Indian Lentil Dahl

I wonder if anyone else is like me. When I am reading a book, I ALWAYS am craving food that is reminiscent of what I'm reading. Always. I just get inspired. So with that said, I am reading a book this week that takes place in India, so I am craving the extra sensory experience of eating some Indian food to go  along with it.

I think Indian food is so comforting.

Admittedly, I don't have a whole lot of experience with cooking Indian recipes, so I am leaning heavily on some recipes that I have collected from cookbooks and magazines. I definitely am looking to expand my skills in Indian cooking.

This lentil dahl (also spelled dal or daal), is a great recipe. And an easy one too, for novices to Indian cuisine, such as myself.

Indian Lentil Dahl

~serves 4-6~

What you need:

2 T. canola oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3/4 t. salt

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 T. minced fresh ginger

1 t. Garam Masala (can be easily found in the supermarket spice isle)

1 1/4 c. split red lentils

1 c. coconut milk

3 c. water

1/3 c. coarsely chopped cilantro

1 T. lime juice

3 med. plum tomatoes, cored , seeded and diced 

What you do:

1. In a large saucepan, combine oil, onion and salt at medium-high heat. Cook until onion starts to brown, around 5 minutes or so. Add garlic, ginger and Garam Masala , cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

2. Add lentils, coconut milk and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered until lentils are fully tender and broken down to an almost paste-like consistency, about 25-30 minutes.

3. Add lime juice and cilantro. Check for seasoning. Serve (over rice if you like), topped with the diced tomatoes.

Moroccan Chickpea and Vegetable Soup

Uncle! I am officially crying uncle today. Somebody get me some wholesome food, STAT!

I  think I have an Easter goodies hangover.

My mom makes the most ridiculously delicious baked beans. Basically, what she does is take a couple of cans of baked beans and adds 1 1/2 packages (count them) of bacon that she cooks and crumbles. Then she adds in cooked onions, garlic powder, a good squeeze of ketchup and lets the whole things cook together on the stove top for a while. It is ridiculous!

I wish sometimes I were one of those people who could add 1 1/2 packages of bacon to something I'm cooking and not think there's something naughty about it.

But I should be glad I'm not the kind of person who does that, my waistline would not be very happy with me.

However, I am the kind of person who at holiday meal says to myself, "I never eat stuff like this at home, so it's okay if I have second and thirds and fourths, it's allll goood!"

Plus I'm pretty sure that in my household of four I ranked second when it came to who ate the most Easter candy.

By the end of the night last night I was somewhere between diabetic shock and becoming a human salt-lick.

I felt the need to atone for my evil ways today.

Moroccan Chickpea and Vegetable Soup

~serves 6~

Ingredients:

1 T. canola oil

1 onion, minced

1 t. sugar

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 t. paprika

1/4 t. saffron threads, crumbled

1/4 t. ground ginger

1/4 t. cumin

1/8 t. cayenne pepper

2 (15 oz.) cans chickpeas, rinsed

1 lb. yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 medium carrot, rough chopped

1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

4 c. low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

3 c. baby spinach leaves, rough chopped (about 1/2 a 6 oz. package)

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

lemon wedges, for serving

salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add the onion and sugar, cook stirring often until softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add in the garlic, paprika, saffron, ginger, cumin and cayenne pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

3. Add the chickpeas, potatoes, carrot, tomatoes (undrained) and broth. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium. Partially cover the pot and simmer until the potato and carrot are tender, about 20 minutes. 

4. Add zucchini and spinach. Cook until the zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes. Using the back of a wooden spoon, smash some of the chickpeas and potatoes up against the side of the dutch oven. This will thicken up the soup. Season with salt and pepper. 

5. Ladle into soup bowl, sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

Recipe adapted from: The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook