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Gingered Sweet Potato Dal with Coconut Leeks
By Laura Wright
Serves: 4
Notes: Every recipe I’ve read for dal tells you to add the salt at a different time (to avoid toughness or the lentils breaking down too soon, etc). I add a pinch at the beginning when I pour the water and then adjust it at the end to my liking.
Dal ingredients:
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. ground coriander
pinch of chili flakes
1 cup red lentils
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced small
1 two-inch piece of ginger, sliced
4 cups water + extra
1.5 tsp. garam masala
salt to taste
Leeks ingredients:
2 tbsp. extra virgin coconut oil
pinch of yellow mustard seeds
1 leek, white and light green part julienned
pinch of salt
1. Place a large pot over medium heat. Toast the turmeric, coriander and chili flakes in the dry pan until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the lentils, diced sweet potato, ginger slices, and a pinch of salt and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the mixture is creamy and soupy, stirring occasionally. The sweet potato pieces should still be intact with a tiny bit of bite. The lentils will be broken down, filling out the mixture. Keep warm while you sauté the leeks.
3. Heat the coconut oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the pinch of mustard seeds and swirl them around. Add the leeks to the pan and sauté until leeks are soft and very fragrant. Remove from the heat.
To serve:
cooked rice
1 apple, cored + thinly sliced
chopped parsley, cilantro or mint (or a combination)
black sesame seeds (optional)
Divide the hot dal over 4 portions of rice. Top with sautéed leeks and a few dribbles of the coconut oil left in the pan. Garnish each serving with the thin apple slices, chopped herbs and black sesame seeds.
