I prep you eat

Consistently making food fuel for breakfast, lunch and dinner at home over the past year during the pandemic, has steered me towards simplicity of creating a comfort food repertoire.

The requirements usually involve:

• always be cooking from the pantry

• must be as nutritiously dense as delicious

• would work well for leftovers

Lentils & Mung beans are one of my favorite dried ingredients. They cook quickly, absorb flavors and are full of fiber and nutrients.

This is my recipe and method for Golden Dal.

• Boil 4 cups of salted water then add 2 cups of rinsed yellow mung or red lentils.

• Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally then cover on low for 15-20 mins. *

*option: sometimes I swap some of the water for broth or coconut milk.

•Meanwhile sauté a small diced onion in some oil or ghee and then add 2 tablespoons chopped garlic and 2 tablespoons chopped ginger.

•When those are soft and translucent, add a pinch of mustard seeds and a pinch of fenugreek, then a tsp of ground cumin. And a tablespoon of chili paste or dried chili.

•Combine the cooked lentils (should be nice and runny) with the onion/spices.

•Thin with a little more broth, coconut milk or splash of cream. And season more if needed with salt.

•Leftovers are thinned to be consumed as a soup for lunch or left thicker served as lentil hummus.