Zucchini and Red Lentil Dal

Zucchini and Red Lentil Dal

Most people think of Zucchini as a vegetable to roast or add to pasta or to make fritters with. But Zucchini is also a very versatile vegetable that can be grated and added to cakes, and yes, dal! My aunt gave me this idea, and I tweaked the recipe to work with my taste preferences and spice levels. My friends wanted this recipe, so here it is.

To prepare this nutrition packed dal you will need:

1 cup red lentils (raw), washed, soaked, and cooked (almost)

1 medium sized zucchini, washed, grated

½ large yellow onion, chopped

1 large tomato, seeded, diced

1 bay leaf

1 large stick of cinnamon

3 tbsp of oil (rice bran, olive, canola)

½ tsp of turmeric

1 tsp garam masala (brands include McCormick, Aachi, Penzys)

1 tsp of garlic paste (I make this fresh)

Salt to taste, dash of red chili powder depending on personal spice levels!

¼ tsp sugar (this enhances the flavor of the garam masala)

Method:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, and sauté the onion until golden and translucent. Immediately add the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Now add the garlic paste and stir fry for about 30 seconds. Now, add the turmeric stir and add the grated zucchini. Sauté until the zucchini just cooks, and then add the tomato. Cook for a minute and then add the dal. Always stir in the cooked dal, and then add a small amount of water to give the mixture a gentle boil. Finally, add salt to taste, chili powder, and the sugar. Serve hot with rice and a good amount of ghee!