This was published a couple of years ago.
It has been a favorite for over thirty years and is a tasty standby for a rainy grey day when going anywhere for supplies is the last thing you feel like doing.
Meredith on her detox for a week mentioned it this morning and we’ll have it tonight, as below, with some of the broccoli I bought yesterday and brown basmati rice.
A Dal-–otherwise known as Comfort Lentils in our house.
This is from my book Delicious Dishes for Diabetics–-out in the UK and officially launched November 1st in the USA.
Our Sikh friend, Tari, affectionately known as the “Carefree Cook”, is an example to all us worry guts.
He never panics when people turn up unexpectedly and have to be fed.
He looks to see how many extra guests are coming through the door and adds more water to the dal accordingly!
We’ll eat these lentils tonight with broccoli, simply steamed, drizzled with a little olive oil (maybe a squeeze of lemon?) and a some brown basmati rice.
[If there’s any dal left over, save it for another occasion! Form the cold dal into little burger shapes, coat with some chickpea or whole wheat flour and fry lightly in some hot oil.]
for 4
500 g/1 lb red lentils
1 litre/1¾ pints/4 cups stock (I use an organic vegetable stock cube per 500 ml of water)
4 tbsp vegetable oil (I use olive oil.)
1 medium onion – chopped
1 tsp coriander seeds – pounded in a mortar and pestle
1½ tsp cumin seeds – pounded in a mortar and pestle
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp chilli powder
- Rinse the lentils very thoroughly – until the water shows clear.
- Put them in a saucepan with the stock and bring gently to the boil.
- Turn the heat down to low and let them simmer, covered, stirring from time to time.
- They are done when a small puddle floats on the top.
- Turn them off.
- Heat the oil in a small frying pan.
- Add the onion and fry gently until it colours nicely.
- Add the spices and mix them in well.
- Cook for a couple of minutes longer to release the aroma.
- Add the cooked spices and the onion to the lentils and mix in thoroughly.
- Heat through and serve.
Robin Ellis 
I love this. Thanks for sharing!
Check out more recipes at ~ Recipe Chefs ~
This looks like a lovely dish – I’ve not been eating my usual portions of lentils recently, I need to get back to them.
I have never tried Indian-style cooking, and have only used lentils in soup. Aside from using leftovers, can this dish be prepared, chilled, and be at its best if reheated for serving the following day?
When will you have the details of your New York book promotion visit?
Thanks.
We are in ponder mode!
Sure you can reheat it and it will have enhanced the flavour.
Be careful to reheat gently so as not to burn it. Add a little loosening water.
I’ll be glad to try this for some vegan friends, and myself. I will finally use the coriander and cumin seeds I’ve had squirreled away. Garam masala is on my shopping list. Thanks!
Ooh, good, another guilt-free veggie recipe! 🙂 This sounds great! Not sure where I’ll be able to find such an exotic Indian spice around here…maybe a good health-food store? Wikipedia makes it sound like it’s quite a mixture of spices.
Just need to find the time to do some proper cooking! Got home tonight at 5:30 with hours of work ahead of me–all I had the time or energy for was a quick sandwich!
Am clipping this recipe for a quiet weekend…
Cheers & hugs!
As soon as I locate one of the spices I don’t have, heck, I’m embarassed to say that I have never even heard of it, I am going to make this gentle lentil dish. I am going to make a lot of it because I want to fashion the cold dal into patties and fry them like veggie burgers. Thank you, Robin, for more innovative and scrumptious vegetarian dishes.
And the photos of your flowers, from a previous post, are superb!
Gratefully,
kathy
Greetings from Israrel
I just stumbled upon your cooking site since my dad has diabetes and I’m hopelessly trying to convince my mother to spice up her menu for him.
Needless to say, that even here in Israel, I grew up on the one and only Ross Poldark, so this brings fond memories.
At any event, I think I coerced my mom to make your soup (she is English by the way, and hopless in the kitchen- not that there is any connection, of course). My dad loved it , so I think I will make a point of mailing her recipes I think she will be able to handle. (Unfortunately, my parents live in the United States).
I commed you on your clear step by step recipes. It is very rare for a cook to take into account that not everyone is a “natural” in the kitchen.
Needless to say that here in Israel we enjoy a wonderful array of Mediterranean food and spices. I know you would greatly enjoy a culinary tour of our country.
Best wishes on your book.
Warmest regards,
Shoshana
Thanks Shoshana, for your good wishes and for the story.
So your mother made the soup well enough for your father to enjoy it!–that’s good news.
The book is officially published on November 1st in the States–but I believe it’s available already.
I hope your mother starts to look forward to cooking for herself and your father.
Your dad’s diabetes is a good motivator…
I shall definitely keep you posted. If you succeed in making my mom cook, you have done your good deed on this earth.
Have a wonderful week!
Made this for dinner tonight – fabulous!!!