Annie & Skyler The FIO gardens have been getting a nice, cool spring drizzle over the last few days, presenting the perfect opportunity to indulge in one of our favorite comfort foods: red lentil dal. Dal means “to split” in Sanskrit, and refers to whole or split lentils, peas, or beans, as well as the simmered stew made from the legumes. It’s a South Asian staple and there are countless versions of the dish that vary among regions and households.
The best thing about dal? It’s SO ripe for seasonal variations, depending on what you have on hand. Spring veggies are a natural fit, providing a vibrant contrast to the earthy lentils, but summer zucchini, hearty fall sweet potatoes, or winter squash also make fabulous dal. This time around we used some of our plentiful asparagus and baby spinach, then served it over a quick and easy yellow rice (recipe below!). SO. GOOD.
Easy Spiced Yellow Rice Rinse 1 cup basmati rice; drain well. Add to a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Stir in 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until rice is beginning to turn opaque. Stir in 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp. kosher salt, ½ tsp. turmeric, ½ tsp. black pepper, and 1 small pinch saffron (or 1 tsp. Mexican saffron). Cook and stir 1 minute. Add 2 cups boiling water. Return to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Homemade Garam Masala This traditional Indian spice mixture varies dramatically, but all are a delightfully warm blend of spices that fill your house with fragrant goodness. You can experiment with different blends from your local Indian grocery or international supermarket or even better, make your own:
>>> In a small dry skillet, toast until fragrant:
2 Tbsp. coriander seeds
2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 tsp. black peppercorns
1 tsp. cardamom seeds (removed from pods)
3 bay leaves
2 dried red chiles, stemmed
1 cinnamon stick, broken
>>>Let cool, then transfer to a spice grinder or blender and process until ground. Store in an airtight container up to 6 months.
Pick-a-Veggie Red Lentil Dal
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. corn oil or other neutral oil
- 2 tsp. cumin seeds
- 1 tsp. fennel seeds
- 1 tsp. brown mustard seeds
- ½ cup chopped green onions or yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. minced ginger
- 1 to 3 fresh green chiles, finely chopped
- 3 to 4 tsp. garam masala
- 1 tsp. ground turmeric
- 1½ cups cups red lentils, rinsed
- 6 cups water
- 1 pint canned tomatoes, one 14.5-oz. can whole tomatoes, chopped, or 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 to 5 cups Desired in-season veggie(s), such as asparagus, eggplant, zucchini, winter squash and/or peas
- 2 cups chopped fresh greens, such as spinach, arugula, kale, or collards
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- Hot cooked basmati or jasmine rice
- Yogurt, cilantro, and/or hot sauce
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven heat oil, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and mustard seeds over medium heat. Cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until seeds are toasted, popping, and fragrant. Add onions and salt. Cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, chiles, 2 tsp. of the garam masala, and turmeric. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Transfer mixture to a bowl.
- Add the lentils, water, tomatoes, salt, bayleaf, and remaining 1 tsp. garam masala to the Dutch oven. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until lentils are almost tender but still slightly firm. Stir in ginger mixture and veggies. Cover and simmer until veggies are tender. Stir in greens until wilted.
- Stir in lemon juice and season with additional salt. Serve over rice with desired toppings.
