Accidental Lentils

One of the themes of my blog is "accidentally on purpose" because even if things don't always turn out how you wanted them to, I tend to believe they turn out how they were meant to for better or worse.



My attempt to recreate an Indian lentil dish, Dal Masala, turned out a bit like an American adaptation of a foreign film - all the elements are there, but its just not the same. In many cases viewers say that the American version is inferior to the original, but if you look at it as its own entity entirely, it may be campy, but it's still pretty enjoyable.





While I could say that my dish wasn't as good as the original, I am choosing to look at it as an entirely new product. The lentils were very good on their own, so why bring them down by comparing them to something they are not and can never be (at least until I find a local Indian grocer)? This dish is not a poor reproduction of Dal Masala, it's Indian Spiced Lentils, and it's delicious.

Indian Spiced Lentils
1 cup of Lentils
1/2 of a 28oz. can of diced Tomatoes
1/2 an Onion, diced to 1/4" pieces
2-3 Large Cloves of Garlic
1-2 Heaping Tablespoons of Curry Powder
1/4 tsp Mustard Seed, crushed
1/4 tsp Cumin Seed, crushed
1 Cinnamon Stick
2 Cardamom Pods
3-4 Chiles de Arbol (small red chiles)
5-10 shakes of Powdered Ginger (an approximate measurement)
Bay Leaf
Olive Oil
Vinegar - Milder White Vinegar, like White Wine or White Balsamic
Water

1) Pour several large glugs of Olive Oil into the bottom of a medium-large sized pot with a well-fitting lid, turn heat to medium.

2) When oil is hot, add diced onion. Brown the onion gently, as it starts to turn yellow add Curry Powder, Mustard Seed, Cumin Seed, Cinnamon, Cardamom, and garlic to the pot and continue to cook over medium heat to toast the spices.

3) When the onion is thoroughly softened and browned, and the spices are well toasted, add tomatoes, Ginger, and Bay Leaf. Stir with a wooden spoon, the acid in the tomatoes should deglaze the bottom of the pot.

4) Add Lentils and water to cover plus an additional 1/2" of depth. Bring to a hearty simmer but do not boil, then turn down to medium-low, cover and check after 35 minutes for water level and doneness. If water level is low add enough to just cover, stir in and check again every 10-15 minutes.

5) When almost finished cooking to desired softness add salt to taste. Finish cooking (the lentils should hold their shape, but spread easily when squished and have the density of oatmeal, not soup) and serve with a splash of vinegar stirred in to brighten.