Hello Dal-ly, Take Two: Curried Red Onion Jam with Simple Dal

I know it wasn't too long ago that I posted a delicious dal recipe. This particular post isn't necessarily going to focus on the dal, but rather on the condiment which elevates this simple dal into something incredible. You'll recall from my last post that I'm rather enamored with a new cookbook. It shouldn't surprise then that this recipe comes from the same book. While the onion is called "red", it certainly doesn't look RED like other truly red fruits and vegetables. Instead, the author quite rightly puts the red onion in the purple chapter. Yes, a look at a color wheel would show that the connection between red and purple is only a small amount of blue away, but it's still purple. Okay, how did we get on the topic of color? When I set about to make this condiment, I had no idea how much flavor a red onion could have. I have a slight issue with onions. Raw onions tend to not have the best affect on me; they leave me tasting onions for days afterward and my stomach is certainly far from happy. Cooked onions are better for me, but I tend to keep my distance from too much onion regardless. But this jam? Oh my... it's sweet, tangy, spicy, and, well, jammy. It's super simple to make and even though I made mine the night before making the dal, they can both be made at the same time and in about an hour. So, while it's certainly not a 30-minute meal, it can be done after coming  home from work. I have a feeling this jam would also make a great gift. Snag a couple of small jars and a few pieces of decorative fabric/cloth and you've got a gift for just about anyone. Cheryl, the author of Ripe, mentions you can use the leftover jam for sandwiches and I'm eager to give it a try. I figure some roasted chicken, mayo, and some spinach with plenty of this jam would make a kind of curried chicken salad sandwich. You could also use it in a pita with hummus and crunchy veggies for a flavor-packed vegetarian option. Either way, this jam can be an excellent condiment for just about anything in need of kick.

I did want to touch upon the simple dal. It really is very simple. I could barely believe just how simple it was to cook and yet so incredibly flavorful, creamy, and rich it came out to be. I'd never cooked with red lentils before, so this was a first. I think the last dal I made, using lentils of course, used the regular brown/green lentils (I think...it was a while ago). The red lentils don't retain their shape like French black lentils do, but instead break down into this super rich creaminess. The aromatics in this recipe also stand out. I mean, this dal only calls for lentils, water, star anise, ginger, and a chili pepper (I used jalapeno since I couldn't find a red chili at the store). Since it's only 1 chili, there isn't a whole lot of spice, but ginger makes up for the lack of heat. The star anise provides this sweetness and underlying tone, which I'd never noticed in other dal I've had. Honestly, this is probably the simplest recipe I'll ever post here.

I got a request from a friend to post more vegetarian-friendly recipes. I have another vegetarian dish, which I'll post next. I honestly love cooking vegetarian. Not only does it tend to be simpler to make, but it's also a lot lighter on the wallet. The times when I've spent the most at the grocery store have usually been when I had a lot of meat on the week's menu. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think I could ever turn completely vegetarian. I love fish, chicken, pork, and beef way too much to give it all up. I pride myself on being an omnivore and am lucky to have a husband who doesn't have to have meat on his dinner plate every night.

No Soup for You! Week Serves Up: Lentil Soup

No Soup for You! week continues with a favorite from my childhood.  I know I received a few requests on Facebook for Cream of Mushroom, but I have actually never made it before (let alone have it available for this week).  However, I have taken note and will make sure to make it sometime soon and blog about it.  I, too, love cream of mushroom soup.  I remember seeing a recipe for it somewhere around here, so it's on my list!  The topic for today, though, is that most humblest of legumes:  the lentil.

Growing up, my mom had a winter routine of making large pots of soup and freezing it for those nights when she was too tired to cook.  One of the staple soups was lentil.  I loved lentil soup as a kid.  I remember other kids my age not caring for it because for some reason I found many kids didn't like beans/legumes.  Weird, I know.  Anyway, my mom always made the best lentil soup.  It was savory and full of chunky vegetables, lots of garlic and the lentils themselves were always cooked to perfection.  I have taken on this same tradition of making large pots of soup in the winter and keeping them for later dinners or even lunches.  Lentil soup has always made me feel warm and comforted.  It's the kind of soup which results in the "warm soup belly" afterward.  It's probably comforting only because I associate it with being a kid in the winter.  It would be cold and dark and stormy outside and my mom would put in front of me a big steamy bowl of lentil soup, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, served with a huge piece of sourdough bread (or garlic bread, depending on the night).  I'd dig in and in no time, my bowl would be empty and I would immediately be warmed from head to foot.

This is a perfect freezing soup, but I point out that when reheating the soup, add a little water.  Unless you want your soup really thick, the lentils soak up all the moisture, even as it's sitting in the fridge or freezer.  Also, the recipe below makes A TON of soup.  If you don't have the room for all the leftovers, or that many mouths to feed, I (and my mom) recommend cutting the recipe in half.  You'll get plenty of soup for dinner that night or week and still have enough to freeze for later!

Lastly, don't feel beholden to the recipe below.  You can pretty much add anything you want to your soup and as long as it has lentils in it, it's still considered lentil soup.  My sister makes a great lentil soup by simply using up all the veggies she has in her fridge.  She also adds sausage to her soup, which I usually don't.  Her lentil soup is still delicious; just as delicious as our mom's, and as mine.  In other words, feel free to make it your own.

Don't miss the exciting conclusion No Soup for You! Week...Butternut Squash Soup--surprisingly elegant and perfect for entertaining!