Dinner: Brown Lentil Dal

A gently spiced Northern Indian dish that makes anyone want to eat their lentils.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 50 mins

Total Time: 60 mins

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health and fertility benefits of Brown Lentil Dal

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

1 tsp cinnamon stick
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup canola oil
2 cups coriander
4 cloves garlic
4 tsps ginger
2 medium onions
1 lb tomatoes
2 jalapeno peppers
16 oz lentils

Instructions

1. Put the lentils, 1/2 the tomatoes, jalapenos, ginger, garlic, coriander, and turmeric in a large pot.

2. Add enough water to cover by 1 1/2 inches. Cover, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.

3. Continue cooking lentils while you put the canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and cloves and cook, shaking pan occasionally for 2-3 minutes.

4. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cayenne and 1 cup water, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, simmer 1 minute, turn off the heat.

5. When the lentils are fully tender, partially puree them with an immersion blender (or leave whole if you prefer).

6. Stir the onion mixture into the lentils along with the remaining tomatoes and coriander. Season liberally with salt and pepper.

7. Simmer for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

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