March 30th - Channa Dahl with Roasted Cumin Cauliflower on Brown Rice

Channa Dahl or Dahl is such comfort food.  It is a legume based curry that is found in Indian and West Indian cuisine.  You will often find a thicker version, often with potatoes in Trinidadian Roti, MMMM. The Indian classice with lentils or yellow peas varies alot in consistency from a loose soup to a thick paste. I like it somewhere in between.

Start Rice now

Channa Dahl

Serves 2
1/2 c split yellow peas
1-2 inches fresh Ginger minced
2-3 cloves Garlic, minced
2-3 c Water or Veggie Broth
1/4 t Tumeric
1/4 t Ground Cumin
1/2 t Garam Marsala
1 1/2 T Curry Powder (or 1-2 Korean Yellow Curry cubes if you don't have really good curry)
2 Serrano Chilies chopped
1/2 t Sea Salt

Wash the Peas by rinsing several times.  Leave to soak overnight on the counter.  Not absolutely necessary

Drain the washed Peas and place in a medium sauce pan with 1.5 c Water/Broth.  Bring to a boil.  Skim off the foam.  Do not fuss about getting it all.  Turn down to a simmer.

Add the Tumeric, Ginger, Garlic, Chili and Salt.  Strong simmer, bubbly but small bubbles, covered for 15-20 minutes. Test 1 Pea at 15 to check if tender.  If still too firm, continue to cook for 5 more minutes.

Now this part can be approached mechanically or manually.  Manually, with a large fork or potato masher, mash up the contents. If you are going to go manual, I would slice the Ginger rather than mince and you should pull it out now, if you do not like the taste of large pieces.  I do, so I would leave it in.  Mechanically, using a hand blender, pulse a few times until chunky but broken down. You may want to tilt the sauce pan if the blade of the blander is not submerged or WATCH OUT for splatter.

Place back on the low/medium heat.  Add the other spices and remainder of the Water/Broth, 1c. If you used a Korean curry cube, dissolve the cube last cup of water first. Simmer for 10 minutes.

You can enjoy on its own, over rice or with some lovely Naan bread. YUMMO!  

Roasted Cumin Cauliflower

1 small head Cauliflower, 600 g
1-2 T Olive Oil
1/2 t Coarse Salt
1/2 t fresh ground Pepper
1 t Cumin Seeds, toasted or 1 t Ground Cumin

Preheat oven to 425F

Chop the Cauliflower into small bite sized pieces.  Place in a large bowl and toss with Olive Oil. Sprinkle the Pepper and toss until even spread out.  Repeat with the Salt and Cumin.

Spread in an even layer on parchment paper lined shallow pan.  Bake for 20-30 minutes until lightly browned.

Turn oven off and leave closed until the rest of the dinner is ready.

Serve on top of the Brown Rice then spoon the Channa Dahl over the Cauliflower and Rice.

This was SOOOOO YUMMO.  I did chicken out a bit and add the full 3 cups of water to the Dahl because I was worried it was thickening too fast while I was trying to do the rice and cauliflower.  It was fine but it wasn't the thick porridge I normally like.