Easy Dal (Curried Lentils)
1/2 cup dry lentils (I prefer french green lentils, they have the best texture)
1 cup water
3/4 cup (half of a can) coconut milk
1 tbs sugar
1/2 tbs curry power
1tsp garlic powder
1 tsp (or more) turmeric
1 tsp (or more) cumin
1 tsp (or more) cayenne pepper
a generous pinch or two of salt
Note: the "or more" means you can add more of this for a spicier dal. Nick and I love really spicy food, so I just shake a bunch in, and also add a couple drops of chili oil.
Rinse the lentils and place in a bowl with the water. If you happen to be strange like me and have whey laying around, add half a tablespoon to make the lentils more digestible (and less farty...). Let stand and soak for 1 hour. This step can be skipped, but it makes the food easier on the stomach.
Pour lentils and water into a small pot. If the water is really dirty, you can drain it and replace back to the same level with clean water. Bring lentils to a boil, then put on low heat and simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, add all the other ingredients (coconut milk and spices). Let simmer, covered, for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. I usually uncover the last 5 or 10 minutes because Nick likes a thicker dal, but it's traditionally pretty soupy. Remove from heat and you're ready to go. It's best served over basmati rice.
This usually makes two servings (very generous ones). It's very healthy, since lentils are high in magnesium and calcium and potassium. Eating pepper reduces plaque deposits in veins. It also forms a complete protein, and will keep you full for a while. Not to mention, if you make it spicy enough you can clear out your sinuses. As the recipe stands it's not very hot spice, but there is a noticable curry flavor. If you're a curry lover, you can easily increase the powder to a full tablespoon.
Cost per serving, if served with basmati rice: around 75 cents.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
Cowboy Beans
This is from a lady who has several very yummy recipes on her website.
These are called cowboy beans. Be aware, though, that different slow cookers cook differently. I should have left mine on high for hours! Even having it on high the last two hours of cook time, I had to cook it another 2 or 3 past that before it was done. As a result, other ingredients were mooshier than they should have been. Still excellent, though!
Cowboy Beans:
INGREDIENTS
3 cups of dried pinto beans
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper (any color) diced
2 tablespoons of red pepper hot sauce
2 tablespoons of chili powder
2 teaspoons of sea salt
1 teaspoon of spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 can of Rotel diced tomatoes (the cilantro and lime flavor works well with this recipe)
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
Water
HOW TO PREPARE THIS DISH
1. The night before: Sort the pinto beans and put them into a large crock pot. Pour in a splash of apple cider vinegar, and then pour in water. Put in enough water to cover the beans over by one inch.
2. Cover the crock pot, leave it off, and leave it alone until you wake up the next morning.
3. The next morning: Drain the soaked pinto beans, rinse them, and then add fresh water. Again, the water should cover about an inch over the top of the pintos. Add in the diced onion and bell pepper, cover the crock pot, and set it to cook on "low."
4. About two hours before supper time: Mix in the hot sauce, chili powder, salt, mustard, black pepper, Rotel, and 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, and let the mixture continue to cook (covered) on low until supper time.
Enjoy!
These are called cowboy beans. Be aware, though, that different slow cookers cook differently. I should have left mine on high for hours! Even having it on high the last two hours of cook time, I had to cook it another 2 or 3 past that before it was done. As a result, other ingredients were mooshier than they should have been. Still excellent, though!
Cowboy Beans:
INGREDIENTS
3 cups of dried pinto beans
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper (any color) diced
2 tablespoons of red pepper hot sauce
2 tablespoons of chili powder
2 teaspoons of sea salt
1 teaspoon of spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 can of Rotel diced tomatoes (the cilantro and lime flavor works well with this recipe)
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
Water
HOW TO PREPARE THIS DISH
1. The night before: Sort the pinto beans and put them into a large crock pot. Pour in a splash of apple cider vinegar, and then pour in water. Put in enough water to cover the beans over by one inch.
2. Cover the crock pot, leave it off, and leave it alone until you wake up the next morning.
3. The next morning: Drain the soaked pinto beans, rinse them, and then add fresh water. Again, the water should cover about an inch over the top of the pintos. Add in the diced onion and bell pepper, cover the crock pot, and set it to cook on "low."
4. About two hours before supper time: Mix in the hot sauce, chili powder, salt, mustard, black pepper, Rotel, and 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, and let the mixture continue to cook (covered) on low until supper time.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Texas chili --> texas sloppy joes
I'm staying at my brother's place in Tacoma for the week. He likes chili. But he doesn't like beans. So that is to say, he likes texas chili. A land where they have been known to believe that adding tomatoes and beans to chili is to adulterate the meaty goodness.
Now enter me. I have a vegetarian (well, now eats fish) boyfriend. I make bean heavy, meat free chilis. And I wanted to make chili today. So I used my brother's love of texan chili as an excuse to try something new. The end result has good flavor (though not quite the level of spice I like; it should hurt a bit). But I'm all about texture, and the ground beef being the main player made it not okay as a stand-alone, in my book. So I improvised! I slapped it on a bun and called it a sloppy joe. And it rocked!
Here is what I did. I sort of used a few recipes, but I'm bad at following directions =D
Texas Chili:
3 strips thick cut, fatty bacon
1 6-oz can tomato paste
2-3 lbs leaner ground beef (I used 7%) (venison would be a fine sub here, just add an extra strip or two of bacon)
1 medium onion, chopped up as small as possible because I hate the texture
somewhere between 2-5 cloves of garlic, depending on your preference, minced
3 Tbs chili powder
1 Tbs paprika (I would add more a second time around!)
1 Tbs cumin (more of this, too)
1/2 Tbs salt (more to taste later if you want)
A good grinding of pepper... I didn't measure
12 oz dark beer
3 cups water
1. Get a big pot. This is all you'll need for the cooking. Yay chili!
2. Heat the pot up, then drop in the bacon strips. Fry until a little below what you would do normally for eating. Take out the bacon and set aside. Keep as much of the drippings in the pot as you can.
3. Add the ground beef. Brown in the drippings on a lower heat. While this is browning, chop up your onion. Once meat is almost all brown, add the garlic and onion. You can turn the heat up a bit here. Allow to cook until all meat is brown and onion is soft.
4. Add all the spices. Stir, then add the tomato paste. Stir well to coat all the meat. Add the beer, stir, and turn down heat. Allow this to cook for a couple minutes. While this is cooking, cut up your cooked bacon into smaller pieces (I did around the size of a nickel to a quarter).
5. Stir in the water, and add the bacon pieces. Mix everything together well, and put the lid on. Bring to a low boil, then turn down to a simmer. At this point, partially cover the chili and allow it to cook for two hours. Stir occasionally. I stirred probably no more than 6 times. I don't think it hurt for the lack of attention. Just keep cooking it down until it reaches a consistency you like for your chili. I like mine thick. After cooking for an hour to an hour and a half, taste some of your chili. Add more salt or pepper or spice if you want.
Enjoy! I heated a roll, split in half, and then topped it with the chili to make a little sandwich. I hope you enjoy it!
Now enter me. I have a vegetarian (well, now eats fish) boyfriend. I make bean heavy, meat free chilis. And I wanted to make chili today. So I used my brother's love of texan chili as an excuse to try something new. The end result has good flavor (though not quite the level of spice I like; it should hurt a bit). But I'm all about texture, and the ground beef being the main player made it not okay as a stand-alone, in my book. So I improvised! I slapped it on a bun and called it a sloppy joe. And it rocked!
Here is what I did. I sort of used a few recipes, but I'm bad at following directions =D
Texas Chili:
My picture. Sorry for the poor quality.
3 strips thick cut, fatty bacon
1 6-oz can tomato paste
2-3 lbs leaner ground beef (I used 7%) (venison would be a fine sub here, just add an extra strip or two of bacon)
1 medium onion, chopped up as small as possible because I hate the texture
somewhere between 2-5 cloves of garlic, depending on your preference, minced
3 Tbs chili powder
1 Tbs paprika (I would add more a second time around!)
1 Tbs cumin (more of this, too)
1/2 Tbs salt (more to taste later if you want)
A good grinding of pepper... I didn't measure
12 oz dark beer
3 cups water
1. Get a big pot. This is all you'll need for the cooking. Yay chili!
2. Heat the pot up, then drop in the bacon strips. Fry until a little below what you would do normally for eating. Take out the bacon and set aside. Keep as much of the drippings in the pot as you can.
3. Add the ground beef. Brown in the drippings on a lower heat. While this is browning, chop up your onion. Once meat is almost all brown, add the garlic and onion. You can turn the heat up a bit here. Allow to cook until all meat is brown and onion is soft.
4. Add all the spices. Stir, then add the tomato paste. Stir well to coat all the meat. Add the beer, stir, and turn down heat. Allow this to cook for a couple minutes. While this is cooking, cut up your cooked bacon into smaller pieces (I did around the size of a nickel to a quarter).
5. Stir in the water, and add the bacon pieces. Mix everything together well, and put the lid on. Bring to a low boil, then turn down to a simmer. At this point, partially cover the chili and allow it to cook for two hours. Stir occasionally. I stirred probably no more than 6 times. I don't think it hurt for the lack of attention. Just keep cooking it down until it reaches a consistency you like for your chili. I like mine thick. After cooking for an hour to an hour and a half, taste some of your chili. Add more salt or pepper or spice if you want.
Enjoy! I heated a roll, split in half, and then topped it with the chili to make a little sandwich. I hope you enjoy it!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Today
I know I have not put up a post yet. I am sick, and my one year anniversary is tomorrow. I'll get to posting when I get a chance. Hint: the post will involve either cheese or chicken.
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