Spicy Red Lentil Dal with Winter Vegetables
by Ivy Manning
Dal—a thick, spicy Indian stew made with legumes like chickpeas and lentils—is a classic vegetarian dish. It's perfect for nights when you want quick, flavor-packed comfort food.
Serves 6
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped (1-1/2 cups)
4 medium cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbs. peeled and chopped fresh ginger (from a 2-inch piece)
1 serrano chile, stemmed and chopped
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1-1/2 tsp. brown mustard seeds
1 Tbs. garam masala or curry powder
1-1/2 cups red lentils
1/2 small head of cauliflower, cut into 1-1/2 -inch pieces (about 3 cups)
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2-1/2 cups)
2 large Yukon Gold potatoes (about 8 oz. each), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (1-1/4 cups)
1 tsp. ground turmeric
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
In a food processor, pulse the onion, garlic, ginger, and chile in 1-second intervals until finely chopped. (Don’t run the processor constantly or the mixture will become too watery.)
Heat the oil in a 4- to 5-quart pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to pop and turn gray, about 1 minute, stir in the garam masala, onion mixture, lentils, cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, turmeric, 6 cups of water, and 1-1/2 tsp. salt.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cover. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the cilantro.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with
Basmati Rice.
nutrition information (per serving):
Calories
(kcal):
320;
Fat
(g):
6;
Fat Calories
(kcal):
60;
Saturated Fat
(g):
0.5;
Protein
(g):
16;
Monounsaturated Fat
(g):
2;
Carbohydrates
(g):
51;
Polyunsaturated Fat
(g):
2;
Sodium
(mg):
610;
Cholesterol
(mg):
0;
Fiber
(g):
11;
photo: Scott Phillips
From Fine Cooking 103
, pp. 66
December 30, 2009