VELVETY RED LENTIL DAHL

Velvety Red Lentil Dahl image

I was working at the Chopra Center for Wellbeing when the only living woman Indian saint stopped in. Her entourage laid down some pretty strict rules: No talking to the saint. No approaching the saint. And whatever you do, don't touch the saint. But after eating her bowl of dahl, this little imp of a holy woman motioned me over and then ... proceeded to kiss me on the forehead! The Chopra folks (and I guess the saint as well) like their dahl chunky, and I love it that way too, but it's just as enjoyable blended and smooth. Blend the dahl a bit if you want something a little easier to swallow or digest. Small amounts of this dahl are wonderful for someone who isn't particularly hungry, as the cumin is an appetite stimulant.

Yield serves 6

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unrefined virgin coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons black or brown mustard seeds
1 onion, diced small
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Sea salt
2 cups chopped tomatoes, or 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
8 cups Magic Mineral Broth (page 54)
2 cups red lentils, rinsed well
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon agave nectar or maple syrup
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro or mint, for garnish
Tomato Mint Chutney (page 176), for garnish

Steps:

Heat the coconut oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and sauté until they begin to pop, then quickly add the onion, ginger, turmeric, ground cumin, and a pinch of salt and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and sauté for 2 minutes more. Pour in 1/2 cup of the broth to deglaze the pan and cook until the liquid is reduced by half.
Add the red lentils and stir well, then add the remaining 7 1/2 cups broth and the cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes, until tender.
Add another 1/4 teaspoon of salt and simmer, for another 5 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the lime juice and agave nectar.
In a blender, puree the soup in batches until very smooth, adding additional broth or water if you'd like a thinner soup.
Return the soup to the pot and gently reheat. Serve garnished with the chopped cilantro and a dollop of Tomato Mint Chutney.
If you're in the mood for a heartier meal, skip the blender and just eat the dahl atop brown basmati rice, topped with a dollop of chutney. Or, blend half of the dahl until smooth, then add the unblended dahl to your velvety mixture.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days or in the freezer for 2 months.
(per serving)
Calories: 365
Total Fat: 7g (4.1g saturated, 0.6g monounsaturated)
Carbohydrates: 58g
Protein: 20g
Fiber: 14g
Sodium: 300mg
We know what fresh spices can do for the flavor of a dish, but as it turns out, they can also have a powerful impact on cancer. Integrative oncologist Donald Abrams especially likes turmeric, and so do many of his colleagues. At the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting in 2006, an entire morning was devoted to the cancer-fighting benefits of turmeric, specifically in regard to antitumor properties with colon cancer and possibly pancreatic cancer. Turmeric may also help with other chronic diseases. "Turmeric is a good spice," says Abrams. "We think it's one of the reasons that there's so little Alzheimer's disease in India and also less cancer than we'd expect in a nation of that size." A spice with a mind-body connection? Works for me.