen within an hour—was delightfully executed. First, Dada used a pre-prepared korma sauce, which he combined with sautéed purple sweet potatoes, cubed carrots, fennel bulb strips, cubes of fresh Fuji apples, and chopped tomato. These ingredients were then sautéed in coconut oil along with mustard seeds and salt before adding the korma sauce and simmering the dish for 20 minutes.

For the salad, Dada used lentils that had been sprouted for three days, combined with sweet peas and tiny seedless grapes cut into small cubes. The salad was dressed with a sauce made from finely grated beetroot mixed with miso, soy sauce, sesame oil, apple vinegar, and honey. A touch of sweet, bitter wild orange chutney—marinated with spices two months earlier—added an explosion of flavor.

Additionally, he prepared a dish of cooked mung beans mixed with grated coconut, salt, and soy sauce. To tie the meal together, he made a spongy pancake from raw rice soaked overnight and blended into a smooth paste, mixed with gram flour, thyme, salt, and water. The recipes for the chutney and pancakes are available through the provided link.

My friends and I enjoyed a wonderfully delightful working lunch. “mmmm.”