My husband and I do love our whole food, plant based, no oil diet. It is a blessing to us. We feel so good on it and have the hope of long-lasting health. But there are some foods that we used to eat and love that we cannot have any more. Now I try a lot of new foods that are really great and I am trying to focus on them.
My family has enjoyed eating at Indian restaurants for a long time. My mother grew up in India where my grandparents were medical missionaries. My mother makes wonderful curry and we would go to Indian restaurants when we were able.
I have tried making curry but have trouble capturing the same amazing flavor. While searching the internet for vegan recipes in the last few months, I have come across many wonderful looking authentic recipes. I have never heard of toor dal before. It is also known as yellow lentils or split pigeon peas.
After living most of my married life in rural and small town areas, I am thankful that there are authentic Indian grocery stores so close by. It is such a treat to be able to find ingredients that I have never seen or heard of in an actual brick and mortar store. Unfortunately, I was also rudely awakened by the authentic beetles which I found in the green split peas that I had bought at the authentic Indian store. The beetles did put a damper on my Indian food shopping but after a few weeks, I got up my courage and went back to find more amazing and unusual ingredients. I do always inspect and wash everything thoroughly!
The key to the great flavor, even without oil is toasting the whole spices, cumin, mustard and coriander seeds. The toor dal, crunchy flavors of the toasted seeds, as much or as little hot red pepper as you wish, fresh spinach, tomatoes and cilantro all blend to make delicious food that you will want to eat until you are full to the brim. The good news is that with a whole food, plant based, no oil diet you can eat until you are content and stay healthy!
Toor Dal with Spinach
Based on this recipe by Susan Voisin
and this helpful video about Toor Dal Tadka
Ingredients
2 cups toor dal (yellow lentils)
8 cups water
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1-2 dried red chili peppers
2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped or crushed in a garlic press
½ -2 teaspoons ground red pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 pinches dried fenugreek
½ teaspoon asafetida
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt to taste
4 medium tomatoes, chopped finely
4 cups fresh spinach
½ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
Rinse dal in cool water. Bring dal and 8 cups of water to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat and add cumin, mustard and coriander seeds and chili pepper, stirring frequently until fragrant. Turn heat to low and add garlic, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Then add water or broth from dal to make a paste. Continue to add spices (ground red pepper, ground cumin, fenugreek, asafetida, ground pepper, salt) one at a time, adding water or broth as needed to maintain paste-like texture. Add chopped tomatoes and continue to stir over low heat until well blended.
When the lentils are fully softened and are blended into a slurry, add the spice mixture and spinach. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve over brown rice and sprinkle with cilantro to taste.
Please let me know if you make this recipe. I hope you enjoy it and it helps you to stay healthy!
Plants with a Purpose 