Lentil Stew with Coconut (Dalma)

Name: Lentil Stew with Coconut (Dalma)
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 4-6
Ingredients: 1 cup toor dal (yellow pigeon peas), rinsed, soaked 30 minutes, and drained; 1 tsp. ground turmeric; 1 carrot, cut into 1" pieces; 1 plum tomato, minced; 1 small Japanese eggplant, peeled and cut into 1" pieces; 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1" pieces; 1 small Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into 1" pieces; (1) 2 1 ⁄ 2 " pieces ginger, peeled and mashed into a paste; 1 ⁄ 2 small daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1" pieces; Kosher salt, to taste; 1 cup fresh or frozen grated coconut; 3 tbsp. sugar; 1 tsp. asafoetida; 1 drumstick , trimmed and cut into 2" pieces; 1 ⁄ 4 cup ghee; 1 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. cumin seeds; 1 small green Thai chile or 1/2 serrano, halved

Serves
serves 4-6

JOSEPH DE LEO

In the east Indian state of Odisha, lentil stew is an everyday staple. This version, fragrant with fresh coconut and sweetened with long-simmered sweet potato, is based on one prepared at the Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, which editor-in-chief James Oseland wrote about in Heavenly Meal, from our August/September 2014 special India issue.

Find this recipe in our cookbook, SAVEUR: Soups and Stews

Ingredients

1 cup toor dal (yellow pigeon peas), rinsed, soaked 30 minutes, and drained
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 carrot, cut into 1" pieces
1 plum tomato, minced
1 small Japanese eggplant, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 small Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
(1) 2 ¹⁄₂" pieces ginger, peeled and mashed into a paste
¹⁄₂ small daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
Kosher salt, to taste
1 cup fresh or frozen grated coconut
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. asafoetida
1 drumstick, trimmed and cut into 2" pieces
¹⁄₄ cup ghee
1 ¹⁄₂ tsp. cumin seeds
1 small green Thai chile or 1/2 serrano, halved

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Instructions

Step 1

Bring dal and 8 cups water to a boil in a 6–qt. saucepan. Reduce heat to medium; stir in turmeric, carrot, tomato, eggplant, potatoes, ginger, daikon, and salt; cook until dal is mushy, about 45 minutes. Stir in coconut, sugar, asafoetida, and drumstick; cook until drumstick is tender, 20–25 minutes. Melt ghee in an 8" skillet over medium-high; cook cumin seeds and chile until seeds pop, 1–2 minutes; stir into stew.