(because I think there are others who might appreciate this)
Recipe? Pffft. I scoff at your need for a recipe. :p
(which is my way of saying, I'll have to see if I can remember what I did)
- Take a bunch of red lentils. Rinse and drain.
- Place lentils in pot.
- Add a good chunk of coarsely chopped onion, and about four heaping tablespoons of chipotle salsa.
- Add water until slightly above covering the above, stirring to mix everything together.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for a while.
- Remember that spices make things taste good: add cumin seeds, ginger powder... and something else (methi (fenugreek) seeds? and I think a touch of coriander, before I realized that wasn't what I wanted)
- Check on periodically, adding water as necessary, until the lentils are good and mushy and done.
- In a frying pan, sautee methi leaves, cumin powder, and ginger powder in canola oil. Just until the oil starts sputtering (last time I made palak daal, I burned the spices, so I was being extra careful)
- Add one large bunch of coarsely chopped spinach. Cover and let cook about 10 minutes, mixing at least once after spinach has cooked down, to blend spices & spinach.
- Add daal to spinach. Mix together and serve with paratha.
I was in a hurry, so I didn't bother letting the liquid from the spinach cook off like I'd thought I should. But it turned out well: the flavour of the spinach suffused throughout the daal deliciously!
Also, the salsa was a spontaneous experiment. I hadn't had any tomato in my last daal and wanted some, but the salsa was all we had. Again, turned out amazing. :D
Tonight: Gobi Chana (or Chana Gobi?) -- Cauliflower & Chickpeas. Not 100% sure what I'm doing with them, but the beans are almost done with their pre-cooking. I'll letch'all know if it turns out well.
EDIT, 18:39 pm: Damn, I'm good. Sorry, no recipe, though. Half of what I did was throw random condiments from the fridge together in a successful resistance of going out and spending money I shouldn't on the things I thought I really wanted. Glad, too, because it wouldn't have turned out this good if I'd given in.