Indian Dal Bhat

This is a recipe I cut out of the Boston Globe Food section many, many years ago.  It is actually a  lentil curry popular in Nepal, Bangladesh and India, and while I can't vouch for the authenticity of this recipe, it is very good, quick and easy.  If you don't have a mortar and pestle, I would suggest purchasing one.  Here is photo of one:

They're not expensive and are so easy to use.  Clean up is a breeze.

When I make dal bhat, I always use red lentils and make brown or white basmati rice with it and put the dal on top.  Red lentils cook quickly and  are an inexpensive source of protein.  They are also fat-free, high in fiber and rich in a number of essential nutrients.

You can top it the Dal Bhat with yogurt, some chopped coriander, or some Indian chutney.  Here is the recipe:

Dal Bhat

serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked brown or white basmati rice, prepared according to package directions

1 cup red lentils

3 cups water

1 tsp. turmeric

1 dried red chili

4 cloves garlic
1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled
2 tsp cumin seed

1 medium onion

1 tablespoon oil (add more if needed)

1.  Wash the lentils until the water runs nearly clear - I can never achieve absolute clarity!  I use a bowl and pour the cloudy water out over a strainer so that the lentils don't go down the drain.  It takes several bowls of water to get them nearly clear.  

2.  Then put the lentils, water, chili, and turmeric into a medium size pan.  Bring to a boil and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 15-30 minutes, depending on the age and size of the lentils.  

3.  Remove the chili pepper to the bowl (mortar) of the mortar and pestle.  Add the garlic, cumin seeds and ginger and grind with the pestle until you have a paste (doesn't take long). 

4.  Saute the onion in the oil until soft, then add the ground spices, etc. to the onion and brown everything a bit.  

5.  Add the onion/spice mixture to the lentils and stir and simmer on low for a few minutes until the flavors meld. Taste and add salt if necessary.  

6.  Serve over rice, topping with chutney or yogurt or chopped coriander or nothing at all!  I top mine in a very unorthodox fashion, with gomasio, the sea salt, sesame seed, seaweed mixture. 

Enjoy and be well!

The Veggie Bowl

Temporarily Derailed But Back!

Some of you may be wondering where I've been.  Well, here's the story.  Shortly after the new year I found a very tiny lump in what I consider to be my chest, so I made an appointment with my primary care doc. He scheduled a mammogram at a suburban hospital, and off I went about a week later.  Well, the lump was too high to fit on a mammogram, 3D or otherwise, so I had an ultrasound, and there it was, looking mildly suspicious.  So two days later I had a needle biopsy with ultrasound.  I was expecting a benign outcome, and I was pretty shocked when, two days later, I heard that I had breast cancer and needed a lumpectomy and radiation - chemotherapy was not ruled out.

I didn't really like the manner in which the news and prognosis was delivered at that hospital, so I checked with my niece who is in the medical field, and she recommended Dr. Wertheimer at Beth Israel Deaconess in Boston.  At this hospital, they were supportive and careful in delivering information, and they didn't jump ahead into unknown territory to make guesses as to what I might need.  I liked my new doctor a lot, and after many tests, had surgery February 10th.  I went home right after surgery and was up and about a couple of days later.  I was lucky - all the margins and nodes were clear, but I did need radiation.  

Five day a week radiation, (which I opted for locally, at MGH in the next town), began March 23rd, and,  as of today, I have 13 more days to go.  It's been stressful, but a week and a half after surgery my husband and I went to Culebra (also thanks to my niece who has a lovely house there) and spent a week in the sun and ocean - the ocean there is like blue silk with a softness and clarity that was the best medicine for me.  And the ocean is the most perfect temperature.  We hiked and swam and met some great people - we slowed our pace and didn't think about cancer.

Getting back and gearing up emotionally for radiation was somewhat of a shock, but home is always comfy too.  I'm not working and don't have children counting on me for daily needs.  Had this happened twenty years ago it would have been so very hard.  Even now, at age 69,  I had my moments and still find my emotions are always pretty close to the surface - I even teared up watching "Girls" recently.  But, overall, with the supports I have, it's not been too bad.  After radiation I have to make a decision about whether or not to take estrogen blocking hormones.  I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, but if any of you have experience with them, I'd love to hear.

I've still been cooking, although my daughter, Sara, was in town until about a week after surgery, and she cooked a lot of delicious vegetarian food for us.  It was great being nurtured when I really needed it.

But now it's back to my blog, with an additional reason to  eat healthful food.  There is a restaurant in Salem MA called Life Alive, and this recipe was inspired by their veggie plates.  It's an easy recipe that will make you feel great:

The Veggie Bowl - serves 3-4

Ingredients for veggies:

      8-10 kale leaves, stemmed and chopped small

      1/2 c broccoli chopped small

      2-3 carrots, chopped small

      beets, optional

      any other veggies of your choice and/or small cubes of uncooked tofu

      1/4 c almonds, roughly chopped, optional

      garlic, optional

      1 avocado, cut into small bite-sized pieces

      1 cup brown rice, cooked

Directions:

First cook brown rice according to package directions.  While it's cooking, prep the veggies

and make this sauce:

Ginger Nama Soyu Sauce

  2 garlic cloves, chopped  

  2 inches of fresh peeled ginger, chopped

  1 tablespoon of Tamari Sauce ( Soy Sauce without gluten and it's delish)

  2 tablespoons of lemon juice 

  2 tablespoons of Sesame Tahini

  1 tablespoon of olive oil (or flax oil)

  2 tablespoons of water

Place the garlic and ginger in a mini food processor or blender. Process for several seconds until chunks are gone. Often blenders do a better job of this once the liquid is added, so don't worry.  Add all remaining ingredients and process until you have a sauce. You might need more water - depending on how thick or thin you like your sauce.

Once rice and sauce or done, steam broccoli, optional beets, and kale for 3-4

minutes, but make sure they are still  bright and very crisp.  Divide 

veggies among four dishes and top liberally with sauce.  Enjoy and be healthy!!

Baked Potatoes with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Garlic

                                                      Comfort Food Time

Well, the holidays are over, and it's time to face the winter here in Massachusetts.  I like to think it's easier with some comfort food, and actually some of my favorite foods fall into that category.  After the holiday, I was not in the mood to cook anything that made any kind of a mess, but I felt the need for comfort, so I thought of the following which may not even qualify as a "recipe" but was incredibly delicious.

Baked Potatoes with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Garlic

For two:

2 large baking potatoes, well scrubbed
2 good-sized, fresh zucchinis - a lot depends upon having good tasting zucchinis here
1-2 cloves garlic
olive oil
6 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half or quarters, depending on their size
grated cheese, optional

Bake the potatoes at 425 until the skins are crisp and the interior soft.  Remove from the stove and set aside.

Slice the zucchinis in half the long way; turn and slice the long way again.  Then slice horizontally into about quarter inch slices.  Mince the garlic.  Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a pan that is not nonstick. You actually want things to stick a bit.  When the oil is very warm, put in the garlic and stir around for a half minute or less.  Then throw in the zucchini pieces and the tomatoes and quickly stir fry until the zucchini is almost firm/tender - DO NOT OVERCOOK!  Add a little salt/pepper. At this point there should be a little sticking in the pan.  Add about a quarter of a cup of water or broth (less if your tomatoes are very juicy) and stir, getting up all the browned bits on the bottom. Everything should be a little moist with just a a bit of saucy stuff around the bottom of the pan - add more water or broth if it is not a bit saucy.  Remove from heat.

Quickly slice the potatoes the long way on top, push the sides down to flatten and roughly mash the potato with a fork right in the skin.  Then put the zucchini/tomato mixture on top of the potatoes.  Add some grated cheese if you like and serve.

You may be asking, "Is this a dinner?"  For us, it is a satisfying one,  but if is not sufficient,  I would suggest a salad, prepared in advance.

I hope you like this simple idea.

Enjoy and be well!