Guest Chef Scott's Sri Lankan Dal Curry

Ingredients:

2 lbs. dry dal (I like Toor Dal, Channa Dal, or Moong Dal)

dal is a lentil

1 large onion

1 medium tomato

1 bell pepper

1 carrot

2 cloves garlic

½ inch fresh ginger grated

1-2 cans coconut milk

1 ½ Tbsp Curry Powder

1 Tbsp Cumin

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp ground mustard seed (optional)


It is easier to use two. It works best to soak the Dal overnight, but if you forget no major problem. In one pot add the dal and water; you want to add about twice as much water as dal. Bring pot to a boil, and periodically stir. The dal will cook in a pressure cooker in about 20 (from boiling) and about an hour in a regular pot. The dal will be done when it is soft and no longer crunchy. Drain the dal and set aside.

Finely chop the garlic, onion, tomato, pepper, and carrot. Sauté the onion until transparent. Add the garlic, ginger, tomato, pepper, and carrot; sauté until vegetables are thoroughly cooked. I usually blend the mixture at this point, but that’s only because I don’t like tomatoes. Add to the cooked vegetables the spices. Mix in the cooked dal. Add coconut milk, you want enough coconut milk to make the dal a little soupy. Depending on how it cooked and what type of dal you used you will need 1 to 2 cans of coconut milk – adding too much coconut milk is impossible.

Periodically stir and bring to a low boil. Let simmer till ready to serve.