split pea dahl

This recipe is great if you have to cook for a lot of people. It is gluten free, soy free, nut free, and, of course, vegan so it's perfect for potlucks and other occasions where there are lot's of picky and allergy ridden people around.

This recipe makes enough to serve 4 very hungry people or 6 regularly hungry people.

ingredients:
-2 cups yellow split peas
-2 cups white or brown basmati or jasmine rice
-1 bell pepper
-2 carrots
-1.5 cups cauliflower
-1 small red onion
- 1/2 to one cup coconut milk
-1 cup raisins
-1 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened, or not)
-2 tbls si racha rooster sauce
-some olive oil and/or earth balance
-3 tbls red curry
-1 tsp. tumeric
-a few pinches of cinnamon and/or nutmeg
-pinch of cumin
-pinch of salt

-cut cauliflower into bit size pieces, dice bell peppers, and chop carrots. Place cauliflower in a steamer and steam for 15 minutes. Once cauliflower starts to get a bit mushy add bell peppers and steam until both are sufficiently baby food status.

-boil the carrots over medium heat until they're somewhere between crunchy and mushy (about 10-15 minutes).

-While this is steaming start cooking the split peas and rice (especially if you're using brown rice). To cook the peas add 1 peas to a little less than 2 cups of boiling water. Bring water back to a boil then reduce to low/medium heat and cover. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes then start stirring every ten minutes until the peas have become a paste.

-Saute onion in 2 tbs of olive oil/earth balance until translucent. Once onions are almost done add curry, tumeric, cumin, salt, and cinnamon. Once this becomes very fragrant, remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of coconut milk.

-Once the cauliflower and bell pepers are done place them in a blender and add the onion coconut milk mix and si raca sauce. Pulse until the mixture is completely pasty adding more coconut milk if it looks too dry. Make sure to lift the lid of the blender to let the steam out after every three pulses or so to avoid a crazy volcanic explosion of hot food. (This stuff does not come off of ceilings very easily, trust me.)

-Add this mix into the split pea mush and mix it up, again adding more coconut milk if it seems too dry.

-Taste dish and adjust spices accordingly.

-Mix in carrot pieces.

-Put raisins in a heat proof bowl and cover with boiling water for 5-10 minutes (this makes them plump and juicy). drain.

Serve dahl with rice and offer raisins, coconut, and extra si racha sauce for toppings. This is also really yummy to eat with na'an if you're not gluten free.