Coconut Dal

From: rsarahl

On Apr 2, 2007

I liked this dish because it has good balanced flavor with the onion and spices. Besides cutting the turmeric in half, the only change I made was to saute the onions and spices before adding in the liquids and peas to develop the flavor a bit. That's just the way I learned to make dal and I find it works well. While I love the name of this dish, I wanted and expected more coconut flavor; I think the coconut milk adds depth, but does not give a flavor that you can easily identify if you don't know it's in there! That said, the peas absorbed all the liquid and cooked al dente in the 35 minute span, so I added 1/2 cup more broth and let it go another 10 minutes to get a bit softer texture(I am feeding an 11 month old and 4 1/2 year old, so texture is key!). This dish is a beautiful golden yellow and when it's hot, is coated in a thick creamy sauce. Upon standing, the sauce absorbs quickly, but a little water or stock with reheating does the trick again! Since I really want more coconut flavor, next time I try this I will add some coconut creme concentrate from Tropical Traditions as I find that it imparts an excellent coconut flavor. Fresh grated coconut would also be a nice garnish if you've got it. All in all, a good savory dal that can easily be adapted to suit your tastes. Thanks for sharing!