Dal and Raita

A version of this meal was made for me the other night and two of my favorite things to eat in the winter are warm lentils and yogurt. So, I tried it out today - with the wrong kinds of lentils and without the exact ingredients. My recipe for these dishes might change as I learn how they're supposed to be made, but this is pretty tasty for now!


Ingredients:

• 10 oz bag of lentils (I used sprouted green lentils)
• 2 medium sized onions
• 1 can of diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
• 3.5 tsp cumin
• 3.5 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1 handful fresh cilantro
• 6 oz or so of plain, greek-style yogurt
• 1/3 cucumber
• 1/3 fresh tomato
• Water
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 large chili pepper
  

1. Rinse the lentils and throw them in a pot. Cover with water and set to boil over medium-high heat.
2. Chop the onions finely and add all but 2 Tbsp to the pot. Add water to cover the lentils again and continue cooking.
3. Add the diced tomato and stir, covering with water again while the lentils continue cooking.
4. Add the dry spices (reserving 1/4 tsp of mustard seeds) and stir.
5. Finely chop the garlic, ginger and chili and add to the pot, stirring and covering with water.
6. Cover the pot mostly and turn down the heat to low. Stir every 15 minutes and add more water if necessary.
7. Meanwhile, finely chop the cucumber, tomato and a bit of the cilantro and stir into the yogurt. Add the remaining 1/4 tsp of mustard seeds and stir. Cover and refrigerate for later.
8. Continue cooking the lentil mixture over low heat, partially covered for an hour and a half. You will need to stir it every 15 minutes and add more water as it boils off and is absorbed by the lentils.
9. When it is finished cooking, stir in the butter and add the remaining cilantro, chopped.
10. Turn on a fan and open the windows, this hearty dish has a lingering aroma!
    
11. Serve with naan and the raita for a healthy and delicious meal.

When I first had this, it was served also with potatoes and a delicious rice, but I haven't figured out how to make this yet, so I can only recommend eating it the way I am going to eat it tonight!
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For an idea on how to use this as part of a meal, check out this Indian Food menu.
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