Koo-koo for Coconut Milk

Isn't everything better with coconut milk?

Unless you are one of those crazy people who doesn't seem to like coconut. I just don't understand it! What isn't to like about a smooth, rich, creamy deliciously flavored thing?! 

I am not considered one of these crazy people. As a result of this love affair I have a way of putting it in absolutely everything I can think of sneaking it into things from time to time. So today when I was looking through some recipes on the Tasty Kitchen I was inspired to make dal. I based my recipe loosely on this one and turned into more of a complete dish. I planned to make this recipe as it was written until I opened up my fridge and saw an almost expired carton of coconut milk; how this got even close to expiry in my house is beyond me. Seeing this option completely changed my game plan. 

The result ended up being a delicious healthy meal... that kind of looked like barf.

No one said good food always looks good.

Coconut Cumin Dal

Serves 4 (or me for lunch all week)

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon scant cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup split red lentils (Masoor dal)

Boiling Water 

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 cup quinoa

3 cups steamed vegetables (I used onions, yellow peppers, broccoli, snap peas and carrots and threw in some raw tomatoes)

Start things off by cooking your quinoa with 2 cups of liquid to your one cup of quinoa. I used water and threw in some of this thai seasoning. I use a rice cooker for mine because it is super easy but feel free to use a pot.

Heat the teaspoon of oil in a medium-large pot. Add the onion and garlic once the oil is heated and cook until softened and slightly translucent. 

Add the 3 spices and cook them with the onions for about a minute and a half. Add in the lentils and pour enough boiling water on top the cover the lentils and onions (I just poured water straight from my kettle). Cook this for about 10 minutes before stirring in the coconut milk. Then cook the mixture until the lentils are very soft and it is fairly smooth, about 10 more minutes.

I steamed my vegetables in this beautiful thing. I swear it was created by the Gods. I actually don't remember how I possibly waited more than 3 minutes to cook vegetables. Never will I have to enter that dark stage again! 

Serve this with a bit of quinoa in the bottom of the bowl with vegetables on top then the dal poured over the top. It was an amazing dinner! 

If you are as crazy as I am for coconut milk I suggest you make this ASAP. No time to waste!