*crispy waffle*

I'm sure nearly everyone has those evenings where you get home and there is a five minute instance, looking around in the kitchen, where you need to decide whether you will a) try to cook something, or b) take the easy route and get takeout.

This happens to me at least once or twice a week. Thankfully, I'm not that thrilled with the takeout scene near where we live, so I tend to make "what's in the house" dinners. This is the unplanned what's-in-the-fridge-and-pantry-right-now-that-I-can-use ingredient list. I have a few dishes that I can go back to, but one of the nicest -- and easiest -- is dal.

Dal is what you call the dried, split red lentils. It is great because I always have it on hand, as well as the other ingredients on the list. I make a really simple version of it (taken from one of my favorite cookbooks by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid), flavored with cinnamon, cumin, mustard seed and curry leaves. The dal turns mushy as it cooks, so it's almost like a thick gravy that you can eat with rice -- steamed rice, which cooks in the rice cooker while you are making the dal (for you lucky ones that have a rice cooker!). All in all this dish takes about 30 minutes (take that Rachael Ray!) and involves ingredients you can always have on hand. What's better than that?

Curry leaves and mustard seeds

What's-in-the-house dal
adapted from Seductions of Rice
serves 4 with rice

Ingredients
1 cup dal (red split lentils)
4 cups water
1/2 stick cinnamon
2 dried bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon crushed curry leaves
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro (coriander), chopped (optional)

Place the dal in a dish and pick out any stones or sediment. Rinse under cold water in a colander. Combine the dal and the water in a medium saucepan. Add the cinnamon and bay leaves.
Over medium high heat, bring the mixture to a simmer (make sure not to let it boil over-- this tends to boil over really easily.). Scrape the scum off the surface of the water and discard. Lower the heat and partially cover, low simmer, for 25 minutes. The dal should turn yellowish and look a bit watery/mushy. When it is done, remove and discard the cinnamon and bay leaves, and add the salt.
While the dal is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee over medium heat in a small saucepan (that has a cover). Add the mustard seeds, give it a stir to coat it in the oil and cover. Wait until you hear popping (this is why it is important to cover it). When the popping has mostly subsided, uncover and immediately add the cumin seeds and curry leaves. Stir to combine, then add the onion and garlic. Stir until the onions are soft and even a little bit brown on the edges.
Add the onion spice mixture to the dal when it is done. Cook over medium heat to combine the flavors for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the cilantro over it and serve immediately with rice.

Labels: recipes, the savory and salty

posted by sheryl | 9:40 PM |

Hi Sheryl, first time to your beautiful blog! This is exactly how we make it at home too. You might want to squeeze some lime/lemon as well for a finishing flavor, it really brightens up the dish. Your pictures are really gorgeous!
By

Alpa 7/25/08 8:16 PM

Hi Alpa,
Thanks for the comment! What a great idea -- I will have to try a bit of lemon or lime as a finishing touch next time.
By

sheryl 7/29/08 7:49 PM