Fall is near and you can almost smell the pumpkin spice. Sure everyone knows about pumpkin pies and pumpkin spice lattes but how about thinking outside the box a bit? I'm thinking something with those nice warm spices like cinnamon, clove, star anise, nutmeg but savory instead of sweet? Inconceivable? No, Vizzini! It's true! Indians have been using those very spices in every day savory cooking for millennia.
Sure cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and other warm spices make a great mixture for pies, but how about a curry? Let's get really crazy and throw in some pumpkin, coconut milk and wait for it... crushed tomatoes. I can tell I just blew some of your minds. But yes, those ingredients combined with some red lentils, fresh ginger, garlic and onions make a very nice dish. I don't know why it works but it does.
Lentils, or dhal as they are called there, are a staple in India. They are a great source of nutrition, especially for the approximately 375 MILLION vegetarians in India. Not to mention the rest of the world. Lentils can be a bit daunting at first. Some require soaking overnight or lengthy rinsing rituals. But red lentils are pretty much ready to go from the start. They do take a bit of gentle love to make them creamy, yet firm and not smash the hell out of them by fairly constant stirring and low heat simmering but your efforts will pay off.
I came up with this recipe at work one day when one of my clients was talking to me about curries and her love for one she had with pumpkin in it. Wanting her to feel comfortable in her temporary residence I decided to have a go at it. I don't have a lot of time or space at work so I do cut some corners on occasion. In this case I used a jarred curry paste made by Patak's (https://www.pataksusa.com/). I have used this company's products on many occasions and I personally believe they are one of the best out there for saving time and for cooks who are new to Indian cooking. I chose the Madras curry. Why? I don't know. I've used their Vindaloo, Tikka Masala and Korma simmer sauces and pastes so I thought I'd try something different. It worked beautifully. It was so good I even made some at home that weekend. The list of ingredients won't make a lot of sense to Western cooks, but trust me, they work! Ginger, garlic, onion, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, mustard seeds, cumin, pumpkin, tomatoes and coconut milk, you say? No way! Yes way! These magically combine into a dish that works well as an accompaniment in a multi-course Indian meal or as a vegetarian "stew", if you will. One that will fit right along side your other favorite Fall dishes like chili or beef stew.
If you like Indian and Fall flavors, this is the recipe for you.
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