Spicy Dhal Food

DAL (INDIAN LENTIL CURRY)

Steps:

• Soak Lentils: Rinse lentils and leave to soak in plenty of water for 1 hour. Drain in colander.
• Heat ghee/oil in a heavy based saucepan over high heat. Add green chillies and fry for a minute until starting to blister.
• Add onions and fry until softened.
• Lower heat to medium, add garlic, ginger and curry leaves. Cook for 1 minute until garlic starts to turn golden and smells amazing.
• Add tomatoes and cumin, cook until tomatoes start to break down and thicken to a paste - about 2 minutes.
• Add lentils, water, tumeric and salt. Stir, bring to simmer, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. Stir two or three times during the hour.
• Remove lid and simmer gently for 30 minutes to thicken, stirring every now and then. The dal is ready when it has a consistency like porridge - some lentils should be intact but some have broken down to thicken the sauce.
• Stir through garam masala at the end. Adjust salt if desired.
• Pour over Tadka, if using, and stir through.
• Serve Dal over rice, garnished with a sprig of coriander if desired.

SPICY RED LENTIL DAL

Steps:

• Saute: In dutch oven or pot, heat oil over medium heat, add onions and saute until onions are translucent, about 5 - 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic and ginger, and cook 5 minutes, or until tomatoes start to break down.
• Simmer: Add the lentils, liquids, and dry spices, bring to boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer at a gentle rolling boil for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender, not mushy. Dal will thicken upon standing, add more liquids as needed.
• Serve: Ladle into individual serving bowls as is. Or serve over a bed of arugula, white rice, brown rice, or this Cilantro Lime Rice. Top with a squeeze of lemon for brightness. It pairs great with a side of homemade Vegan Naan.
• Serves 6
• Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 - 6 days, in a covered container.

SPICED RED LENTIL DAL

Steps:

• Put oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; when it is hot, add onion and cook until soft, about 10 minutes; set aside.
• Meanwhile, combine the lentils, ginger, garlic, mustard seeds, cloves, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a saucepan. Add water to cover by about 1 inch, and bring to a boil. Adjust heat so mixture bubbles gently, and cook, stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary, until lentils are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle with salt and more pepper and keep cooking to desired tenderness. Lentils should be saucy but not soupy.
• Remove cloves from pan and add reserved sauteed onion. Stir in butter if you are using it. Taste and adjust seasoning, then garnish with cilantro and serve.

SPICY VEGAN LENTIL DAHL

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a 3-quart stockpot or other medium-sized soup pot, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring often, until the chopped onion is translucent, about 6 minutes.
• Stirring constantly, add the water or broth, lentils, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and salt. Bring to a low boil, then turn down the heat to low, cover and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, or until lentils are very tender.
• Stir in the tomato paste until well combined. Cook several minutes more, or until the soup is at the desired temperature and consistency, adding more water to the dahl if needed.
• Garnish with a dollop of dairy-free soy yogurt if desired. Serve hot and enjoy.

BAKED POTATOES WITH SPICY DHAL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the potatoes in the oven and bake for 1 hr until tender and the skin is crispy.
• While they are baking, make the dhal. Heat the oil in a medium pan and fry the spices to release their flavours. As soon as they start to crackle, tip in the onion, garlic and chilli, with a splash of water to stop the spices from burning. Cook for 5 mins until the onion softens.
• Add the lentils, tomato and stock, then cover and cook for 10 mins. Tip in the chickpeas, cover and cook for 10 mins more until the lentils are tender. Season to taste, stir in the coriander and spoon onto the jacket potatoes. Serve with chutney or lime pickle.

SPICY DHAL

Steps:

• Bring 3 cups water to the boil in a covered pan over high heat. Add the lentils; stir well.
• Reduce the heat to medium and boil lentils with the lid half on, for 10 minutes or until tender.
• Heat the oil in a heavy based pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the mustard seeds and cook just until they start to pop. Add the cumin, coriander, cardamom and turmeric; stir over the heat for 1 minute.
• Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally.
• Add the stock, lemon juice, mint salt and cooked lentils. Bring to the boil, stirring continuously.
• Serve at once.

SPICY INDIAN DAHL

Steps:

• Place lentils in a colander and rinse under running cold tap water.
• Add lentils to a medium-sized, but deep, saucepan.
• For each cup of lentils, add 2 cups of water to the saucepan.
• Bring to the boil, turn heat down, and simmer 10 to 20 minutes.
• Do not allow lentils to become mushy- they should still be'al dente'.
• Drain when cooked.
• Melt ghee or butter over a medium flame.
• Add onions, garlic and ginger, and saute until onions are soft and light brown in colour.
• Add spices and salt, and cook a couple of minutes until lightly fried and bubbling.
• Add dahl, and stir well.
• Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water.
• Cook over low heat for 15 minutes, or until gravy thickens, stirring from time to time so that the dahl doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Add more water if necessary, or if a thinner dahl is desired.
• Garnish with fresh cilantro to serve.
• Variation: Add two chopped tomatoes with the onions.