Weekend Cooking : Winter Vegetable Dal

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On these cold, cold nights we've been craving soups, stews, and hardy meals. I bet everyone else in the northern latitudes has felt the same. Seriously, we've hardly gotten above 10°F, and the wind chills are well below zero.

So instead of a cookbook review this week, I though I'd share a winter-weather recipe that was hit for us. This vegetarian stew comes from Eating Well, a magazine I buy on occasion. I served this delicious dish with a tossed salad and some homemade flatbread (but not the recipe suggested by the magazine). My changes are in blue.

Winter Vegetable Dal
From Eating Well, January/February 2014, p. 67
Photo from the magazine's website, all rights remain with them.
Serves 6

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or canola oil [I used olive]
• 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 12 fresh curry leaves or 1 large bay leaf [I used the bay leaf]
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 serrano chile, finely diced [I used 2 jalapenos]
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
• 4 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4½ cups water
• 1½ cups red lentils, rinsed
• 1 (14-ounce) can lite coconut milk
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2½ cups cubed peeled butternut squash [I bought already cut-up squash]
• 2 cups cauliflower florets (1-inch)
• 1 large Yukon Gold potato (about 8 ounces), cut into ½-inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 tablespoons lime juice

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves (if using) and cook until the seeds begin to pop, about 20 seconds. Add onion, chile, ginger and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is starting to brown, about 5 minutes.

Add bay leaf (if using), water, lentils, coconut milk, salt and turmeric to the pot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to make sure the lentils don’t stick to the bottom. Add squash, cauliflower and potato; return to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender when pierced with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from heat; stir in garam masala and lime juice.