Saturday, December 6, 2014

Yellow Split Pea Dal

What do you make when you're thoroughly sick of turkey, mashed potatoes and all that jazz?  How about something spicy--curry maybe?

Hubby is at a luncheon today and will probably want a lighter dinner so soup is perfect.  "Dal" actually means dried bean and also the thick soup/stew made from the dried beans.

Begin by soaking your beans--either a quick soak (boil for two minutes, remove from heat, cover and let stand for an hour) or soak overnight.  Why do we soak beans?  Good question!


Bring beans and water to the boil then remove from heat and cover
  • Soaking beans removes some of their gas causing properties from the indigestible complex sugars found in the outer skin--known as oligosaccharides.
  • Soaking also speeds cooking time by up to 70% thus reducing the loss of nutrients inside the dried bean.
  • Soaking removes DIRT.  Beans are not washed before packaging because dampness could cause them to mold or sprout.
  • Soaking also allows the beans to absorb liquid more slowly thus preventing them from splitting open while cooking.
  • NOTE:  Always  discard the soaking water (it's dirty!) and rinse beans again before cooking. 

 Clean, soaked split peas

Ingredients:
1 1-lb. bag yellow split peas
2 celery stalks
1 large or 2 medium carrots
1 onion
1 to 2 TBL olive oil
1 TBL curry powder (or to taste)
1 TBL lemon juice
1 bay leaf
Salt to taste
8 cups chicken broth 
2/3 cup elbow macaroni or other small pasta

Chop celery, carrots and onion.  I chop mine quite finely in the food processor because hubby prefers his vegetables to be disguised. Chop yours however you prefer.

 Chop carrots, celery and onion

Saute vegetables in olive oil until softened.  Add remaining ingredients, stir, and simmer for approximately one hour until peas are tender (your time may vary depending on the freshness of the peas.)

Cook macaroni separately until just al dente.

Either remove some of the soup to a bowl and use an immersion blender to puree the remainder of the soup in the pot, or scoop out several cups of soup and puree in a food processor.  Return to pot, add macaroni and enjoy!

Top soup with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream if desired.  



I am excited to announce that the first book in my new Cranberry Cove Series, BERRIED SECRETS is now available for pre-order from Amazon!  No cover yet, but I will post it when I have it!


Also, the third book in my Lucille Mystery Series, HIT AND NUN, will be out later this month.  I'll keep you posted!  

Also available--my Gourmet De-Lite series and my Sweet Nothings series written as Meg London.

 Join the conversation on FACEBOOK--lots of giveaway alerts!
And visit my web site for more about my books.
                                 









 

9 comments:

  1. I LOVE Indian food, Peg! Thanks for taking the mystery out of dal. And the tips about soaking. Very good to know.

    Congrats on the new cranberry cove series. Can't wait!


    XO

    MJ/VA

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  2. This sounds like a great winter soup! I love curries--I'm happy just to open the spice jars and sniff.

    Looking forward to the Cranberry Cove series. We should have a cranberry party, since I live down the road from the national Ocean Spray HQ.

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    Replies
    1. I'll have to visit your neck of the woods one of these days and stop in at Ocean Spray!

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  3. Thank you Peg for sharing this recipe. I have to say as strange as this may sound I haven't tried Indian food but this makes me want to. I will give this a try and the new series looks great as well.

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  4. Looks yummy, Peg. Congrats on your new series! Love the title.

    Daryl/ Avery

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  5. Hurray! More lovely books to read.
    I've never soaked split peas. Beans, yes. This sounds like a wonderful tummy warmer.

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  6. Perfect for this miserable, cold, rainy weather, Peg. Days and days of it. This would hit the spot!

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