Recipe: Split Pea and Coconut Curry Sauce, Five-Jewel Creamed Lentils, Kerala Sambar - Recipes for Linda!

Both this recipes seem to be similar to the one you described. Hope at least one of them might help.

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SPLIT PEA AND COCONUT CURRY SAUCE
Makes 2 cups

1 tsp raw white rice
1 tbsp yellow split peas
1/4 cup water
2 or 3 fresh hot green chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
1 tbsp mild vegetable oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/8 tsp turmeric
10 fresh curry leaves, or:1 tbsp crushed dried curry leaves, or: 1 tbsp minced cilantro
2 cups coconut milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice

Combine rice and split peas in a bowl and rinse in several changes of water. Add 1/4 cup water and soak for 1 hour. (Do not drain the water.)

Add chiles and ginger and blend until finely pureed, Set aside.

Heat oil in a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mustard, cumin, turmeric and curry leaves. When seeds pop, stir in split pea-ginger puree. Stir-fry for about 4 minutes.

Add coconut milk and salt. Stir with the back of a spoon until there are no lumps. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

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FIVE-JEWEL CREAMED LENTILS
Source: Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking by Julie Sahni
Servings: 8

DAL:
175 grams yellow split peas (channa dal) (6 ounces)
90 grams white gram beans (urad dal) (3 ounces)
45 grams yellow mung beans (moong dal) (1 1/2 ounces)
45 grams red lentils (masar dal) (1 1/2 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
FRIED SEASONINGS:
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, peeled, sliced in thin rings
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ginger, grated or crushed
2 green chilies, minced
3 medium tomatoes, sliced in 2cm thick wedges
SPICED BUTTER:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
4 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped (for garnish)

TO MAKE THE DAL:
Pick clean and wash all the beans thoroughly in several changes of water. Put them in a deep pot with 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1 1/2 litres (1 1/2 quarts) of water. Bring the water to the boil and stir often to prevent the beans from sticking to the bottom of the pan or lumping together. Cook over medium heat, partially covered, for about 30 minutes.

Stir in the salt to taste. Keep the lentils on a low simmer while you make the fried seasonings.

TO MAKE THE FRIED SEASONINGS:
Heat 4-6 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring constantly, until they turn light brown (15-18 minutes).

Add the garlic, ginger and chilies and continue cooking for 2 more minutes.

Increase the heat to high, add the tomatoes, and fry, turning them carefully and shaking the pan, until they look slightly browned and cooked (about 5 minutes).

Pour the entire contents of the pan over the dal and gently stir to mix. Continue simmering while you make the spiced butter.

TO MAKE THE SPICED BUTTER:
Wipe the frying pan clean and place it on medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil. When it is hot, add the cumin, cayenne and paprika.

Immediately pour the entire contents of the pan over the dal, scraping the mixture out with a rubber spatula. Stir a few times, just to streak the dal with the spiced butter.

Serve garnished with coriander and more paprika.

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KERALA SAMBAR (reduce oil)
Source: Food and Wine
Servings: 4

1/2 cup thoor dhal or yellow split peas (3 1/2 ounces), rinsed in several changes of water
3 1/4 cups water
1/4 tsp. turmeric
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. fenugreek seeds
1/8 tsp. asafetida
1/4 lb. okra, trimmed
1 medium boiling potato, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice
1 medium tomato, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 serrano or Thai chile, cut in half lengthwise
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp.salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. tamarind concentrate, dissolved in 1 Tbsp. boiling water
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. mustard seeds
8 curry leaves or 2 bay leaves
1 dried red chile
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

In a small saucepan, combine the dhal with 1 1/4 cups of water and 1/8 teaspoon of the turmeric and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until soft, about 30 minutes (45 minutes for yellow split peas). Partially mash the dhal with a potato masher.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the fenugreek and asafetida and cook over moderately high heat until fragrant and lightly colored, about 1 minute.

Add the okra, potato, tomato, onion, cilantro, serrano chile, coriander, salt, cumin, the remaining 1/8 teaspoon of turmeric, dissolved tamarind, cayenne and black pepper along with the remaining 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 18 minutes.

Add the mashed dhal and simmer 10 minutes longer.

In a small skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried red chile. Cover and cook over moderately high heat until the mustard seeds have popped for a few seconds, then stir into the vegetable and dhal mixture.

Add the lemon juice and serve.

MAKE AHEAD: The recipe can be prepared through Step 1 up to 1 day ahead.