Dhal-ling Tutorial

I thought I would share a tutorial different to my usual...
This time it's all about my new favorite food...
Dhal...
I have only recently tasted this delight
and fell in love with it's yummy flavour
and ease in making...
So I have put together a little photo tutorial to help...
Well if you are like me and find it easy to look at pictures and understand
then read some long recipe that doesn't make sense that is...
so lets get started...

The ingredients are all here in the picture.
But I will list them below in the order they go...
But first I have to make sure I have the fire going
but I am sure you probably just need to turn the hot plate on...

So to start... heat oil and lightly fry onion with garlic and ginger till soft...
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of minced ginger or fresh it you have it
1 teaspoon of crushed garlic
1 onion diced

Add

2 tablespoons Turmeric ground...
1 tablespoon Cumin ground...
1 tablespoon Coriander ground...
fry until all is fragrant and smelling lovely

Add
1 1/2 cups of diced vegetable like zucchini and squash

Add
1 1/2 cups of diced sweet potato
I do like to steam mine first in a plastic bag in the microwave
for about 3 minutes

It will look a bit like this
But be careful not to burn it at this point as it is very thick
and only needs to get tossed around a bit

 Add
 2-3 cups of vegetable stock
just enough to cover

 Add
1 cup of red lentils  non soaking variety
I like to give mine a rinse first
This will thicken up a lot when the lentils expand
so don't worry if you think that it is a bit soupy...

Now after about 40 minutes it's read to serve...
I like to add a bit of fresh Coriander and sometimes mint yogurt and boiled rice...
Perfect as an accompaniment  to a curry dish
or just by itself to warm you up...

Thinking of Other Things

Dear Friend...
I thought I should really catch up with some pics of my new adventures at River Cottage...
I have found lots of treasure since sifting through the copious amount of boxes
and cleaning up what was left here......
These 70's style beads were left behind by the previous owners...
Now why would anyone leave these behind...
Even though they are not in my most favorite colour...They are just gorgeous!!!

Now the most amazing amount of ivy is growing over the back part of the cottage...
Don't get me wrong I love it but I don't love the fact that slippery snakes
could love it as well...
So I have been clearing it from the bottom part and trimming back the top
which seems to be growing out of the gutters...
It is about a foot thick...
It will keep me busy, for a while!!!
But I am looking forward to finding some really pretty low covering plants to make it
less stark...and yes I will let my husband look after them as I know I can't be trusted with such responsibility...
I do well with children and pets...Not plants...
And seeing as though my husband losses thing (all the time) it is probably better that he looks after the plants...I don't think they can up and walk away!!!

Now the "Chook"collection that my husband collected years ago was found...
I know a very dear friend who has some of these...
It was hiding above the coolroom at the pub of all places...
Not mentioning any names of who could have "lost" them...

Yes I think I can safely now let you know the "PUB" is sold...
It has been a very emotional 7 years working and owning it...
So at this point all I will say is that now we as a family can move on...
To brighter fresher times!!!

So I have been cooking up a storm after coming across lots of old favorites...
I never realized I had so may electrical appliances...
I really don't know if this is good! But without a stove until winter when the fuel stove will be fired up on a daily basic, I have to be content with what I have...

The Slow Cooker....

A Pie Maker...
And even a Bread Maker...
The sandwich press, fry pan and rice cooker were begin a tad shy and didn't want their picture taken, so I let them off the hook this time...

I am trying to keep myself occupied as you can see...

and this helps me move on with things...
And I do hope that you too are looking at this year positively and with a purpose
I know this year has been a bit up and down as well for you...
But together we can lift the fog and clear our minds
for all the good things to come shining in,
while still having time to remember......

Regards sweetie...
Michelle...

Loving The Vintage...