Lentil Dal

Dal is a dish that originates in the Indian subcontinent. Is is a stew or almost a soup. I found this to be one of the only recipes to get my kids eat lentils.

We love curry

You will not belive that as kid I was allegic to curry. Not the I-don't-like-curry-allergy, no... it was rather the I-will-die-if-i eat-this-allergy.

I had to undergo some medical tests, had to skip my military career (what a shame) and avoided any kind of curries.

My son loves curry

After getting married I ate one day at home without knowing something with curry. And I loved it. When I checked for ingredients, I found out that as long as there is no peanuts in it, I can eat whatever I like. And since most curries do not require peanuts, a whole new world of herbes, spices and flavours opened for me and therefore also for my family.

This lentil dal goes great with rice or nan. Use it as a side dish or the star of the show.

Ingredients

For 4 people:

2 onions

4 cloves of garlic

2 teaspoons Garam Masala

1 teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon chili flakes (if you have kids, leave this out)

1 teaspoon cumin powder

200 g red lentils

500 ml coconut milk

2 can of tomatoes, chopped

400 ml water, still

Salt and pepper

Preparation

Coarsely chop the onion and sauté in a pot with a little water. Squeeze the garlic cloves and add. Stir in the spices and simmer for half a minute, adding some water if necessary. Dose the chili flakes according to your own taste. Add the lentils and sweat everything for another half minute.

Add the tomatoes, the coconut milk and the water, mix well and bring to the boil. Let it simmer at medium heat for 10 - 15 minutes until the lentils have reached the desired bite firmness. Season to taste with salt and pepper.