In response to chiashurb: Palak Daal

[sheekayt]

(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)

1. Take a bunch of red lentils. Rinse and drain.
2. Place lentils in pot.
3. Add a good chunk of coarsely chopped onion, and about four heaping tablespoons of chipotle salsa.
4. Add water until slightly above covering the above, stirring to mix everything together.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for a while.
6. 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)
7. Check on periodically, adding water as necessary, until the lentils are good and mushy and done.


8. 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)
9. 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.
10. 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.