Black Eyed Pea and Lentil Stew with Sriracha Tadka. Raungi aur Sabut Masoor Dal. Vegan Glutenfree Recipe

I know right.. Why havent I tried Sriracha in a Daal before. Well it is never too late to Sriracha-fy something. This stew has Black eyed peas/Cow peas/Raungi and brown lentils(Indian whole red Lentils) and is another delicious addition to everyday meals.

The Tadka/Tempering/Seasoning for the stew has Sriracha sauce. If you dont have Sriracha around, soak dry red chilies in vinegar till soft then blend them with some fresh garlic and enough vinegar to get the sauce like consistency. Add a pinch of salt and sugar if needed. Super quick Sauce.

The stew takes the dominant color of lentil or beans in it. This one has a dark earthy brown tones of the Brown/Whole Red Lentil and a tinge of red from the tomato+Sriracha.

If you are planning a BBQ anytime, check out my meatless, fake-meat-less, whole foods based Memorial day Burgers, sandwiches,  snacks and dessert round up.



Here is why I have trouble writing up an e-book. I can't plan the recipes. The day I made the Lentil cauliflower burger, I went to the kitchen, saw the cauliflower and said, I need a no-fail cauliflower patty recipe. So I soaked the lentils, thought over flavor combinations, collected things and started the cooking process. While lentils were cooking. I thought about the extra moisture in the grated cauliflower that makes the patties mushy, so I decided to roast the grated cauliflower. After that the patties came about rather easily:) 

On top of that, I am very likely to screw my own recipe if there is any kind of pressure like cooking for someone, for a book, or a deadline to post:). Hubbs points out that so many of you  try them successfully and love them and there are very very few who have trouble with the recipes. I definitely need to keep that in mind to get that confidence boost:) 

Anywho, this is another easy stew. We eat some kind of mixed dal with some legumes/beans/lentils/pulses pretty much 5 days a week. If not consumed as a part of an Indian meal with flat bread veggies and rice, the stew usually lands up topping a bowl of quinoa or millet, or more recently in sloppy sandwiches with pickles and sauces.
This thick stew thickens even more the next day, so it easily can sub as a thick chili in a sandwich/burger or top some roasted sweet potatoes with it, some cheese, crackers and pickled jalapeno for a fusion version of chili cheese fries!

More Stews/Dals/chili here.



Black Eyed Pea and Lentil Stew with Sriracha Tadka. Raungi aur Sabut Masoor Dal
Allergy Information: Free of Dairy, egg, corn, soy, yeast, nut, Gluten
Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry Lentils(Indian Brown Lentils/Whole Red/Sabut Masoor or use any Lentils)
1/2 cup dry black eyed peas/cow peas/raungi

2 teaspoons organic canola or coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon garam masala(or curry powder or other spice blends like berbere)
5-6 cloves of garlic chopped
1/2 inch ginger minced
1 Tablespoon Sriracha or to taste(or soak a large dry red chili in vinegar until soft. then blend with 2 cloves of garlic) 

1/2 cup chopped red onion
1-2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup chopped celery(Optional)
1/4 cup chopped green or red bell pepper(Optional)
2.5 cups water (more for thinner consistency)
3/4 teaspoon salt

Method:
Soak the black eyed peas and Lentils overnight or atleast 4 hours. Drain and rinse and keep ready.
In a pressure cooker or a deep pan, add oil and heat on medium. Add cumin seeds and mix for a few seconds.
Add in the ginger, garlic and onion and saute for 4-5 minutes or until onion is translucent.
Add in all the spices and mix for a few seconds. Add in the celery and bell peppers if using, tomato and Sriracha to taste and cook for 4-5 minutes until tender and mushy.
Add the rinsed beans, lentils, salt and water.
Mix and pressure cook on medium heat for 4-5 whistles, or 20-25 minutes at high pressure after the high pressure indicator turns on. ( or consult the pressure cooker manual for cooking time for black eyed peas)
If making in a pan, add rinsed lentils+peas, 3 cups of water, salt, cover and cook for about an hour on medium heat, or until the lentils are very squishy. 
Taste for salt and spice. Add more garam masala/Sriracha if needed. Add more water if needed(depends on the method of cooking, the beans and your preference of the consistency)
Serve hot topped with fresh cilantro or seasoning of choice. Serve with flatbread(Rotis, Naan) or Rice, or as a dip with pita bread, or a chili bowl with pickled jalapeno and crackers/chips, or a sloppy burger.