Vegetable dahl

About this recipe

Dahl is lentil stew, and is a staple in India. While my recipe may not be authentic (my Indian roommate once told me that the meal that I made was not dahl, and was more properly some sort of korma), it is rather tasty and nutritious. This recipe was given to me by Emily Cutts Worthington, although I have modified it since. The proportions are such that it makes several meals.

Ingredients

• ~3 cups red lentils (although I usually add an arbitrary amount that looks filling)
• 1 stock cube
• 3 cloves garlic (diced)
• 2 onions (diced)
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander (dry)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• Chopped vegetables (I usually use one head of broccoli, a few carrots, a few sticks of celery, and some spinach)

Method

1. Place oil, garlic, and onion in pan on medium/high heat. Cook while stirring until onions become soft and begin to go clear.
2. Add coriander, cumin, turmeric, mustard seeds, and garam masala. Cook and stir for ~30 seconds until spices are mixed with the oil and fragrant.
3. Add lentils, enough water to go twice as far up the pan as the lentils, and the stock cube. If vegetables are hard need to be soft, add now.
4. Turn onto low/medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lentils are mushy and there is low excess liquid. Add soft vegetables in the middle of this process.