Red Lentil Dal

Red Lentil Dal

Serves: 4 people 
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS: 

1 Cup Dry Red Lentils
1 Cup Chopped Onion
1 Teaspoon of Minced Garlic 
1/2 Teaspoon of Minced Ginger Root
2 Cups of Tomatoes (fresh or canned with juice)
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons of Turmeric
2 Teaspoons of Chili Powder 
1 Teaspoon of Ground Coriander
1/2Teaspoon of Ground Cayenne Pepper

 

TO START: 

1.) Measure out red lentils.
- Wash lentils until water is clear
- Soak lentils for 1 hour (add water to 1 inch water ABOVE lentils to ensure enough water to soak)

During the time the lentils are soaking, you can go ahead and start on everything else.

2.) Gather all of your spices. 

MIX: 
- 2 parts Turmeric
- 2 parts Chili Powder
- 1 part Cumin
- 1 part Coriander
- 1/2 part Cayenne
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- Put in air tight container and shake it until thoroughly mixed (30 seconds)

** I say "parts" because I make different amounts each time. Sometimes I use cups to measure, sometimes tablespoons. It all depends on how much curry spice mix you want to make. (For example: 2 Tablespoons of Turmeric & Chili Powder to 1 Tablespoon Cumin, Coriander to 1/2 Tablespoon of Cayenne Pepper.) 

3.) Prepping vegetables:

- Mince/Chop onion, garlic, ginger, and whatever vegetables you want in your lentils
- Set aside onion, garlic, and ginger in one bowl 
- Set aside soft vegetables such as green onion, peppers, celery, peas, etc in one bowl
- Put tomatoes in a bowl alone

  
4.) Heat oil in frying pan/pot on med-high heat. To test to see if the pan is right temperature, throw a piece of onion in. If it starts to make the "fry sound" and you can see it bubbling around it, it's ready. But be careful, you don't want oil splatter - it hurts!

- Toss the onion, garlic and ginger into the frying pan. Saute until brown.
- Add vegetables (celery, green onion, cauliflower, etc)
- Turn heat down to about medium heat.
- Add spices and stir to thoroughly cover the vegetables. (WARNING: Remove pan from heat if spices start to look like they are sticking because if they burn, it will ruin entire dish)
- After vegetables are coated & spices start to cook, add tomatoes
- Let sauce simmer on medium heat for about 5 minutes 

5.) While sauce is simmering, drain lentils (after the one hour mark). You want just enough water in the lentils to see on the bottom after straining.

6.) Add sauce to lentils and continue to simmer for 30 minutes or until your personal preference on how you like your lentils.

Serve as a side dish to compliment Egg Curry or as a main! Enjoy!

Shelley's Egg Curry Recipe w/ Photos

Egg Curry Recipe

Serving: 4 people

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes 
Cook time: 1 hour - 1 1/2 hours

** Cooking time with vary depending on how hot your stove top is. Use own discretion.

 

INGREDIENTS: 

2 Cups of Water (use own discretion based on if you want a lot of sauce or little sauce.)

4 Eggs
1 Cup Chopped Onion
2 Teaspoons of Minced Garlic
1.5 Teaspoons of Minced Ginger Root
2 Cups of Tomatoes (fresh or canned with juice)
3 Cups of Diced Potatoes (small bits)
4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
3 Teaspoons of Turmeric
3 Teaspoons of Chili Powder
1.5 Teaspoons of Ground Coriander
1 Teaspoon of Ground Cayenne Pepper

TO START: 

1.) Gather all of your spices. 

MIX: 

- 2 parts Turmeric
- 2 parts Chili Powder
- 1 part Cumin
- 1 part Coriander
- 1/2 part Cayenne
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- Put in air tight container and shake it until thoroughly mixed (30 seconds)

** I say "parts" because I make different amounts each time. Sometimes I use cups to measure, sometimes tablespoons. It all depends on how much curry spice mix you want to make. (For example: 2 Tablespoons of Turmeric & Chili Powder to 1 Tablespoon Cumin, Coriander to 1/2 Tablespoon of Cayenne Pepper.) 

2.) Boil eggs in pot for 15-20 minutes on medium to high temperature, or until completely "hard boiled"

- Shell shock the eggs by pouring out hot water and running cold water over them immediately
- Keep eggs in cold water for about 15 minutes (change water regularly)
- Return eggs to fridge to continue cooling 

3.) While eggs are cooling in fridge, prep your vegetables.

- Mince/Chop onion, garlic, ginger, potatoes and whatever vegetables you want in your curry
- Set aside onion, garlic, and ginger in one bowl
- Set aside potatoes and any similar vegetable (carrot, yam, rutabaga, turnip, etc) in one bowl
- Set aside soft vegetables such as green onion, peppers, celery, peas, etc in one bowl
- Put tomatoes in a bowl alone

4.) Now that vegetables are done being prepped, take the eggs out of the fridge. 

- Peels the eggs from the shells, rinse off eggs.
 - Put 3 slits in the eggs starting from top to bottom and getting to the yolk.
** The slits allow for flavour to get into the egg - just be careful not to slit to deep otherwise the egg will fall apart.

 5.) Heat oil in frying pan/pot on med-high heat. To test to see if the pan is right temperature, throw a piece of onion in. If it starts to make the "fry sound" and you can see it bubbling around it, it's ready. But be careful, you don't want oil splatter - it hurts! 
- When pan is ready, put eggs in and fry until golden brown.
- Take eggs out and put in in bowl.
- Toss the onion, garlic and ginger into the frying pan. Saute until brown. 
- Add potato and like vegetables (carrot, yam, turnip, rutabaga) and stir. 
- Turn heat down to about medium heat. 
- Add spices and stir to thoroughly cover the vegetables. (WARNING: Remove pan from heat if spices start to look like they are sticking because if they burn, it will ruin entire dish) 
- After vegetables are coated & spices start to cook, add tomatoes
- Let sauce simmer on low-med heat for about 45 minutes or until potatoes and similar vegetables are nearly done.
- Throw in rest of vegetables (peppers, green onion, etc)
- Toss in eggs finally and simmer for another 15 minutes or until rest of vegetables are cooked through.

Serve as a main with a side of Red Lentil Dal, Naan, Roti, or over a bed of rice! ENJOY!