Cauliflower Dal with Panch Phoran

Veteran cleanser Jenny found this recipe during a previous cleanse. And Jenny has a very sophisticated palate – if she likes it, it’s gonna be good! Thanks for sharing, Jenny!

PS - Panch Phoran is also known as Bengali 5-Spice – the recipe for it is below.

Cauliflower Dal with Panch Phoran

1 1/2 C or red lentils
4 C water
1 t turmeric
1 t salt (or to taste)
1/8 t canola oil (or canola oil spray)
1 T panch phoran
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 t red pepper flakes
1 t ginger paste (or 1 tsp. minced ginger)
16 oz diced tomatoes (or 1 can)
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1/2 C water

Pick over and rinse the lentils and add them to a pot with the water and turmeric. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the dal is tender, about 20 to 35 minutes. When done, add salt and set aside.

While the dal is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Heat a large, deep skillet, preferably non-stick. When hot, add the canola oil and shake it to spread it around. Add the panch phoran and stir. (You may instead use oil spray; spray before and after adding the panch phoran.) When the first seed pops, immediately add the onion, garlic, pepper flakes, and ginger paste. Stir and cook until the onion softens, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cauliflower, and water, and stir. Cover and cook until the cauliflower is just tender, about 10 minutes.

When the dal and cauliflower are both done, add the dal to the cauliflower mixture. Stir well, and check seasoning, adding more salt if needed. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Serve hot, over rice if desired.

Makes about 6 servings. Per serving: 193 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (4% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 34g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 378mg Sodium; 16g Fiber.

“If you want a more assertive panch phoran taste, grind an additional 1/2 tablespoon of it and add it during the last 10 minutes of cooking.”

Panch Phoran

1 tbsp nigella seeds(Jenny says, “also called black caraway or onion seed - I buy from Amazon.com”)
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds

Combine all spices in a jar, store away from heat and light.