Dal-icious

There are so many kinds of dal (lentils) that a trip to the Asian Grocery can be quite an adventure. Take a look at some of the varieties by going to this link www.foodsubs.com/Lentils.html. And now imagine...whole aisles filled with bags and bags of all these different lentils. It is not a surprise that I go there looking for one type and then come home with several.

My introduction to lentils not served as a soup was years ago when I ordered an intriguing, warm lentil salad for brunch. A hard and risky choice, especially after eyeing the plate of sure-to-be-delicious, fluffy pancakes with sweet butter and real maple syrup next to me. And,  personal favorites Huevos Rancheros with spicy homemade salsa and frijoles and Eggs Benedict with fresh local crab were also on the menu. Decisions. Where's the buffet when I need it?


But, I was not disappointed. Far from it. The salad arrived topped with beautiful roasted red and yellow beets and carrots and a sprinkle of tangy local goat cheese, all served on a bed of fresh greens and drizzled with a lovely, lemony vinaigrette. Oh, it was fabulous and my homemade version soon became a go-to comfort food during cooler months. And so, for awhile, I was pretty content to have two lentils dishes, one soup and one salad, under my belt. Until my trip to India. Every dish I tried and I tried them all, became my new favorite and opened up a whole new world of flavors and preparations, and so, now back home, I am working on my lentil skills.

While Christian was here, we tried out this recipe and it is a keeper. Not only for the fun new taste of yellow lentils but also for the luscious addition of cooked mango. It is a fruit beyond description, a little bit orange-y, a little bit peach-y and every bite uniquely delicious. I first tasted mangoes when I was an exchange student in Colombia and during my summer there, for sure ate my weight's worth. Lucky for me in this case, my weight kept going up.


I also like this dish because it encouraged us to venture further and play with the rice. We used brown basmati instead of white, added a few pods of green cardamom, 2 or 3 slices of fresh ginger and a generous dollop of coconut oil to the cooking liquid. These additions made it silky, really fragrant and a nice flavorful companion for the dal. This recipe said it served 6, but who are they kidding? The recipe testers must be the same ones who label Ben and Jerry's ice cream. Get real.

Springtime Mango Dal


1 cup yellow lentils (toor dal)
3-4 cups water (I used 3 cups)
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1/2 t ground turmeric
1 T canola or coconut oil
1/2 t cumin seeds
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 T minced fresh ginger
1/2 t ground coriander
1/4 t cayenne pepper (or to taste)
2 mangoes, peeled and diced (see picture above)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro


Place lentils in a colander and rinse well.. Combine lentils, 3 cups water, 1/2 t sea salt and turmeric in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and cook until fragrant and starting to brown, about 1 minute or more. Add onion and cook until beginning to brown, about 4-6 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, coriander, cayenne and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more.

Stir the garlic mixture and mangoes into the lentils. Return to a simmer, cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils are falling apart, about 10-15 minutes. Adjust seasonings for spiciness desired. Stir in cilantro and serve over rice. Serves 3-4.

Party On!

Hallmark must be in over-drive because it seems I have missed more than several holidays in March already and oodles slipped by me in February. No, not the big ones like Valentines' Day and Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays (remember how fun those were to celebrate separately with a jelly roll "log" cake for Lincoln and sweet cherry something for Washington??) Most of the other "special days" I hadn't heard of but I bet some of you feted the margarita on National Margarita Day, right? Anyone??? I will try to remind those of you who missed it when I remember exactly which day in Feb it was! I have got to read the fine print in my day planner better...certainly it knows all these important dates!! Anyway, onward to March.

March is National Peanut Butter Month and National Have a Friend Over for Dinner Month ( as well as my birth month, Paddy's Day, Daylight Savings Day, Vernal Equinox...) I am not kidding; each week is jam-packed with excuses to have a party or two or three.

March began while I was at my mom's soothing her over the first anniversary of my dad's death. Except for a few blips and crazy weather, things went pretty well. A tear or two or several but overall, she (and I) talked through the remembrances and nearly finished up all the legal/administrative stuff. I am really glad that the first year is behind us. It was great to hear her recall some of their moments together with a little laughter instead of such deep sadness. I do worry about her loneliness and so, among other things I had to do, I also threw a few parties for her pals, not March's dinner idea but lunch.

Both of us love to trying out new recipes on guests (consider yourself warned!) and without knowing it, did give March and peanut butter its due. For one party, our guests were world travelers and so we wanted a fun exotic dish to serve. You can vary this recipe in so many ways. Our guests included two omnivores and two veggies and so I actually made two versions, one with local bay scallops (oh my, they were back in season this year with a salty-sweetness that was amazing!) and the other with tofu. While not a fan of soy, I found this tofu one terrific.

West African Stew

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 large white onion, diced

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

1 large sweet potato, peeled and sliced

1 tart apple, diced (sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning)

1 14-ounce can veggie broth

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 teaspoon Tabasco

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

2 tablespoon orange marmalade

1 pound bay scallops or firm organic tofu ( note: original recipe called for chicken, turkey or shrimp but I had to "make it mine" and substitute sustainable alternatives for omnivores and vegetarians)

1 cup brown rice (cook with 2 cups liquid)

In a large skillet, heat peanut oil over medium heat until hot. Add onions, Worcestershire sauce and minced jalapenos. Saute until onions are brown. Add sweet potato and apple. Stir in 1/2 cup veggie broth. Add peanut butter, stirring until it is absorbed. Turn down heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Add curry, Tabasco, coconut extract, marmalade and simmer 30 minutes, adding remaining broth as needed. While the stew cooks, prepare rice. About 5 minutes before serving, add in scallops or tofu and heat through. To serve, ladle over a bed of rice and top with a merriment of condiments: chopped almonds or peanuts, flaked coconut, sliced bananas, etc.

Serves 4.