i need a dhal (lentil) recipe!

[foxytina_69]

what are the different kinds of lentils good for. are they all good for anything, or does each kind work better for certain things. im going to start adding them to my diet and am not quite sure how to use them with what. (does anyone have any good links?)

what are your favorites and what do u use them with/for?

thanx

[harpy]

I'd say the main difference is that some of them keep their shape better than others, though they do taste a bit different as well. The red ones cook quickly and disintegrate, so they are good for thickening a veg soup or stew (aside from their nutritional value). If you want them to stay recognisably lentil-like throughout the cooking process, the ones called "continental" or "Puy" lentils here in the UK are good (they may be called something else where you are but they are easy to spot - small and pinky-green in colour). So if you want to use cold lentils in a salad, for example, they are ideal.

Brown and green ones are in between these two extremes as far as shape-keeping properties go and they have a nice earthy flavour.

[foxytina_69]

thanx harpy

[harpy]

Was just thinking that I get through about six times as much of the red kind as all the other kinds put together - so if I were just going to buy one kind that's what I'd go for.

Part of it is that I'm not that good at planning ahead and they cook fast without any soaking. They are usually very cheap as well. Will be interested to hear other people's favourites.

[ConsciousCuisine]

Red lentils are my favorite as well! MMM, especially with leeks and coconut milk

I like small French green lentils for cold salads, regular brown or green for soups, black lentils for tacos and the like...lentils are one of my favorite foods!

[foxytina_69]

well im glad red seems to be popular because thats the kind i got

[Tigerlily]

I mostly eat the brown lentils.

[DianeVegan]

The red lentils DEFINITELY cook faster than brown or green. I would check them 2/3 of the way into whatever recipe you may be using. My first red lentil dal was more like lentil soup.

[maya]

Dahl palak
1/2 cup split peas
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound spinach, chopped
3 tablespoons ghee or olive oil
1 tablespoon ginger, fresh and chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 pinch salt

Soak split peas in 2 cups water 1 hour. Add turmeric and 1/2 tsp. salt to split peas. Boil 10 minutes in same water used to soak peas. Add spinach and cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed and split peas are done. Meanwhile, heat ghee in a skillet. Add ginger and garlic. Cook until garlic is golden. Add Garam Masala. Immediately add the seasoned ginger and garlic to the spinach-split pea mixture. Add lemon juice and salt to taste and serve.

[eve]

Hopefully nobody here would use ghee. Apart from that, it's a nice easy recipe.

[Realfood Mary]

You can use olive oil instead of ghee. I know a lovely Sikh lady, a life long veggie, who has just gone personally vegan. She runs a lovely catering van called "Sukhi's savouries", in the outside market. She serves one non vegan product, with ghee in it. She has veganised everything else by simply substituting olive oil. You can get vegetable ghee as well, but Sukhi prefers the olive oil.

And wow, just writing about her food has made me hungry. You will have to try it sometime! Worth a trip to Wolverhampton.

[Yoggy]

Is dahl supposed to be soupy (i.e. you have to ladel it into bowls) or is it supposed to be thicker so you can pile it with a spoon onto a plate or shallow bowl? I had dahl for the first time yesterday at the cafeteria, and it was quite thin, but for some reason I thought it would be more pasty. Did the cafeteria screw up, or is it supposed to be like that?

Other than the wateriness, it was really quite good, if a bit too spicy for my tastes. I've got a recipe from a cookbook that I'm going to try, and if it's any good, I'll post it here.

[Roxy]

Hi Yoggy - I've had it both ways - but mostly it is quite runny - like a thick soup - and a ladel is used to scoop it up.

[Mystic]

Some are thick, some are thin. It depends on the cook

[Roxy]

Hmmmmm now I feel like a curry for dinner tonight! I am working tonight - so won't have time to make it - so I'll see if I can maybe buy some dahl and either a chickpea curry or an eggplant curry. It's cold and rainy-ish here today - so good dahl weather!

[celtic rose]

Is dahl supposed to be soupy (i.e. you have to ladel it into bowls) or is it supposed to be thicker so you can pile it with a spoon onto a plate or shallow bowl? I had dahl for the first time yesterday at the cafeteria, and it was quite thin, but for some reason I thought it would be more pasty. Did the cafeteria screw up, or is it supposed to be like that?

Other than the wateriness, it was really quite good, if a bit too spicy for my tastes. I've got a recipe from a cookbook that I'm going to try, and if it's any good, I'll post it here.

Mine is soupy when hot but sets as it cools.
I eat it both ways, hot and runny and cold and sliced.

[Tootles]

Thanks Banana for a great recipe. I made the red lentil dahl for tea tonight and it was delicious. Naively I didn't think lentils and a few spices would taste so nice, how wrong I was.

I’ve only been vegan for a couple of weeks now and was struggling at first. Well to be honest I thought I was doing really well till I started looking at all the ‘vegan’ foods I’d bought. Never thought at all that plain nachos would contain a milk product never mind the salsa (still quite haven’t gotten over that one).

I’m so glad I found this forum, and I can’t wait to try out a lot more of the recipes. Can anyone recommend anything else?

[strawberry]

Hey banana
I'm actually making dahl tonight! (your moong dahl) but for future reference, is the chili in the split pea dahl an actual chili? or a spice?

[Sweets]

I saw some of this at the grocery store today, and i hear a lot of you eat it... it looks so nutritious, how do you prepare it?? any recipes would be appreciated!

[foxytina_69]

i still have a hard time with lentils. i dont know what to put them in and they taste very bland to me!

tigerlily, i liked your idea about adding them to rice, since i eat alot of brown rice. what color lentils do u use in your rice?

[Pob]

I cook the green ones with rice and serve them up to accompany curry.
I've also used them in a burger recipe.

[foxytina_69]

do you have to rinse lentils before you use them?

[Pob]

I rinsed them and checked for stones, then boiled them rapidly for 10 minutes, then added the rinsed rice and simmered until the rice was done.

I don't think rinsing does much other than get the dust off them.

[foxytina_69]

thanks rob

i just cooked red lentils!

[Roxy]

How did they go Tina?

There were cooked lentils in the festive loaf recipe that I made last week.

Unfortunately, I cooked a few too many lentils. So tonight for dinner, I had organic tomato soup and dumped the rest of the already cooked lentils into the soup as I heated it. They were a nice addition.

[grail]

When bushwalking, I add water to lentils and dried vegie bits and let them soak in my pack all day for the evening meal - then I don't have to cook them for long and basically they have started germination.

I have heard of walkers growing lentils as sprouts for long distance walks for the vitamins in the fresh food. Just in snap-lock bags rinsed and hanging on the outside of the backpack!

This is too cool! Ok, can someone direct me to a sprout thread - I'm very curious about the benefits of DIY sprouts. I've never sprouted anything, but would like to try.

[foxytina_69]

they turned out good roxy. yummy.

[DianeVegan]

This is too cool! Ok, can someone direct me to a sprout thread - I'm very curious about the benefits of DIY sprouts. I've never sprouted anything, but would like to try.

Grail,
If you live near a Wild Oats or Whole Foods, there are directions on the sprout seeds which you can usually find near the produce section. Your library may have a book on how to do it but if you want to buy one of the sprouting jars (also found where they sell the seeds) there are some simple instructions. I have a pamphlet (from Wild Oats) that has all the nutritional info for each type of sprout so I haven't done any online or library searches.

Sprouting is easy and cheap compared to the already sprouted seeds. I have some broccoli sprouting as we speak.......

[foxytina_69]

i got some green lentils today. does anyone know if they would be good mixed in with some pasta?

[Yoggy]

i got some green lentils today. does anyone know if they would be good mixed in with some pasta?

I saw a recipe a while back for a tomato pasta sauce made with lentils. I'll see if I can find it

[ConsciousCuisine]

Lentils are GREAT with pasta, with or without red sauce.

I like the red lentils cooked in with pasta sauce until they dissolve (so rich tasting!).

Cold pasta salads with green or brown lentils are nice too.

[foxytina_69]

i added green lentils to my pasta. they were yummy. steev liked them he said "they dont taste like anything, but they arent gross" im like "yeah but theyre just like tofu, bland on its own, but so much flavour when combined with other things!" lol. he also enjoyed the kale.

[Mystic]

I wish it was easy to get kale in Australia. I have only had it twice

[oldsilverhead]

I prefer puy lentils to plain green lentils but either taste out of this world delicious in the following recipe

1 medium onion chopped
3 carrots chopped
half a cup of spinach chopped
1 stalk of celery chopped
1 large tomato chopped
2 tablespoons of olive oil
half a cup of mashed cooked green/puy lentils
half a teaspoon of dried basil
half a teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of soya sauce
6 potatoes



preheat oven to 350F/180C
boil potatoes till tender
while potatoes are cooking,in a medium saucepan saute the onion,carrot,spinach,celery and tomato in the oil.
when carrots are tender add lentils,basil,salt and soya sauce and stir and simmer till liquid is absorbed.

place in casserole/oven dish,mash potatoes and top lentil mix with them

bake for 20 minutes till potato begins to go golden

enjoy!

Trust me,this is the tastiest,most delicious way to experiance puy/green lentils




oldsilverhead

[maya]

• 2 t olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 t ground cumin
• 1/2 cup brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup bulgur
• 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced or 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
• 8 flour tortillas (soft taco size)
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/8 t freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups grated carrots
• 1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce leaves, washed and dried
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, washed and dried
• 1/2 cup plain soy yogurt

In large saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until softened, stirring often. Add jalapeno, garlic and cumin; cook 30 seconds, stirring. Add lentils and stir to coat. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325
After lentils have simmered 20 minutes, stir in bulgur and tomato; simmer, covered, about 20 minutes longer or until lentils and bulgur are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
While bulgur is simmering, warm tortillas and prepare garnishes: wrap tortillas in a sheet of aluminum foil. Place packet in oven and heat for about 20 minutes. In small bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add carrots and toss to coat.
When pilaf is ready, stir in parsley, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
To serve, spoon 1/2 cup lentil pilaf down center of a warm tortilla. Top with carrot salad, lettuce, cilantro and a dollop of yogurt. Fold tortilla over filling and roll up.

[DancingWillow]

yummm These sound delicious...I look forward to trying them when I have the time to make them (and money to get all the ingredients!) Thanks, maya!

[maya]

yummm These sound delicious...I look forward to trying them when I have the time to make them (and money to get all the ingredients!) Thanks, maya!

[Blueshark]

Actually that would make a great packed lunch.

Thanks.

[Blueshark]

What is Bulgur ?

[DancingWillow]

Bulgur is a type of grain derived from whole wheat. It can be spelled in multiple ways, so you might have seen it with a different spelling. It has a high content of fiber, as well as other nutrients. Here are some links with info:

http://www.wholegrain.umn.edu/grains/bulgur.cfm

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshel...23,305,00.html

One of the popular recipes with it (at least here) is Taboule Salad, which contains bulgur, parsley, lemon juice, salt, diced tomatoes, and cucumbers.

[Tigerlily]

Sounds delicious, Maya!

[grail]

maya, thanks for sharing this with us!

[Mr Flibble]

What is Bulgur ?

The page the recipe is from (March - April, 2001, issue of Today's Health & Wellness magazine) explains more:

http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:...k&ct=clnk&cd=1

"*Bulgur, which is made from whole wheat kernels that have been steamed, dried and cracked, provides the whole grain benefits of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Since it is pre - cooked, bulgur requires only brief simmering or soaking in hot water (as in tabbouleh salad). You can find bulgur in the natural foods section of many supermarkets or in health food stores. If you don't have any on hand, you can substitute long - grain white rice in this recipe."

[maya]

maya, thanks for sharing this with us!

[oldsilverhead]

We have just had this for dinner minus the jalapeno pepper and it was so intensley delicious that I have no hesitation giving it a 10 out of 10



oldsilverhead

[maya]

I am glad you liked it. It is one of my favorite things to make when I have friends over.

[oldsilverhead]

Mine too from now on,thank you



oldsilverhead

[qwaychou]

Mine is soupy when hot but sets as it cools.
I eat it both ways, hot and runny and cold and sliced.

In one of my Asia cookbooks, It says that the Northern parts of the countrty it's thicker, to be eaten in bread, almost sandwich style, where in the southern part of the counrty, it's thinner, like soup.

[Wildflower]

Hey banana
I'm actually making dahl tonight! (your moong dahl) but for future reference, is the chili in the split pea dahl an actual chili? or a spice?

i make this recipe quite often, and I use chili paste from the indian grocery. Chili powder here in the US is a blended spice, with cumin and other stuff mixed in. Ground chili (cayenne pepper) may work too, but might taste a bit different, depending on the type. Some are milder and sweeter, some are hotter and cleaner tasting.

I would use fresh chili, or a chili paste.

[Korn]

More about the various types of 'dal' (lentils) here:
http://www.indianfoodsco.com/Submit/lentilsDal.htm

Some info about the nutrients found in dal/dhal here:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?t...dspice&dbid=52

Overview of different kinds of lentils here, with pictures:
http://www.foodsubs.com/Lentils.html