This warming-to-the-core lentil dish is perfect for today: our first day of snow! Granted, it was just flurries, but we had snow!!
Today was also my first day of Meghan Telpner’s 5 Days Low Glycemic Eating Challenge. I had to get creative at lunch out, and so had egg salad on a bed of greens – or as I call it “egg salad salad”. And for a snack: an apple with cashew/hazelnut butter. So I thought cooking a nice dinner with a veggie protein and some greens would be a great way to end the day.
The kale is prepared my favourite way: quickly warmed with onion and chili, so that it doesn’t lose its bright green colour or fresh texture. You can prepare all greens in this quick and easy manner – kale, chard, spinach – and it makes a great side dish and a fabulous way to get your greens in. I think it’s a great topping for a simple lentil dal.
Best Kale Ever
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. dried chili flakes
- 1/2 bunch kale
- pinch of salt
Over medium-low heat, sweat the onions in the olive oil until translucent. Add the chili flakes and kale, mix and heat until the kale is just warmed through.
Serve as a side-dish, or as part of Kale & Lentil Dal, below.
Kale & Lentil Dal
This recipe is adapted from a Spinach Dal recipe from my dear friend Pemma and her mum, Pria. From the two of them I have learned to cook many of my favourite Indian recipes, received many gorgeous cookbooks, and am always inspired in their kitchen.
- 2 c. red lentils, washed and picked over to remove stones
- 6 c. water
- 1 Tbsp. turmeric
- 10 garlic cloves, quartered
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 4 dried red chilis
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 serving Best Kale Ever (see recipe above)
Place lentils in a large pot with water and turmeric. Over high heat, bring to a boil, keeping a wooden spoon in the dal so as not to overboil. Once the water has come to a boil, add the garlic, cumin, and chilis. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for about ten minutes.
Once the lentils are cooked, add salt. Serve in a bowl (great over brown rice), and top with Best Kale Ever.
Kitchen Operas 
holy garlic on that dahl! Must have smelled amazing!
I hope people think I still smell amazing now that I’m garlic-infused!!
😉