SPICY MOONG DAL
This hearty and wholesome Indian-inspired lentil curry features protein-packed moong dal, a medley of fiery spices paired with smooth and creamy mung beans. Perfect for vegetarians and vegans, this yellow lentil dal is on the longer side of cooking time, but it is well worth the wait.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds dry moong dal cleaned
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sweet potato peeled and chopped in cubes
- 1 carrot peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 tbsp ginger root peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper
- 2 dry red chiles
- ¼ tsp cayenne
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot, add moong dal with water to cover, plus an extra 3 inches, bay leaves, sweet potato, and carrot, bring to a boil, and then simmer for 45 minutes total.
- In a separate skillet, Sauté in oil garlic, onion, and ginger until golden and fragrant, then push to the side and temper cumin seeds and black mustard seeds until sputtering and fragrant.
- Add fresh tomatoes, sprinkle salt and pepper, and cook for 3 mins until tomatoes release juices.
- Add turmeric plus crushed red pepper, red chiles, and cayenne for heat (optional)
- Check the lentils. They cook fast, like within 30 mins, they should be pretty soft. When they’re soft, add the cooked mixture to the pot, plus tomato paste, salt, and black pepper.
- Add garam masala and smoked paprika. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer to really infuse those lentils with flavor. When the texture is smooth, it's ready to eat.
- Eat it alone or with rice, and be sure to douse it in cilantro and black pepper.
Notes
Serve with sliced cucumbers, vegan yogurt and lemon wedges if you like.
For the Spiced Roasted Cauliflower:
1. Toss 1 bag of frozen cauliflower with 1 teaspoon oil, 1 teaspoon curry powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika and a couple pinches of salt
2. Put on a sheet pan and bake at 425 for 20 minutes flipping halfway through cooking. Cook 5 more minutes on broil to get that char.
3. You will never guess this is frozen cauliflower.
Nutrition
Calories: 367kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 24gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 304mgPotassium: 248mgFiber: 11gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 4837IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 4mg
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