dhal nirvana

I'm not one to toot my own horn, but I would be doing you a disservice if I didn't share my dhal recipe with you. It is simply that good. It is so good we eat it once a week (well, twice if you count the leftovers we have for lunch the next day). Every Wednesday after yoga we eat dhal over jasmine rice and swoon. It also feels incredibly restorative to eat something so hearty and healthy. We also figure it fits in as part of our Nepal training, as the word on the street is that we are going to be eating a whole lotta dhal during our trek.

This recipe is short, sweet, highly adaptable, and nearly impossible to mess up...my favorite kind.

Wednesday Dhal

1 cup lentils (we like the yellow split ones because they cook up wonderfully creamy)

splash of olive oil

1/2 onion finely chopped

1 clove minced garlic

1 generous tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp cayenne

1 can of diced tomatoes with juice

1 tbs grated fresh ginger

3 tbs butter

salt and pepper to taste

fresh cilantro (coriander, if you are in SA)

plain yogurt

Put the lentils in a pot and cover with about 2 inches of water. Bring this to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 8-10 mins. Drain into sieve and set aside. Heat the olive oil in the pot and saute onions for a few minutes, then add the garlic,curry, and cayenne. After about 30 seconds, add the lentils, tomato (include the juice), ginger, butter, salt and pepper and let this baby simmer away for up to an hour so it gets nice and thick. You can, however, eat this straight away...sometimes I steal one quick bowl because I can't wait any longer to taste it.

You can add a splash of cream, which makes it rich and smooth (and less healthy and a heavenly treat). You can add other veggies (carrots, celery, peas, bell pepper). You can make this using some other legume. I've been wanting to make one with little pieces of roast lamb in it. Just go wild!

Serve over rice (or not), garnish with cilantro and yogurt and get ready to fall in love.