Radish Green Dal ala ~DKBB~

Radish Greens Dal ~ala~ DKBB

(original recipe by Jiya Jesh)

When your garden gives you radishes, don’t toss out those radish greens!

4 cups chopped radish greens

1 cup split yellow lentils

1 large onion, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

4 oz. diced Hatch green chilis

1 tsp. finely chopped ginger

½ tsp. turmeric powder

1 tsp. mustard seeds

1 tsp. cumin seeds

¼ to ½ tsp. cayenne

Curry of choice to taste

2 Tbsp. oil

Salt to taste

• Wash the radish leaves thoroughly, then finely chop the washed leaves and set aside.
• Rinse the split yellow lentils; cook per package directions.
• Heat oil in skillet; add mustard seeds; when mustard seed sputter, add cumin seeds.
• When cumin seeds start to crackle and slightly change color, add in the onions, ginger, turmeric, cayenne, curry, and green chilies; sauté until onions are tender; add in tomatoes and fry for 1 minute.
• Add the chopped radish leaves and salt; cover with a lid and cook on medium low until radish leaves are wilted and incorporate (2 to 4 minutes).
• Drain lentils and mash; add to skillet and cook on medium low heat for 5 to 10 minutes to fully incorporate flavors (add water if needed).

Serve with naan.

Bavarian Lentil Soup ala ~DKBB~

Bavarian Lentil Soup ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from The Wanderlust Kitchen)

4 to 8 slices of bacon, roughly chopped

½ c. diced onion

½ c. diced leeks (white parts only)

½ c. diced celery

½ c. diced carrots, unpeeled

1 qt. chicken broth

1 c. brown lentils

1 tsp. thyme

2 bay leaves

½ tsp. black pepper

¼ tsp. garam marsala

2 c. diced raw potatoes, unpeeled

2 Tbsp. white vinegar

1 Tbsp. sugar

Salt to taste

·       Heat a dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat; cook the bacon until the fat has rendered into the pot and the bacon is crispy.

·       Add the onion, leeks, celery, and carrots to the pot; sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden.

·       Pour in the broth and scrape any brown bits on the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon; add the lentils, thyme, bay leaves, pepper, and garam marsala; cook for 30 minutes on medium, covered.

·       Add the potatoes and cook an additional 20 minutes, or until lentils and vegetables are tender; using an immersion blender (or regular blender if you don’t have an immersion blender), blend until there is approximately 1/3 of the veggies left intact.

·       Stir in vinegar and sugar, then salt to taste.

·       Serve warm with bread and butter or naan.

Lentil Quiche ala ~DKBB~

 Lentil Quiche ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from WONDER79 on allrecipes.com)

1 cup chopped onion

2 Tbsp. olive oil

½ cup dried yellow lentils

2 cups water

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup quartered grape or cherry tomatoes

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup whole milk

1 tsp. salt

Cracked black pepper to taste

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

• Preheat oven to 375° F. Place olive oil and chopped onion in 9-inch deep-dish pie plate; bake for 15 minutes, or until onion is tender.
• Place lentils and water in saucepan and bring to a boil; cook for about 20 minutes or until lentils are tender; drain most of the water off, leaving a small amount in pan with lentils; place broccoli florets on top of lentils; cover and cook for about 5 minutes. This will dry the lentils and cook the broccoli.
• Transfer the lentils, broccoli, and tomatoes to the pie plate with the onions and stir to evenly distribute; stir in cheese.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and spices; pour this over the ingredients in the pie plate.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until center is firm when the quiche is jiggled; cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Beet Braised Lentils ala ~DKBB~

Beet Braised Lentils ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from Sylvia Fountaine - Feasting at Home blog, September 1, 2014)

Beet-infused lentils make a healthy vegetarian meal in a bowl.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced red onion (½ a red onion)
1 cup diced carrot
½ cup diced celery
3 or 4 fresh beets (lightly roasted, peeled, and diced)
4 cloves garlic-rough chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 to 2 tsp. curry

1 to 2 tsp. Vindaloo spices
1 Bay leaf
1½ cups lentils, soaked overnight or at least 8 hours (black caviar, beluga or Puy are the preferred varieties but any will work)

 4 cups vegetable stock
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh beet juice (either purchase from a store, or juice 2 extra-large beets)
splash balsamic vinegar (if desired)

• In a large heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat; add onion, carrot, beets and celery, and sauté for 5 to 10 minutes, until slightly softened.
• Turn heat to medium, add garlic, lentils, and herbs and sauté for 2 more minutes; add stock and salt and bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, cover with lid, and turn heat to low, maintaining a gentle simmer; simmer for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, add the beet juice, taste for salt and add more if necessary; continue simmering on low for 10-15 more minutes.
• If you feel there is too much liquid for your liking, keep the lid off and increase the heat, letting it reduce.
• Stir in a generous splash of balsamic vinegar before serving, if desired.
• Serve with Naan bread.

Curried Lentil & Veggie Stew ala ~DKBB~

Curried Lentil & Veggie Stew ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from the August 2017 edition of Cooking Light)

2 tsp. olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 cups zucchini, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, sliced thin (or minced – your preference)

1 cup chopped Roma tomato, seeded

2 Tbsp. curry powder

2 Tbsp. ketchup

2 cups vegetable stock

2 Tbsp. flour

½ tsp. kosher salt

2 cups lentils, cooked per package directions

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

• Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat; add onion and sauté 4 minutes; add zucchini and garlic and cook 3 minutes; add tomato, curry powder, and ketchup and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Combine vegetable stock and flour, whisking well to blend in the flour; add stock mixture to pan; bring to a boil; stir in salt and lentils and cook for 3 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat and stir in lime juice.

Add optional garnish, if desired, of plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek-style) or sour cream and chopped, fresh cilantro to each serving.

Serve with toasted naan bread.

Lentil Tomato Soup

4 1/2 cups of water
4 medium carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup lentils, rinsed
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley (or 2 tsp. dried)
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. garlic salt)
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dill weed
1/4 tsp. dried tarragon (or 1 tsp. minced fresh )
1/4 tsp. pepper

• In a large pot, combine the water, carrots, onion, and lentils; bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20-25 minutes, or until veggies and lentils are tender.
• Stir in the remaining ingredients; return to a boil.
• Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

This is a quick fix for a cool fall, or cold winter, night. Add some biscuits or bread, and you have a good meal.

(I adapted this recipe from the November 2011 Taste of Home magazine.)