Recipe : Red Lentil Daal

Looking for a warm delicious, adaptable, freezable and make-aheadable meal that will satisfy your creamy comfort food cravings? This is it. Daal is relatively simple to make, requires only one pot, is inexpensive and full of warm, pungent flavors to boost circulation and qi. The spices can be adjusted to your liking - if you want to add more of one thing, omit, or up the spiciness level by using hot paprika instead of sweet, feel free - which makes this a really great meal for picky eaters, too.

Enjoy!

Recipe

1-2 Tbsp Coconut oil (or other high heat oil)

1 large or 2 small Onions, diced

4 cloves Garlic, minced

1/2 inch Fresh Ginger, grated

1 tsp Turmeric, ground

1 tsp Coriander, ground

1 tsp Cumin, ground

1 tsp Paprika, ground

1 1/2 Cups Dried Red Lentils

3 Cups Bone Broth, Veg Stock, or Water

1 Cup Coconut Milk (about half a can) (full fat)

1 can diced Tomatoes, drained - optional

Salt and pepper, to taste

2-3 Tbsp lime or lemon juice, to taste

TO SERVE (optional):

Yoghurt

Cilantro

Sesame Seeds

Steamed Rice / Naan / Tortillas / Whatever!

Instructions

Place lentils in a mesh strainer and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet or heavy bottom until shimmering. Add the onions and garlic, season with salt, and saute for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add the ginger, saute until fragrant. Add the spices (turmeric, coriander, cumin, paprika) and saute, stirring constantly for 30 seconds to bloom.

Add lentils to the pot, stir well, and pour in the stock, broth, or water. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 8-10 minutes until the lentils have absorbed most of the liquid.

Stir in the coconut milk and tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and lime/lemon juice to taste. If the daal is too thick, add a little more coconut milk until the desired consistency is reached. Garnish as desired and serve warm with rice, naan, tortillas, or just on its own.

Variations

From ingredients to flavors, you can really add your own twist to this recipe. While traditional daal recipes made with lentils become very soft and creamy, you can certainly use any other kind of lentil, chickpeas, beans, or other split peas. If you have a difficult time digesting lentils, you might consider making this with a package of drained, pressed, and crumbled tofu (adjust the broth and coconut milk for your desired consistency). You can experiment with adding chopped spinach, kale, or other greens near the end of the cooking time, or topping your daal with cooked vegetables, tempeh or meat.