Dhal for Dummies
(Lentils for Lent)
Dhal is a delicious Indian curried lentils (or Pulse) dish, that is both nutritious and easy. If I can make it, anyone can!
Put in Crock pot for about 4 hours (else it becomes total mush).
2 cups Lentils [green or red]
24 peppercorns
5 cups waters
(If you are substitute red beans and/or garbanzo beans for lentils, start them in the Crock pot overnight [or in the morning, if "Risk" is your middle name]).
Just before serving, make the "Masala", Masala is what we in the West incorrectly call "curry":
heat up the Wok [or pot or skillet or cauldron], (smoking hot)
add
- 5 tbs.. vegetable oil - NOT olive oil.
Add Masala ingredients {never thought you'd be making "curry from scratch, eh?"}
5 cloves garlic (finely chopped): stir fry for 2 seconds
ginger root [equivalent amount to the garlic] (finely chopped):
stir for 3 seconds
(fresh, not powdered
{grow your own if you can't find it in the store})1/2 onion (diced)
1 tbs. turmeric powder
Stir fry until onions are cooked. Et voila! You've just made "curry"!
Pour the Masala from the Wok into the Crock pot
salt (to taste)
Serve on steamed rice.
To fancy it up, you can add stuff like:
1 tsp. cumin
other Pulses, e.g. red beans, chick peas, etc.
potatoes, green peas, cauliflower, etc.
lime juice or vinegar
coriander
And especially Chilli Peppers! (both a pleasure AND a Penance!)