Makes 6 servings
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 large onion (12oz), diced medium
- 15 oz can peeled plumb tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1" ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon tumeric
- 1 to 1½ cups water (see notes)
- ½ lb red lentils, rinsed and drained
- 14oz can unsweetened coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- zest and juice of half of a small lemon
- as many shakes of red pepper flakes as you and your family can tolerate (optional)
- 2 ripe bananas (still firm, but the skins should be blotchy)
Method
- In a large saucepan, soften the onions in the coconut oil over medium heat until translucent. Then up the heat to medium high, stirring frequently, until they begin to golden. Turn the heat back down to medium, add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and tumeric, stirring frequently with a sharp spoon to break uo the tomatoes. Add water, lentils, coconut milk, salt and pepper, lemon zest and juice and red pepper flakes if using. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a bare simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the burner, and slice in the bananas, stirring gently. They'll cook in the residual heat.
Notes
- The banana slices make all the difference in this recipe. It’s a perfectly fine dal with out them, but with them? Whoa! It’s a delight. You need the bananas to be ripe enough to be sweet, but not so ripe that they disintegrate into the stew.
The amount of water you’ll need is dependent on the juiciness of your brand of canned tomatoes.↩
Suggestions
- Serve with steamed rice, pilaf, naan, or other flavorful bread
