Lentil Dal

This is a warm, savoury dish that I have learned to make in a condensed amount of time…
…therefore enjoying it more frequently because prep time is not a hindrance!
Ginger makes it warming, the seeds add wonderful depth of flavour.
 
1 cup lentils
4 cups water
 
2 Tbsp peeled and grated ginger
¼ tsp ground turmeric
Crushed seeds from 4 cardamom pods
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
 
2 ½ Tbsp ghee, butter or coconut oil (to make this a vegan dish)
½ tsp crushed dried red pepper
½ tsp ground cumin seeds
½ tsp ground coriander seeds (personal addition)
 
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Lemon juice (optional, I prefer it without)
 
Rinse the lentils and combine them with water in saucepan. Bring to boil and then lower heat and simmer
~30minutes. While lentils are cooking, prepare the seasonings; the first batch in one small bowl, the second
batch in another.
 
Add ginger, turmeric, cardamom seeds, salt & cayenne. 
Continue to let it simmer until desired consistency is reached (Eg. soup? or stew?)
 
Melt the butter/oil in a small skillet and sauté the crushed red pepper, cumin & coriander for a few minutes.
 
Stir the butter/oil & spices in to the lentils along with cilantro and a little lemon juice.
 
*if you desire less ‘heat’ in your final dish, skip the peppers (cayenne & crushed) or add them both near the
end of cooking.
 
Enjoy it on its own or serve it over a whole grain like brown rice, wild rice or quinoa.

Source: The Vegetarian Epicure book two, Anna Thomas

Shelby's Notes:

- I am heavy handed with the cumin & coriander; 1/2 tsp of each is the minimum I add
- if time allows, I gently toast the cumin & coriander seeds prior to grinding; in a small iron skillet
- using black (also called Beluga) lentils is a nice variation; they don't split and soften as the standard brown lentils often do