Perfect for Meatless Monday: Masoor Dal With Vegetables.

  
   I haven't posted in a while, mainly because we were busy with work, and when not busy with work were consumed with all that is going on out in the world and somehow, recipes and food and cooking just didn't seem to fit in. I have been cooking a lot, I just haven't been writing or taking pictures of what I've been doing. I've also been busy easing Alan into eating more like me. Lots of vegetables, rice, dal, occasionally fish, no meat. So, one of the first things I served him was a dish I hadn't made in quite a while a hearty, meaty, meatless Indian classic dal recipe Masoor Dal with Yellow Squash. If you've never mad e Indian food before, this is a very simple thing to whip up and though I chose yellow squash, one can substitute any vegetable one might like, eggplant, onion, mushrooms, zucchini, potato. You get it, the sky's the limit.

Masoor dal  is the tiny salmon colored dal, that turns yellow when cooked . It's available at most markets.

The other ingredients are easy to find. The dish serves 6 to 8 people, can be made ahead, is a great go-along with Basmati rice for a filling meal, plus it's cheaper than dirt. What's not to like?

Masoor Dal With Squash

 

Here's What You Need:

 

2 cups masoor dal
1/2 tsp turmeric
3 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
2 tsp salt
2 medium sized crooked neck yellow squash, washed and cut into rounds.
4 Tbs tamarind paste (or sub out lemon juice)
1/2 tsp sugar
3 Tbs vegetable oil or ghee
10 whoile black pepercorns
1/2 ttsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
10 fenugreek seeds
10 white urad dal pieces (optional)
1-3 whole small dried red peppers

Here's What To Do:

 

Wash and rinse dal
Place the dal in a pot with 6 cups of water.

Bring the water to a boil. If any dal scum boils up scrape it off with a slotted spoon, and discard it.

Add in the turmeric ...



...and cilantro.

Put a cover on the  pot and lower the heat.
Simmer the dal gently for about 1 and 1/2 hours.
Check it every half hour or so and give it a good stir.
When the dal is all cooked and tender add in the salt...

...the squash...

...the tamarind paste or lemon juice, and sugar.
cook another 15 minutes or until the vegetable is tender.

Now for the chaunk...the finishing touch of spice.
in a small skillet heat the 3 Tbs of oil. When the oil is hot add in peppercorns, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and urad dal if you are using it.

Finally add in the red peppers.

When the the cumin, fengreek seeds, and red peppers start to darken, and the mustard seeds pop, pour the contents of the skillet into the pot of dal. Stir the chaunk into the dal, cover the pot again and turn off the heat. You are ready to dish it up!

Sprinkle a bit more cilantro over the top and you are good to go. Lunch on the deck is served.

   This is a very mild dal and perfect for Meatless Monday meals. I serve it with rice, but if you eat meat it's still a good partner for anything on the table. Coming up next more Indian veg dishes and even some pastas and pizzas. Follow along on Twitter  @kathygori