spicy dal

After two weeks of having a sore throat, my husband has cast it onto me. I am sure he is well rid of the affliction, but now I suffer.

Because of my current throat situation, my eating options are greatly limited. Tea, yes. But how much tea can you drink?

Luckily I saw this dal recipe at Joanne's blog. Nicely spicy with all the good things that cure what ails you. I had to make it. But I didn't want to go out and buy all the many ingredients that she put in it, ingredients that I would be hard pressed to use up. And besides I didn't want to go out for anything at all. So I made this dish with what I had in my kitchen. This is what 'adapted' really means: too lazy to go out and get all the right ingredients.

It came out super spicy. Use the cayenne with caution.

Spicy Dal

Serves 4-8, adapted from Joanne @ Eats Well With Others

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried grey lentils
• 1 14 oz can black beans
• water, to  cook beans
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onions, chopped
• 6 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 14 oz canned diced tomatoes

Instructions

1. Rinse black beans and lentils. In a large pot, combine the beans. Cover with water by 1 inch. Add a big pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and lower the heat to a simmer, cooking for 1 hour or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Cook the onions over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, or until starting to caramelize, stirring frequently.
3. Stir in the garlic and ginger, and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
4. Add the cinnamon, cayenne pepper, coriander, cumin, chili powder, curry powder, paprika, black pepper, and salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
5. Pour the tomatoes into the pot wit the beans. Bring to a boil and then simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. 

lentil rice chili {food matters project}

I had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend kick off to the summer, with loads of great company, great fun, and great food!

I found this Mark Bittman recipe in his How To Cook Everything cookbook. It requires cooking two cups lentils in stock for 20 minutes and then adding one cup rice and cooking 20 minutes more. This resulted in more of a chili than a pilaf, but it tasted really good all the same. I did add two extra teaspoons cumin and one teaspoon chili powder, as well as a cup of cherry tomatoes, halved, and cilantro for garnish. It resembles this recipe but cooks longer.

It made a nice side to the lamb and zucchini we grilled.

This is my entry for The Food Matters Project, Memorial Day Wild Card.

Lentil and Rice with Caramelized Onion and Cilantro
Adapted from Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything cookbook

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
3 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper
2 cups lentil
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup rice
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
two tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 large onions, sliced
1/2 cup cilantro

1. Heat one tablespoon oil in deep pan. Add 1/2 chopped onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, chili and cumin. Cook another 2 minutes. Add lentils. Cook another 2 minutes. Add stock. Cook 20 minutes with cover off.

2. Add rice and enough water to cover rice one inch. Cover pot and cook for 20 more minutes. Add tomatoes 5 minutes before done.

3. Meanwhile, add two tablespoons oil to large skillet and heat. Add sliced onions and stir continuously until browned but not burnt. About 15 minutes.

4. Add salt and pepper to rice, to taste. Serve with caramelized onions n top and a bunch of cilantro leaves.

mark bittman's lentil soup

Man, is NYC ever spectacular from a plane at night. You fly for miles with nothing but a few sparkles here and there and then, POW, your looking at the brightness of a galaxy, the sprawl of a discarded diamond gown, the illumination of phosphorescent plankton beneath the ocean's surface.

Coming home from a trip, even a short one, can bring up all kinds of emotions, but mostly you feel the welcome comfort of familiarity. Everything is in the place you want it. Your bed has the shape and firmness you like, your books are all patiently waiting for you to read them, and your kitchen is... well... empty.

I know I've said this before, but it is so nice to open a cookbook, turn to the page of a dish you are thinking of making, to, say, lessen the pain of your dwindling flu symptoms, a dish that promises warmth, comfort, and health, and you discover that you have all of the ingredients (minus the carrots). Even in your cleared out, post-vacation kitchen. How amazing is that???

I found this recipe in Mark Bittman's The Food Matters Cookbook. The recipe in the book is a little different than below link. In the book he adds 2 cups chopped tomatoes, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, many sprigs fresh thyme, and ups the carrot and celery count to 3 each, while lowering the lentil count to 1/2 cup. Otherwise its pretty close, and if you decide to make one on his website, no harm there.

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