Dal is easy to digest and low in fat. Eaten with rice, it provides a complete protein. Legume choices include: green lentils, brown lentils, French lentils, red lentils, yellow or green split peas, mung beans or split mung beans.
1 cup dry lentils (see list above) rinsed and sorted
Vegetable stock or water
1 recipe Curry Paste (recipe follows)
- In a 4-quart soup pot, place the lentils and enough water to cover lentils, plus 3 inches.
- Bring the lentils to a boil
- Continue to cook the lentils until they are tender, approximately 20 minutes.
- Add the Curry Paste to the cooked lentils and simmer together for 5 to 10 minutes.
Serve with rice
Curry Paste
1 teaspoon ghee or oliveoil
1/2 teaspoon brown or yellow mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 pinch red chiliflakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped leeks or onions
1 inch fresh ginger, finely chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup vegetable stock or water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
1 teaspoon Bragg Liquid Aminos or tamari (optional)
1/2 cup low-fat coconut milk, vanilla soymilk or almond milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
- In a medium saute pan, heat ghee or olive oil and add the mustard seeds.
- Let the mustard seeds pop briefly. (Caution: the seeds may pop out of the pan.)
- Add the next seven ingredients (fenugreek through raisins) in order.
- Add vegetable stock as the mixture begins to dry.
- Saute for 5 minutes, and then add cumin, turmeric, and coriander.
- Add more stock if necessary, then add the optional tomato paste and tamari.
- Simmer in the saute pan for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the cilantro, coconut milk , and lemon juice.
