Dal - Lentils with Collards India Southern Fusion Style

Welcome to our blog At Home with Creme de la Crop. We've been involved with organic farming for over twenty years. We love creating with the bounty of our gardens. There is a lot more to us that we'll reveal through this journey of blogging. But for starters, we figured that the fastest way to connect with you is through your stomach. We enjoy experimenting and playing in the kitchen, and we often enjoy the fruits of our creations.

One day I was looking at the remainder of our CSA harvest (Collard Greens and Shishito peppers) while trying to figure out what to make for dinner. A quick glance at the pantry gave me the inspiration for this recipe. We love Soulfood. We love Indian cuisine. Why not combine the two? The richness of collards and bacon, combined with the spicy heartiness of dal seemed to speak to me. And blistered shishitos seemed like the coup de grace that this dish needed. At this point, I could go into a romantic tale of how I was wandering through the streets of Bombay when I stumbled upon the most amazing dal, but I won't. Here's the recipe folks...please enjoy!

1. 12 oz Thick Cut Bacon 1
2. 2 Teaspoons Olive oil
3. Large yellow onion diced
4. 3 Garlic clove finely diced
5. 1 Can of unsweetened coconut milk 14 oz
6. 4 Cups water
7. 2 Cups lentils (we choose red)
8. 3-4 Cups collard greens chopped
9. 1 Carrot chopped
10. 3 Tablespoons dried ginger
11. 1 Tablespoon cumin
12. 1/2 Tablespoon chili powder
13. 2 Tablespoons turmeric
14. 1 Tablespoon caraway
15. Salt and pepper to taste
16. 3/4 Cup chopped cilantro
17. 18-20 Shishito peppers

1. First, cut the bacon into 1" pieces and cook until crispy. Set it aside but keep the bacon grease in the pan, as you will use it later to blister the shishito peppers. Turn off the burner for now.
2. Next, finely chop the onion and garlic. In a separate pan from the bacon, sauté the onions until they are translucent. Add the garlic at the end to avoid burning.
3. Add coconut milk, water, lentils, and chopped collard greens to the pan with the cooked onions and garlic, and all the liquids. While all the ingredients are simmering, add the dried herbs, spices, salt, and pepper.
4. Simmer the lentils for about 20 minutes, checking periodically for tenderness to prevent overcooking. You want them to have a slight bite and be al dente.
5. Once the lentils are cooked to perfection, turn off the burner and add chopped cilantro. This is the time to adjust the seasoning, primarily the salt and pepper, to taste.
6. In a second pan, heat up the reserved bacon grease. Cut the tops off the shishito peppers and place them in the heated grease. Sear the peppers on all sides.
7. To serve, plate the dal in medium-sized bowls and top with the crispy bacon pieces and blistered shishito peppers. Enjoy!