Series: A Capsule Kitchen: Delicious Dal

I make this A LOT, and vary what I put in it depending on what I have on hand, or feel like using. Feel free to make this recipe as is, or use it as a template, and swap or add ingredients of your choice. One of the great things about dal is that it can be made with so many different things, so get creative! At the end of this recipe, there is a list of options to try, all of which I use regularly.

Delicious Dal

Ingredients (note: I use mostly dried and frozen ingredients, as they are cheapest, but canned or fresh are fine) 

1 cup dried brown lentils

½ cup dried chickpeas (or 1 can). If using dried, here's how to prep them: put them in a bowl of water in the fridge for a few hours, then rinse, drain, and bring them to a boil on the stove. Turn heat to low and simmer for about 1 ½ - 2 hours, or until tender. Either use immediately, or store in the fridge until ready to use.

A handful of baby carrots, washed and chopped, or frozen carrot slices

A handful of frozen kale

A handful of frozen cauliflower

Spices

A pinch of salt

Curry powder (I’d suggest using a small amount to start, maybe ½ a teaspoon, and add more if desired)


Instructions

1. Rinse and drain the lentils and put them in a pot of water (about 2 cups) and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and let simmer. Cover with a tilted lid, to release steam.

2. While the lentils are cooking, chop the baby carrots, and any other fresh ingredients you are using. Add all the fresh/frozen ingredients to the lentils and stir. 

3. Add cooked or canned (rinsed and drained) chickpeas


4. Add a pinch of salt, and the curry powder. Stir and ensure there is water covering everything. Simmer on low with the lid tilted for about 40 minutes, checking and stirring periodically, until everything is tender and the consistency is like a thick stew (add more water if/when needed). Serve hot.

Pair with rice of your choice. I use white or brown, though basmati is also a wonderful alternative.

That’s it! 

Now, as promised, here are other options for dal:

Legume options:

Dried split peas (my personal favorite, as they make the dal extra creamy and rich)

Dried yellow split lentils (a great option if you are short on time, as they take about half as long to cook as do the whole lentils)

Veggie options:

Potatoes (I LOVE adding a potato or 2 - they add so much, and are cheap)

Spinach (instead of kale)

An addition that I used to love (before I was on a super-tight budget), was topping dal with a spoonful of vegan, unsweetened plain yogurt. It is a bit pricey, but if it is in your budget, the creamy coolness combined with the thick, slightly-spicy dal is SO good.

Many combinations of legumes and veggies work, and you can reduce or increase the qualities of everything easily. Sometimes I want all of the things, and other times, I only want two or three ingredients, like split peas, potatoes, and carrots, or just chickpeas and yellow lentils. I have some variation of dal at least once a week, and usually more as I make enough to have for a few nights.

One last pro tip: I often use leftover dal to make yummy burger patties - just add a little flour into the leftover dal, shape into balls, and flatten them out into a patty in a pan with a little oil. Let them get crispy and browned (about 10 minutes on low-medium heat), then turn for another 5-10 minutes. Top with avocado and serve on a bun with fries, or have the patties as an entree with rice and a few veggies.

I hope you enjoy whatever option(s) you try! 




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