Oh my Dal-ing: My Best Dal

This takes about 45 minutes to prep and cook -- most of it is cook time. No need to soak the lentils. Great with Naan or basmati rice. This recipe makes 3 generous helpings with a small leftover bowl or 4 smaller helpings. I recommend doubling it for more than 3 people.

1 cup red lentils (do not substitute for green or brown lentils)

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, smaller dice

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or minced

2 inch knob of freshly grated ginger 

1/2 heaping tsp ground turmeric

1 heaping tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 heaping tsp ground cayenne pepper

1-2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp tomato paste from a tube

15 oz can petite diced or crushed tomatoes (undrained)

13. 5 oz can coconut milk (can use reduced fat, but dal will not be as rich)

2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)

1 Tsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice

Fresh, chopped cilantro leaves (for garnish)

1. Rinse lentils in a fine mesh strainer until water runs clear. Then set aside to drain.

2. Heat olive oil in a heavy pot with a lid. Add onions to hot oil and cook until they become tender. Add garlic and grated ginger and cook about 2-3 minutes until onion is very tender and slightly browned.

3. Stir in spices and toast until fragrant. Add tomato paste and mix together. Watch carefully so it doesn't burn.

4. Add tomatoes and allow to come to a boil. Cook a few minutes to reduce liquid. 

5. Add broth and coconut milk. Let it come to a boil and simmer for a short time.

6. Add lentils and still well. Let liquid come to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover the pot with a tight lid, stirring periodically to avoid having lentils stick to the bottom of the pot. Cook for about 20-30 minutes or until the lentils break apart and it becomes a creamy, thick mixture. You will need to stir often so feel free to take off the lid when it starts to thicken.

7. Add lemon juice and cook about 5-10 more minutes or until the dal thickens to desired consistency. I like a thicker dal, so it might take more time. Taste and adjust seasonings.

8. Serve with cilantro on top and a side of hot naan. I like to have a salad with this too.

This can be stored 4-5 days in the refrigerator and reheated in the microwave or stove. You can also freeze dal for about 2 months -- just thaw, heat and eat. 

Chicken Curry with Zucchini, Broccoli and Mango

 This recipe is so delicious. If you like it spicy, up the spice by adding cayenne pepper in addition to using hot curry powder. You can use chicken breast in this, but the thigh makes it tender and juicy.

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

1/2 onion, chopped finely

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thigh, cut into bite-sized pieces

1-2 Tbsp hot yellow Curry Powder (I used Pepper Palace brand)

1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional) - use sparingly or not at all if you don't like spicy

1 inch fresh ginger root, chopped finely

4 large garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced

Salt & Pepper

2 medium zucchini, sliced into half moons

2 cups broccoli, cut and separated into bite-sized pieces - use both stems and florets

1 red bell pepper, sliced

14 oz can coconut milk (not low-fat)

1/4 cup ground cashews (use a mortar and pestle)

1 heaping cup fresh or frozen mango, cut into small chunks

zest and juice of one lime

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Cashews

 

Melt butter and oil in a large stock pot. Add onion and cook until very soft and browned. Add chicken and cook until pink disappears. Add garlic, ginger and spices. Salt and pepper as needed.

Add zucchini,broccoli, red pepper, and stir. Then add coconut milk. Cover for about 5-10 minutes to bring out liquid in veggies. Uncover to cook the rest of the way. Add ground cashews as a thickener. Cook for about 20 minutes, until veggies are tender and chicken is done. Add mango chunks (if frozen, stir and make sure it is thawed and warm), lime zest, and lime juice. Adjust seasonings.

Serve over cooked basmati rice and top with fresh cilantro and extra cashews. Delicious with naan to soak up the yummy juices.

This recipe serves 6 and makes delicious leftovers!

Masoor Dal (Curry Red Lentil Stew)

Very flavorful and spicy, I tried this for the first time with red lentils I found in the bulk department of the grocery store. Don't substitute other lentils for this as the red lentils cook up creamy and are much smaller in size than regular green or brown lentils. They also look amazing with the rich colors you get from making your own curry spice blend. The sweet potatoes add a touch of sweetness and nice rich orange/red color as well.

If you don't like spicy hot, cut back on the chili pepper by at least half if not more.This is a wonderful dish to make on a cold, rainy or snowy day. It only takes about 30 minutes to make and less than 5 minutes of prep time. As the onions and sweet potatoes are cooking, measure out the spices in a small dish so you can just add them all at once. Breathe in the aromas from cooking the spices. I'm convinced even that will make you feel healthy! :)

2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 cups (about 12-15 oz) small dice sweet potatoes, peeled (I used organic garnet)
1 Tbsp (heaping) minced fresh ginger
2 large cloves minced garlic
1 Thai red chili OR 1 1/2 tsp ground Thai Chili pepper or cayenne pepper
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp ground corriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground turmeric (can use fresh if you want, finely diced)
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp Penzey's Sweet Curry powder
1/2 tsp Penzey's Hot Curry powder
A pinch of both ground cloves and ground cinnamon
1 cup canned diced tomatoes or 2 plum tomatoes diced
1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed well
4 cups liquid (chicken, vegetable broth or water)
1 tsp salt
Lemon juice (about 2-3 tsp)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
shredded unsweetened coconut
Mango-ginger chutney

In a large pot, melt oil and saute' onion, sweet potato, ginger and garlic until onion is soft and a bit caramelized (about 5 minutes). Add the mustard and cumin seeds and saute' until fragrant and mustard seeds start to pop. Add the rest of the spices and saute and blend until a nice color appears and you can smell the deliciousness coming from the pan. Be sure not to burn spices, so stir frequently to coat the sweet potato and onions.

Add the tomatoes and scrap any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Then add the liquid and the lentils. Stir well and bring to a boil. Turn to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes. You can also cover it, but lift cover several times to stir and to make sure the lentils don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Keep an eye on it, as it will thicken. Add salt to taste (I added about 1 tsp). Continue to cook until stew is thick and lentils are soft. It will take about 25-30 minutes total. Cover it and turn off heat once it is thick and lentils are soft to keep it warm. Mash up the potatoes and lentils a bit if they are a little chunky to make this more of an amalgamated dish.

Serve with a sprinkle of cilantro, coconut and a small spoonful of chutney on the side. You can eat this with warm naan, basmati rice or without any additional starch. It can be served as a main dish or as a side dish to any meat or fish you might want with it. Very flavorful and spicy. If you don't like spicy hot, cut back on the chili pepper by at least half if not more.

Makes 4 dinner sized servings. Each serving is about 480 calories. If you serve as a side dish, this will serve 8 at 240 calories.It is loaded with potassium, fiber, protein, vitamin A and iron. You can cut down on fat by using half the coconut oil and trimming 30 calories per serving.

Note: You can also stir in 1/2 cup of coconut milk at the end to make it more creamy. I didn't do this, but I might try it that way next time.

Vegetarian Indian Curry Stew

One of our favorite meatless Monday meals.

2 rounded Tbsp. coconut oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 inch knob fresh ginger, finely chopped (about 2 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp. dried corriander
2 tsp. dried cumin
1 tsp. dried turmeric
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 cups homemade chicken broth (or vegetable broth to make this a true vegetarian meal)
14 oz can coconut cream (or can use light coconut milk)
1 1/2 - 2 cups chopped carrots (chop in 1/2 inch rounds)
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes, seeded and core removed
4 cups cauliflower, broken into 2 inch flowerettes
4 cups red garnet sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
6 oz. bag of baby spinach, washed (preferably organic)
1 tsp. lime zest
2 tsp. juice of 1 lime
2-4 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro leaves

In a large Dutch oven, heat coconut oil. Add onion and cook on medium high heat until soft and begins to brown - this will take 10-15 minutes. Stir to keep onion from burning.

Add ginger and garlic and stir fry about 1 minute. Add spices and brown for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add tomato paste and stir to mix to keep from burning (turn heat to medium or medium low) for about 1 minute longer. Add cinnamon stick, salt and pepper, chicken or vegetarian broth and stir to scrape up any bits of brown on the bottom of the pan. Add coconut cream and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or longer. If you simmer longer, cover Dutch oven with a lid and turn down to a slow simmer.

Add carrots, tomatoes, cauliflower and sweet potatoes and bring to a boil. Cover Dutch oven and reduce to a simmer. Simmer/steam vegetables until tender - about 20-25 minutes. Add spinach and chickpeas, stir until spinach wilts or place cover on top and allow to steam about 4-5 minutes. Give it a good stir to mix ingredients, being careful not to break apart the vegetables.

Just before serving, Add lime zest, lime juice and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve in bowls with brown rice or jasmine rice. Also can serve with warm naan bread instead of rice.

This is already a pretty spicy dish (if you don't like spicy food, only add a pinch of red pepper), but if you want more "heat" add more cayenne pepper or serve with Siracha. You can also sprinkle with chopped peanuts for an additional crunch.

Great for warming up on a cool or cold day. Makes great leftovers too! I've eaten the leftovers for breakfast! :)

Red Curry Chicken with Coconut Milk

3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onions, chopped
1-inch piece Penzey's dried ginger, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
6 oz. can tomato paste
1 tablespoons curry powder
1 Tbsp. garam masala 
1/4- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans unsweetened coconut milk (do not use reduced fat)
2 cups chicken stock
1 cinnamon stick 
1-2 roasted jalapeno peppers, with seeds
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders
1/2 lemon, juiced

Heat butter in a large Dutch oven. Add the onions, ginger, and garlic and cook slowly until the onions are very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, curry powder, garam masala, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until a rusty brown color appears. At this point you should smell the rich scent of the curry mixtures.

Pour in the coconut milk, chicken stock and add the cinnamon stick and jalapeno peppers (taste to determine how many to add - this is a very spicy dish). Simmer for about 20 minutes. Add tomatoes and chicken and continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. 

Add the lemon juice and simmer until it reaches the desired thickness. If too thin, combine 1 Tbsp. flour with cold water and add to curry to thicken. Taste and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Garnish with fresh, chopped cilantro if you have any. Serve with rice and/or naan bread.

Chicken Curry with Eggplant

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 c. chopped sweet onion
3-4 cloves chopped garlic
1 small eggplant, chopped, salted and rinsed and drained
1/2 c. fresh mushrooms, sliced
3/4 pound chicken tenders, cut in smaller pieces (remove tendons)
3 Tbsp. curry powder (I used a combination, but I recommend Penzey's hot and sweet curry powder or if you can get it "Coco's curry" from Okinawa - use half this  and half sweet curry)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. fresh ginger root, chopped finely or dried ginger root, crushed (can also buy this from Penzey's)
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. ketchup (or if you have it, tomato paste)
1 can light coconut milk (I used Trader Joe's)1 tsp. sugar (try brown sugar for variety)
1/2 c. golden raisins
1 6 or 8 oz. carton plain yogurt
Small handful of fresh basil, sliced thinly

Cooked Jasmine rice

Heat half the oil in a large skillet. Saute onion until lightly browned. Add mushrooms and garlic, browning, but being careful not to burn the garlic. Remove from pan and drain on paper toweling. Eggplant should be cut and salted to remove some of the bitter flavors if you have time. Be sure to wash off the salt and drain well before adding to the pan. Add more oil and the eggplant. Cook and stir until softened, but still firm. Remove from pan and drain on paper toweling. Add a small amount of olive oil and chicken tenders. Brown on all sides, but not cooked through. When browned sufficiently, add curry, cinnamon, garam masala, paprika, ginger root, bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste. Add more olive oil so spices don't burn. Stir until fragrant. Add ketchup and coconut milk, stirring to mix the spices. Add raisins and sugar. Bring to a slight boil and then turn down heat to low. Mix in plain yogurt until smooth. Add onion, garlic, mushrooms and eggplant back into the pan and mix until well stirred. Simmer for 15-25 minutes, making certain chicken is done and eggplant is soft. Add basil and simmer until basil is limp, but still green.

Adjust seasoning as desired. Be sure to start with less hot curry -- you can always add more heat by adding some cayenne pepper too. Serve over rice.

Naan Bread

This recipe is compliments of my sister, Dru Stone, who also took the beautiful photo. I will be trying this in the near future to go along with some yummy Indian food!
   
    * 2 tablespoons warm water (110 degrees F)
    * 1 teaspoon white sugar
    * 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
    * 1/4 cup warm milk
    * 1/4 cup plain yogurt, room temperature
    * 4 tablespoons melted butter
    * 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
    * 1 teaspoon salt
    * 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    * 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions

   1. Put warm water in a small bowl, add sugar and yeast and stir until dissolved. Set aside for 5-10 minutes or until it foams.
   2. Blend in the warm milk, yogurt and melted margarine. In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and poppy seeds. Pour in the yeast/milk mixture all at once and work it into the flour, using your hands. Continue mixing, adding flour or water as needed, until the mixture leaves the sides of the bowl.
   3. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth and let stand in a warm place to rise for about 4 hours or until doubled in volume. ( I used quick rise yeast and it did not take this long.)
   4. Preheat oven to 550 degrees F (285 degrees C) or your oven's highest setting and set a rack in the lower third of the oven. Place a large pizza pan or iron griddle on the rack and preheat.
   5. Punch the dough down and knead briefly. Divide into six pieces and shape them into balls. Place them on an oiled plate and cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let balls rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Roll out and stretch each ball until it is about 10 inches long and 5 inches wide. Remove the pizza pan from the oven, brush with oil and place one of pieces of bread on it.
   6. Bake at 550 degrees F (285 degrees C) for about 4 to 5 minutes until bread is puffed and has brown spots, then transfer to a wire rack, returning pizza pan to oven to keep hot. Place bread under broiler until 'charcoal' dots appear on the surface. (If your pizza pan is big enough, try baking two loaves at the time.)

I did not put them under the broiler and I cooked two at once on my pizza pans.

Be prepared for your smoke alarm to sound with the oven at such a high temperature.  Every time I opened the oven it would go off!!  :)

My note: Try adding some minced garlic clove to the dough for a different flavored naan bread.