Lentil Dahl

So many of you responded positively to the Honey Baked Lentil post...so I thought I would post my other favorite lentil dish, Lentil Dahl. It's taken from a wonderful cookbook, The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook: Whole Foods to Nourish Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women and their Families by Cathe Olson. It's so flavorful, and I love it because it's a "pantry" recipe. Everything is dry or canned except the onion, so it can be made at anytime...hopefully without a trip to the store.

Lentil Dahl

1 cup lentils (I love red lentils, but any will do)
1/2 strip kombu (optional)
3 cups water
1 T oil or ghee
1 onion, diced
1/2 t chili powder
1/4 t tumeric
1/4 t cumin
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 cup diced tomatoes (or 1 can)
1/2 t sea salt

Place lentils, kombu, and water in a heavy-bottomed pan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 45-60 minutes or until lentils are tender. While lentils are cooking, heat skillet. Add oil or ghee, onion, chili powder, tumeric, cumin, and ginger. Saute 10 minutes or until onion is soft. Stir in tomatoes. Cook about 5 minutes. Pour cooked lentils and tomato mixture into food processor or blender and pulse to puree, leaving some texture. Serve with millet, quinoa, or brown rice and/or flatbread.