This is going to be brief, but I need to share this recipe. What a week – I can hardly believe it is almost over. I really feel like I blinked, and it went from Monday to Thursday night. It didn’t help that I was in meetings pretty much all week, and have barely had a chance to catch my breath – and in the process came down with a nasty cold. My body was definitely trying to tell me something…maybe I just need some soup.
Fall came really quickly this year, and all of a sudden it became soup and stew weather. Not only is it pretty easy to make (for the most part), you can make a large batch and it usually it gets better the longer it sits. One of my favorite recipes to make when the weather turns is Dahl. I just love Indian food – those wonderful flavors and spices all blended together, and Dahl is just super easy to make – particularly this recipe from Cooking Light.
We used to eat Indian food quite a bit, but with my husband’s dairy allergy we have really cut that out of our routine. The girls also have not embraced Indian food as much as they have embraced other international flavors. This dish though got them a little closer to asking for it – they both loved it, and even ate the large pieces of spinach. Hopefully they will be able to ward off this cold – and I will be seeing some Indian food in my future….more soon.
Ingredients
- 5 cups water, divided
- 3/4 cup dried small red lentils
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 2 serrano chiles, minced (optional)
- 2 ounces spinach (about 4 cups loosely packed)
Preparation
To prepare dal, combine 3 cups water and lentils in a bowl. Let stand 20 minutes; drain.
Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil; swirl to coat. Add the chopped onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add ginger and next 6 ingredients (through serranos); sauté for 30 seconds. Add lentils and remaining 2 cups water to pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 23 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts.
To prepare salad, combine 2 tablespoons oil, rind, juice, and sugar in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add carrot, sliced onion, and cilantro; toss to coat.
To prepare flatbreads, shape each dough portion into a 5-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Coat dough with cooking spray. Heat a grill pan over high heat. Add 2 dough portions to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly charred. Repeat the procedure with remaining dough. Combine coriander and 1/4 teaspoon salt; sprinkle over hot flatbreads. Serve with rice, dal, and salad.
For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Red Lentil Dahl
First Look, Then Cook 
Red lentils and Dal are two of my FAVORITES!! I love your picture. I am looking forward to making tons of stews and soups myself. :)
Yes, it is definitely that time of year, thanks!
This looks like my kind of soup, thick and hearty. I need more dals in my life!
This looks so good Dawn. I found a cookbook that contains all vegan Indian recipes – no dairy! Many of them look very good. I’ll let you know if we find any winners. :)