Chef Raj of PlantPoweredChefs |
Simple Dal
Ingredients
- Yellow pigeon peas aka toor dal (3-4 cups)
- Ginger (5-10 grams~ thumbsized piece)
- Mustard seeds(1tsp)
- Asafoetida (1 tsp)
- Garam masala (1/2tsp)
- Turmeric powder (1/2 tsp)
- Whole cumin seeds (1 tsp)
- Black pepper powder (1/2 tsp)
- Tomato (2 units large or 3 units medium)
- Jalapeno chili, serrano, thai chili (1 unit //optional)
- Fresh coriander (1 bunch ~8 oz)
- Salt + to taste (1tsp)
You wash and soak the amount of Dal you are going to use. In this case we used Toor Dal, which is split pigeon peas.
You cut up the tomatoes and the peppers, and ginger
You heat up the pan with the spices (all except the garam masala which is roasted already). The dry roasting of the spices will release the fragrance. Make sure you stop before you burn them.
Next you add the tomatoes and peppers and let that cook for a while, stirring regularly. When the tomatoes are soft, add the dal and enough water to cover. Let it cook till the dal is soft, stirring occasionally, about 30 mins.
Salad
Cucumber (2 units)
Lettuce, Cabbage or dark leafy greens mix (2 lb ~32 oz)
1/2/3 dressing
1 part Maple syrup, 2 parts Dijon Mustard, and 3 parts balsamic vinegar, with the juice of 1-2 lemons or a lemon and a lime.
In short, we had an easy dinner, and even with replenishing some supplies, we spent just $8 a head, so that St. Helena's got a nice donation from this group.
Happy Diners |
With a rush visit from Fr. David |
Notes: The Asafoetida is a primarily Indian spice, and it really adds a flavor as if you had used onions and garlic. Very interesting.