Dal with Ginger and Cabbage #recipe by @LeslieKarst

I’ve been teaching myself to cook Southeast Asian and Indian foods over the past few years, and one thing I find myself coming back to over and over again is dal. It’s simple to make, nourishing, and utterly delicious.

 

Dal, which is Sanskrit for “to split,” is a Southeast Asian stew- or soup-like dish made from lentils, bean, or peas. It’s often served as a side with curries, roast meats, or rice, but the recipe I give here would work fine as a main course, especially if supplemented with some delicious naan bread smeared with melted butter.

This recipe calls for red lentils, but any type of pulse would work; though the amount of water and cooking times will vary. And although you may be tempted to substitute store-bought ground cumin instead of roasting and then crushing the whole seeds yourself, I highly recommend you try it—at least once. The difference in flavor is astounding!

 

Dal with Ginger and Cabbage

(serves 2 as a main, 4 as a side)

Ingredients

1 cup red lentils

3 cups water

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1” ginger (2 tablespoons, coarsely chopped)

½ medium head cabbage (about 5 cups, coarsely chopped)

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola

salt and black pepper to taste

dollop yogurt (optional garnish)

splash lemon juice (optional garnish)

 

Directions

Rinse the lentils and check for any stones, then place in a medium-size saucepan along with the water over medium heat. Once it comes to a simmer, use a slotted spoon to remove as much of the foam as you easily can. Add the turmeric and stir it into the lentils. Cover, turn heat to low, and cook until the lentils are tender (about 20 minutes), stirring from time to time to make sure they don’t burn on the bottom.

 

While the lentils are cooking, prepare the ginger and cabbage: Coarsely chop the cabbage (removing the tough stem area), then peel and coarsely chop the ginger.

 

Heat a skillet over high heat until very hot, then pour in the cumin seeds. Cook them for 30-60 seconds, stirring often so they don’t burn, until the seeds start to smoke a bit and emit a pungent, cuminy aroma. 

 

 

 

Remove the seeds to a mortar (or coffee grinder), and crush them with a pestle (or the grinder). It’s okay if some of the seeds aren’t completely crushed.

 

Reheat the skillet over medium heat, then pour in the oil and, once shimmering, add the cabbage. Cook, stirring often, till the cabbage starts to wilt, then add the crushed cumin and half of the ginger. 

 

Continue frying until the cabbage starts to brown, then turn off the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Once the lentils are tender, add the other half of the ginger to them, then continue cooking (still covered) for another couple of minutes. 

 

Add the cooked cabbage to the lentils, stir well, then season the whole thing with salt and pepper, to taste. 

 

The dal can now sit on the stove, covered, and be reheated right before service. Serve, if you like, garnished with a dollop of yogurt and splash of lemon juice. 

 

🌱  🍛  🌿

 

The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie Karst learned early, during family dinner conversations, the value of both careful analysis and the arts—ideal ingredients for a mystery story. Putting this early education to good use, she now writes the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari Mysteries, a culinary series set in Santa Cruz, California.

An ex-lawyer like her sleuth, Leslie also has degrees in English literature and the culinary arts. She and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Santa Cruz and Hilo, Hawai‘i.

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Look what's coming from Leslie this April! 

(now available for pre-order here)

 

"a suspenseful, exhilarating memoir; Karst relays her determination to serve the 'perfect' meal to RBG alongside an uplifting, enlightening portrayal of one of the most admired justices in the history of the Supreme Court."

-Foreword Reviews (starred review)

 

"[This] book is a romp from cover to cover—and, just like a great meal, left me ready for more."

-Karen Shimizu, executive editor, Food & Wine

THE FRAGRANCE OF DEATH

the newest Sally Solari mystery

is available for purchase here!

 

 

Praise for THE FRAGRANCE OF DEATH:

 

“A page turner for me from the very first chapter, THE FRAGRANCE OF DEATH had everything I’m looking for in a mystery and more.”

Lisa K's Book Reviews



"[An] enjoyable fifth outing for Santa Cruz, Calif., chef Sally Solari.... This well-done culinary cozy should win new fans for the ever enterprising Sally."

Publishers Weekly

All five Sally Solari Mysteries are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.