Quick meals

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RED LENTIL DAL: Quick & Versatile!

I’ve heard about cooks that don’t bother measuring nor weighing – they just throw in a little of this, a little of that and it turns out great. I’m NOT one of those cooks. I weigh everything, then write it down, noting if it was a good amount or how I could improve it next time.

Then I came across a youtube video from Chetna, a former contestant on The Great British Bake Off. Her video was about red lentil dal, which sounded delicious. For this recipe she gave no actual measurements – rather, just kind of described what they were: a couple of small onions, some cilantro, etc. So, I put on my big girl blouse and decided to wing it! I used her recipe as a guide, then changed things to suit what I had and what I like.

Of course, some things never change – I wrote down exact measurements of what I used and made notes of what I liked and what I’d change. All this is to say: use my recipe as a base, tweaking it as you see fit!

NOTE: I found plain yogurt to be a game changer for this recipe. While I liked the Red Lentil Dal that Chetna made (adding my own touches), I felt it needed something to brighten it. I topped it with yogurt and that made all the difference!

Red Lentil Dal – Makes about 4 cups / 1 litre

  • 250g (1.5g) red lentils, rinsed well
  • 750g ( 1.6) cups water
  • 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp table salt, DIVIDED
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 320g (about 2) onions, chopped
  • 2 large garlic clove, pressed or minced
  • 1 large tomato, chopped
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 2 T (26g) butter
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 13g (2/3 cup) fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tsp chili-lime powder (or, chili powder)
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 60g (1/2 cup) peas (I use frozen peas)
  • 170g (1 cup) raw rice
  • 400g (2 cups) water
  • plain yogurt

If you’re planning on serving Red Lentil Dal over rice, prepare it before starting. I find that 170g (1 cup) raw rice cooked in 400g (2 cups) water is a good amount to serve with this recipe.

Then chop and measure out your ingredients so they’re ready to go.

Into a saucepan combine the rinsed lentils, 750g (1.6 cups) water, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp turmeric. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover with lid askew so it doesn’t boil over. Cook, stiring now and then, until lentils start breaking up and are no longer crunchy – about 8 minutes.

As lentils are cooking, heat the olive oil and butter together in another saucepan or skillet over medium flame. Add in cumin powder, chili-lime powder, and red pepper flakes. Stir about 1 minute to bloom the flavor.

Add in onions and stir until golden.. Then add in garlic and saute another minute to bloom the garlic.

Add tomatoes and cook a few minutes to soften.

Combine the lentils and onion mixture into the bigger of the two saucepans. Add in the peas, 1/2 tsp salt, cilantro, and anything else you want to add. Heat to a simmer about 5 minutes to combine flavors. You can add some water if dal is too thick.

To serve, top rice with dal, then spoon on plain yogurt.

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FARRO VEGGIE STEW: Quick & Easy!

It’s getting to be that time of year when we start regretting that extra slice of holiday pie. Yes, swimsuit season is closing in. My FARRO VEGETABLE STEW is low in calories, easy to make, and adaptable to what you happen to have in the fridge or prefer.

NOTE: Even though this recipe is called Farro Veggie Stew, you can use a different grain that you might prefer. I did try quinoa, but didn’t care for it. However, taste is subjective. As they say now: you do you!

FARRO VEGGIE STEW – makes about 6 cups (1.5 litres)

  • 160g (1 cup) uncooked farro
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 170g (1.5 cups) onion, chopped
  • 80g (about 1 large) red pepper, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
  • 1/2 T paprika
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 3/4 tsp cumin
  • 675g (3 cups) vegetable stock – homemade or purchased
  • 232g (8 oz) Yukon Gold or red potatoes, unpeeled
  • 230g (1 cup) tomato sauce
  • 60g (1/2 cup) corn (frozen, canned, or from the cob)
  • 60g (1/2 cup green peas (frozen or canned)
  • 2-3 tomatoes (I like Roma), chopped
  • 1 tsp table salt
  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar (or whatever vinegar you prefer)
  • OPTIONAL (RECOMMENDED!) TOPPINGS:
  • 80g (1 cup) Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
  • 227g (1.25 cups) Feta cheese, crumbled

First thing to do, before any prep work, is to hydrate the farro. This gives a jump start to the cooking time.

Rinse the farro in a sieve. Pour drained farro into a bowl, cover with boiling water, then top with a plate to retain the heat. Set aside. Proceed with prep work and cooking.

Into a saucepan that can hold at least 6 cups (1.5 litres), saute the onions and red pepper in olive oil over medium/high heat for 5 minutes. Stir often.

Add garlic, paprika, coriander, and cumin. Stir over medium/low for 30 seconds to bloom the favors.

Cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces.

Drain the soaking farro and discard liquid.

Into the pot, add the vegetable stock, potatoes, and drained farro. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for 18 minutes.

Chop tomatoes.

After the 18 minutes are up, add tomato sauce, corn, peas, and chopped tomatoes to the pot. Simmer for another 5 minutes or so to heat the veggies.

Add in red wine vinegar and salt. Adjust seasoning to taste, bearing in mind the cheeses are salty.

Top with Feta, Pecorino Romano, croutons, or whatever you like. Serve.