Caribbean Curried Peas Lentils Food

CARIBBEAN CURRIED PEAS (LENTILS)

Steps:

• Heat canola oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; cook and stir onion, carrots, salt, black pepper, and sugar until onion is a deep brown color, 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add garlic, chile pepper, ginger, and curry powder. Stir constantly to incorporate, about 5 minutes.
• Increase heat to medium-heat and stir 1 can vegetable broth into the onion mixture. Scrape up any vegetables or curry powder stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add lentils and remaining 1 can of vegetable broth; cook until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Stir cilantro into lentils before serving.

EASY CURRIED YELLOW DAL (YELLOW SPLIT PEAS)

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion and salt. Saute until soft, about five minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add remaining spices and stir. Saute for about 1 minute, cooking spices. If spices start to stick to pan, add some water - 1/4 cup should do. Add peas and stir to coat with butter, onion, and spice mixture. Add broth, 1/2 cup water and bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer.
• Simmer for 40-50 minutes or until peas are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. (Check peas periodically - you may need to add more water during cooking if peas are absorbing the liquid too quickly). Garnish with chopped cilantro/coriander leaves before serving.
• Options: Serve with hot basmati or brown rice for a filling one-dish meal. Or, double the broth/water to make a curried pea soup. To turn this into a spicy curry, add some finely chopped jalapeno, serrano, or chile pepper at the same time as the garlic.
• Update 1/6/2010: Some people have reported issues with the peas taking longer to soften. I have never had an issue but try cooking the onions without salt and waiting until the last 10 minutes or so of cooking time to add the salt. I have heard salt interfers with lentils softening perhaps it is the same for split peas. Curry powder - I usually use a mild Indian yellow variety, the all-purpose kind found in most US supermarkets. But I have also made this with a hot Madras and it was also delicious (but spicy!).

CARIBBEAN STEWED LENTILS

Steps:

• For bagged lentils, follow the preparation listed on the bag, soaking if necessary. If using dried lentils, make sure to sift through them removing any debris and then soak in a bowl with water for a few hours or overnight.
• When the lentils are prepped, add them to a pot with enough water to cover them by about 2 inches.
• Add the garlic cloves (whole), hot pepper (whole), salt, black pepper, thyme and bouillon to the lentils and water, and heat to medium-high heat.
• Bring this to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer for about 45 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
• In another pot, heat the oil at medium heat and saute the sliced onions until they are golden at the edges.
• Then gently (we're adding liquid to hot oil) add the cooked lentils to the pot (pour in everything).
• With a whisk or cooking spoon, stir to break down some of the lentils to thicken the consistency and create more of a sauce.
• Add the scallions, cilantro and butter and stir.
• Allow this to cook for about 20 more minutes or until the desired consistency is reached. I prefer mine to be like a thick soup.
• Don't forget to fish out the twig from the thyme before serving and enjoy.