Lentil Love!

I have always enjoyed the rich earthy taste of lentils. Besides being incredibly good for you, lentils are also known for being one of the more climate-friendly forms of protein out there (http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/stories/10-food-rules-to-live-by) because their production and cultivation produces far fewer greenhouse-gas emissions than, say, factory-farmed animals. They are loaded with iron and fiber, and their high levels of folate and magnesium can help protect your heart.

Lentils can be prepared in many ways (soups, salads, dips…) but I find that my go-to lentil recipe is still dahl, a classic Indian vegetarian dish. It is is amazingly simple to make, flavorful, and nutritious. You can find really easy and delicious dahl recipes online, but the recipe I have below is slightly more complex and one of my favorites.

This recipe is adapted from an online Fine Cooking recipe I found a while back. It makes quite a bit, so it is better to half the recipe if you are only cooking for 2 or 3 people.

Spicy Red Lentil Dahl

(Serves 6)

-       1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped

-       4 medium cloves of garlic

-       2 TBS peeled and chopped fresh ginger

-       1 jalapenos or Serrano chile, stemmed and chopped

-       2 TBS vegetable oil (I use grapeseed oil)

-       1 TBS curry powder

-       1 ½ cups red lentils

-       4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

-       2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

-       1 tsp ground turmeric

-       salt & freshly ground pepper

-       1 cup fresh cilantro (optional, but recommended)

In a food processor, blend the onion, garlic, ginger, and chile until finely chopped (you may need to add a little water). [Alternatively, you could also just chop these very finely and fry them for a few minutes beforehand instead of blending them, if you prefer.]

Heat the oil in large pot over medium heat. Stir in the curry powder, onion mixture, lentils, carrots, potatoes, turmeric, 6 cups of water, and 1 ½ tsp of salt.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the cilantro. Serve with basmati or brown rice. Enjoy!

"Vitality and beauty are gifts of Nature for those who live according to its laws." - Leonard Da Vinci