Tadka Dal & Curried Yellow Lentils & Potatoes (Vegan)

Tadka Dal & Curried Yellow Lentils & Potatoes (Vegan) are healthy, easy, and totally delicious vegan Indian recipes. I am a lover of the lentil… big time. Lentils are super badass for protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, and folate – a vegetarian and vegan dream. Plus, they taste fucking incredible and are ridiculously versatile. I make “meatballs” with them, toss them on salads, in pasta, in bean dips, patties and more. I made the Tadka Dal for me (I like spice), and the Curried Yellow Lentils for my kiddo.

When I lived in Beijing (almost 3 years ago now – crazy!), I traveled alllll over Asia. One of the coolest things to me was the day I filled my passport and had to get pages added. However, it totally ruined the cool look of my passport. LOL. Anyway, I always felt bad for people who traveled with me. I wasn’t vegan when I lived in China, but I was a vegetarian (since the age of 8). Traveling in SE Asia meant delicious and cheap food for everyone… but me. Not to mention, vegetarianism is pretty much a foreign concept there so things like fish sauce and pastes were never revealed when asked if the dish was vegetarian. Better safe than sorry. I lived on the shittiest pizzas, pasta, and occasional toastie (basically a grilled cheese). All of my friends traveling with me got stuck eating at these awful western restaurant when we were traveling in various places of SE Asia – except in Ho Chi Mihn – there was this AWESOME coffee shop (Vietnam has incredible coffee) that served these crazy cheap, crazy delicious, tofu lemongrass baguettes. I ate one every day. That was the only “gem” I had ever come across… until I went to India. I ate the shit out of India. Breakfasts were insane! I could eat everywhere. A vegetarian’s paradise. Plus, Indian food is so flavor-packed, I never got bored. Oddly enough, it was my least favorite place in Asia that I ever traveled to – but at the same time, the best fucking food I’d ever had in Asia. I ate Tadka Dal like it was my last day on earth – and every other piece of naan, biryani, paneer, and kofta I could get down before barfing from overeating. 😉 Yes, Delhi Belly is real, very grossly real… but more than worth it. 😉

Let me know your thoughts on these recipes. Did you switch it up? Add things? I also have just been informed that my comment section hasn’t been working for about a year! WTF! Figuring this out now. One of my plugins is most likely the source. Feel free to comment on my FB page, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instagram accounts though! -FGG

PS- I LOVE The Beatles! This is a fitting song for the post. 😉

TADKA DAL RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1 C yellow lentils

1 small-medium yellow onion – diced

1 small tomato – diced

1 chili – diced finely (I used a green chili)

2 Tbl ghee

1 tsp cumin seeds

5 cloves of garlic – diced

3/4 tsp chili powder (adjust according to your desired level of spice)

1 Tbl fresh ginger – thinly sliced OR 1/2 tsp of powdered ginger

1 tsp turmeric

Garam masala powder – sprinkled in a very tiny amount

2 Tbl fresh cilantro – loosely chopped

1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves

Salt as desired

4 C water

3 Tbl vegetable oil

Directions:

Rinse lentils very well

In a saucepan – boil water

Once boiling, add lentils, turmeric, garam masala, chili powder, and fenugreek leaves

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for approximately 30 minutes – stir occasionally

Remove from heat when lentils are soft (add more water if necessary)

Put oil in a skillet on medium high

Add cumin seeds. After 1-2 minutes, add onion. After 2 more minutes, add garlic. Cook for about 8 minutes or until onions are browned.

Add ginger, chili, and tomato. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 8 minutes or until tomato is soft.

Combine the lentils with the mixture from the skillet, salt, and cilantro – mix well

Done!

Curried Yellow Lentils

Ingredients:

1 C dry yellow lentils

1/2 onion – finely diced

3 cloves garlic – minced

1 Tbl vegetable oil

1 Tbl cumin powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 C vegetable broth

2 C water

Salt to taste

Directions:

In a pan, heat oil and add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook for about 2-3 minutes

Add the turmeric, and cumin powder – cook for about more more minute

Add the broth and water and bring to boil – stir well

Add the lentils and simmer, uncovered, for approximately 20-30 minutes (add more water or broth if necessary)

Add salt – stir

Done!

Creamy Curried Potatoes!

Ingredients:

6 medium white potatoes – boiled

1/2 C (or more pending upon your level of creaminess) vegan mayo (I only use Vegenaise)

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

Salt to taste

Directions:

Let potatoes cool and cut potatoes in half

Add all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix well

Done!

*Feel free to adjust your spices according to your taste!

Wine Pairings:

White – Dry riesling OR dry rose

Red- Pinot Noir

Beer Pairing:

Lager

HERE ARE SOME PICS FROM MY TRIP TO INDIA IN 2013 (DEHLI, AGRA, JAIPUR, GOA). TOO MANY “HEATHER PICS” LOL – BUT I WANTED PICS IN FRONT OF THESE AMAZING PLACES! 😉