Recipe: Lemon Lentils (Limbo Dal) (Indian)

LEMON LENTILS (LIMBO DAL)

"Dal, the traditional lentil dish of India, is described by Ismail Merchant as a 'rich man's, poor man's dish and every household has its own version. It is a must with any meal, and if you don't offer it, something is wrong.' Mr. Merchant, a Bombay-born movie producer and one of the best Indian cooks in Manhattan, offered us his version of dal, made special with lemon."

1 1/4 cups peanut, vegetable, or corn oil, divided use
2 onions, halved and thinly sliced, about 1 1/2 cups
4 (2-inch pieces) cinnamon stick
2 pounds red lentils (available in Indian food stores)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
5 cups fresh or canned chicken broth
5 cups water
Salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon cayenne
Juice of 1 lemon plus the squeezed, seeded shell of 1 lemon including skin and pulp
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 hot green chile, chopped, with seeds
4 bay leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat 3/4 cup of the oil in a large saucepan and add the sliced onions. Cook to wilt.

Add the cinnamon pieces and lentils. Add the ginger and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes.

Add the broth, water, cayenne and salt to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the lemon juice and lemon shell and cook for about 50 minutes longer, stirring often.

In separate skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 cup of oil and add the chopped onion, garlic, chile and bay leaves. Cook, stirring, until the onions are browned. Add this mixture, including the oil, to the lentils. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Makes 12 or more servings
Source: Best of Craig Claiborne: 1,000 Recipes from His New York Times Food Columns and Four of His Classic Cookbooks by Craig Claiborne, Pierce Franey, and Joan Whitman