RECIPE: Red Lentils With Zucchini - India (Vegan)

[Guest guest]

RED LENTILS WITH ZUCCHINI - INDIA (VEGAN)

 

This Vegetarian Dalcha comes from my hero Madhur Jaffrey's _World Vegetarian_

and is

usually, she tells us, made with a green bottle gourd. Zucchini was chosen

because it

cooks faster.

 

I made it the first time with some trepidation - but it is absolutely delicious

and I highly

recommend it.

 

Ingredients:

 

1 cup red lentils / masoor dal, picked, washed, drained

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

salt

1/4 cup peanut or canola oil (I use canola and use less)

4 whole cardamom pods

1 (1-1/2-inch) cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 tsp fresh peeled grated ginger

3 garlic cloves, peeled and mashed

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch rounds then halved crosswise

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne (I used 1/2)

a few squeezes of fresh lime juice

 

(Simplified) Method:

 

Boil lentils in 4 cups of water in a large pot, being careful not to let them

boil over, and

skimming off the froth that rises. Add the turmeric and stir, cover partly,

simmer on Low

for about 45 mins or until lentils are tender. Add 1 tsp salt, stir.

 

Put the oil in a skillet over medium heat and, when v. hot, stir in the

cardamom, cinnamon,

bay and cumin for a few seconds, add onion and continue to stir until onion is

medium

brown. Add ginger, garlic, and stir for another minute, then add zucchini,

pepper, cayenne

and another 1/4 tsp salt and stir for another minute.

 

Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and turn heat to low and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover,

stir

again, then add these contents of the skillet into the pot with the lentils.

Stir gently to mix

and cook on low for 1 minute. Squeeze lime juice over the top before serving.

 

NOTE: We eat this with brown basmati rice and various accompaniments.

 

Best, Pat / veggiehound

[Guest guest]

This looks yummy! And I have that cookbook. What IS a green bottle gourd??

 

RED LENTILS WITH ZUCCHINI - INDIA (VEGAN)

 

This Vegetarian Dalcha comes from my hero Madhur Jaffrey's _World Vegetarian_

and is usually, she tells us, made with a green bottle gourd. Zucchini was

chosen because it cooks faster.

 

Beth

“The right adult at the right time can make an enormous difference. Many kids

have a history of difficult, disappointing relationships and one good

relationship--one person who is there for them--can make a huge difference.”

-Jean E. Rhodes Professor, Psychology at the University of Massachusetts in

Boston.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

> This looks yummy! And I have that cookbook.

 

All the best people do! ;-)

 

>What IS a green bottle gourd??

 

I had to look it up. This is what I found:

 

http://www.seedsofindia.com/ed_gourds.htm

and

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MV069

 

- among others.

 

Mrs J. says a 'bowling-pin shaped, pale green bottle gourd', if that helps.

Zucchini works

fine for me.

 

love, pat