Today’s food tip is something most of you have probably heard before, but it is the food tip that makes most of my Indian feasts possible.
My favorite food to keep on hand in the freezer is lentil dal. So to make up for this somewhat boring food tip, here is the recipe for lentil dal that made Thursday’s meal possible, adapted from The Essential Madhur Jaffrey. It looks like a long list of ingredients, but it’s actually very easy, as most of the ingredients just get thrown into the same pot as the dal.
Red Lentil Dal with Tomato and Greens
Serves 4.
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1-inch square piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tsp fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
1 Tbsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
6 stalks kale, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, diced into large chunks
3 Tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
a pinch of ground asafetida
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
lemon or lime wedges (optional)
Put dal in a large pot, add 1.1 liters of water and bring to a boil. Remove the froth that collects at the top. Add garlic, ginger, coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Lower heat and simmer gently for about 20-30 minutes, until dal is cooked and soupy. Add salt, lemon juice, greens and tomato. Continue to simmer, letting the greens cook thoroughly.
While the greens cook, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the asafetida and cumin seeds. As son as the cumin seeds darken, pour the oil and spices over the dal and serve, garnished with lemon or lime wedges.
Thursday Food Diary
- Morning Tea: Lemon and Honey
- Breakfast: Bircher Muesli with Rooibos Tea.
- Lunch: Scrambled eggs on toast.
- Dinner: Lentil dal with roasted cauliflower.
That looks a very ascetic day, I’d be starving come dinnertime! (or at least go for second and third helpings for that that yummy looking dal)
I love me some Indian food! When I lived in the East Village, I lived mere blocks away from an entire row of Indian restaurants. Mmmmmmmmmmm!
Oh goody, a recipe:)
Cauliflower is so good.