RECIPE THIRTY: Saturday October 21st - Sri Lankan dal with coconut and lime kale

BACK STORY:
Another from the article on Meera Sodha, this also caught my eye because of the lime kale - and I thought I could use the leftover kale from the salad with roasted tomatoes last week. And I knew I had cardamom pods, always a plus to actually have the real ingredients on hand.

NOTES:
This says it will take 55 minutes but it was almost an hour and a half by the time it was done - I made it on a Saturday to allow plenty of time to cook. Soaking the lentils made the water frothy so I'm glad I did it, though I don't know if they soaked enough. I used ground mustard instead of seeds and skipped the chilies since I didn't have any fresh. The onion fry mix was delicious and could be eaten with just the kale and no lentils, frankly. The lentils are delicious but the real stand out was the lime kale, which added the right zing to the dish. I would make that part again for a warm salad in the winter.

STARS: 
2 out of 5. Time intensive and other than the kale, not much different from other dals I've made, but requiring more ingredients.

RECIPE:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018939-sri-lankan-dal-with-coconut-and-lime-kale

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound red lentils
• 3 green cardamom pods
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 small white onions, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• ¾ inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated (about 1 tablespoon)
• 2 green finger chiles or Serrano chiles, stemmed and finely sliced
•  Scant 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 large bunch kale (about 9 ounces)
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 lime, juiced
• 7 ounces (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) canned coconut milk
•  Yogurt, for serving
•  Rice, for serving

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  Nutritional Information

PREPARATION

1. Wash the lentils in a strainer in cold water until the water runs clear, then place in a medium bowl, cover with water and set aside. Bash the cardamom pods with the side of a knife so they crack open.
2. Put 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil into a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick and cloves. Fry for a minute, then add the onions. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are browning and soft. Add the garlic, ginger and green chiles and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove a third of the mixture from the pot and set aside. (Leave the cinnamon stick behind.)
3. Drain the lentils and add to the pot, along with the turmeric and 4 1/4 cups of hot water. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once they are boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft and creamy.
4. While the lentils are simmering, chop the kale into thin strips and discard the thicker stems. Put the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil into a lidded frying pan (keep the lid off for now) over medium heat and, when hot, add the mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to pop, add the reserved onion mixture and fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the kale, shredded coconut and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Stir-fry for 1 minute, add 1/4 cup of hot water and put the lid on to steam the kale for 2 minutes, or until soft and tender. Add the lime juice and stir.
5. When the lentils are soft and creamy, add the coconut milk and remaining salt and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat, and pick out and discard the cardamom pods and cinnamon stick. To serve, ladle into bowls and divide kale over the top. Serve with a side of yogurt and rice.