That's right. When my roommate starts cooking Indian, it's a celebration at our apartment! In continuation of The Indian Diaries, my roommate is featuring a classic staple of her native cuisine: Pilli Daal, a yellow lentil curry. It is traditionally eaten with rice, roti (thin Indian wheat flat bread), and any other vegetable dish.
Pilli (Yellow) and Daal (Lentil)
½ cup Indian yellow lentils
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 large tomato, finely chopped
2 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 tsp ginger, chopped
1.5 tsp turmeric powder
1.5 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp garam masala
salt to taste
2 Tbsp oil
Pour 2 Tbsp oil into the pressure cooker. Once hot, add whole cumin seeds and ginger.
Lightly stir for a few seconds and add onion.
Cook onion on medium heat until transparent, but be careful not to burn.
Add spices (turmeric, coriander, chili, garam masala and salt).
Add tomato. Cook down and stir until the mixture becomes a spicy paste.
Add ½ cup yellow lentils and 3.5 cups water.
Cover pressure cooker and cook on medium heat until you hear the cooker whistle. This may take 20-30 minutes.
After the whistle, turn off heat but let lentils cook. For another 10 minutes. Once pressure has decreased, take off the cover and evaluate. Lentils may need more water if you want a soupy consistency. Lentils may need more cooking if you want a chunky consistency.
Enjoy over rice or with roti. Best served with plain yogurt and hot mango pickle.
Pilli Daal Toasty... My Breakfast Twist.
1. Toast a piece of bread.
2. Spread toast with a light film of plain yogurt, or a light layer of cream cheese.
3. Spoon Pilli Daal onto toast.
4. * crunch* Enjoy!
Visit Registered Dietitian Janel Ovrut at Eat Well With Janel for other breakfast ideas using lentils. Her Lentil Breakfast Muffins sound intriguing, right? They look scrumptious too.
Of course, I have to give a nutrition plug as well. These lovable legumes are bursting with dietary fiber, folate, protein, and even some iron. A quick look at the USDA Nutrient Database revealed that cooked lentils have 7.8 grams fiber per 1/2 cup, but cooked sprouted lentils have none! Wow, who knew. Looks like it's best to get the mature seed lentil for maximum fiber.
More nutrition info on sprouted lentils from Nutrition Data!
Happy Thursday!
Nikita and Rachel : )
7 comments:
Oh yum! Some restaurant in Seoul, Korea is mixing their rice with moong daal. Is very nice! And Rachel, I would like to pass you an award. Please pick it up here. Thanks!
I love Indian food recipes - this looks great!
Thank you Lia for the award!
Thanks Janel!
I love Indian food, so I am sure this would taste awesome. I love the breakfast idea. I see you used a pressure cooker, and I am thinking about getting one, but I am afraid I will blow the thing apart. Do you use it often?
Mmm...thanks for sharing this!
Great idea putting the Pilli Daal on toast. Thanks for sharing this.
Bahaha, lentils on toast - nice!
You can throw those lentils in a burrito or the like to add some South Asian flair too.
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