dal coconut soup

Coconut Red Lentil Soup
1 cup masoor dal (red lentils)
7 cups water
1 carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice, 1 cup Corn, 1 chile minced, 1 
2 tablespoons minced ginger
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
8 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
one small handful cilantro, chopped
This is the Malayali Version of the lentil dish prepared all over the India.
In the book it is written this dish is better made with split pigeon peas, but can also made with other lentils.
I used Toor dal as I think that cook much faster.
Also if you reheat the dal just make sure you don't let the lentils boil.
The recipe below is the exact recipe from teh book, but I dod make some change when I made and those changes I have written in another color.
1 1/2 cup dried split pigeon peas,pre soaked in water for 2 hours ( as I mentioned earlier I used Toor dal)
3 cups water
1 cup thin coconut milk 
2 tsp sliced fresh ginger
3 green chillies slit 
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp roasted cummin powder 
( I also added 1 tsp chillie powder which the recipe didn't ask for)
1/2 cup thinck coconut milk
Salt to taste
2 tables spoon oil
1/2 tsp mustard seed ( used double)
1/4 cup sliced shallots ( used a bit more)
3 cloves garlic slices
8 curry leaves
I also used 1 tsp cummin seeds 
In a large pot, ccok the soakes peas with the water, thin coconut milk,ginger,green chillies and turmeric for 15 to 20 minutes. ( The lentils should be soft and musshy) When the lentils are cooked i just mush them with a wooden rounded spoon.
Add salt and thick coconut milk and remove from the heat.
Heat the oil in a small skillet and add the mustard seeds, when the pop add the cumin seeds and then add the shallots and garlic and fry for few minuted untill they are lightly browned.
Add the curry leaves and red chillies and fry for few seconds.
Pour into the cooked dal and serve hot with rice, that is how I prefer to eat this dish.
Combine these and make: 

2 cup masoor dal (red lentils)
7 cups water
1 carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 chile 
1 cup corn
2 dry red chilles
sauteed onion
sauteed garlic
8 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
1 T golden raisins
1T ginger
2 t cumin, coriander and amchut powder
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
one small handful cilantro, chopped

serve with rice

1 cup yellow split peas

cooked rice for serving (optional)

Give the split peas and lentils a good rinse - until they no longer put off murky water. Place them in an extra-large soup pot, cover with the water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the carrot and 1/4 of the ginger. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the split peas are soft.

In the meantime, in a small dry skillet or saucepan over low heat, toast the curry powder until it is quite fragrant. Be careful though, you don't want to burn the curry powder, just toast it. Set aside. Place the butter in a pan over medium heat, add half of the green onions, the remaining ginger, and raisins. Saute for two minutes stirring constantly, then add the tomato paste and saute for another minute or two more.

Add the toasted curry powder to the tomato paste mixture, mix well, and then add this to the simmering soup along with the coconut milk and salt. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or so. The texture should thicken up, but you can play around with the consistency if you like by adding more water, a bit at a time, if you like. Or simmer longer for a thicker consistency. The thicker this soup got, the more I liked it.

I've been enjoying big ladles of this soup over ~1/2 cup of warm farro (leftover from thisFarro & Bean Stew) - brown rice was good as well. Sprinkle each bowl generously with cilantro and the remaining green onions.

Serves 6.

Prep time: 10 min - Cook time: 35 min

This recipe is from the Cooking book called The Kerala Kitchen I have tried few recipes from the book and each dish as come out so good untill now.

Amchur powder

2 dry red chillies torn in half 

1 cup yellow split peas

2 tablespoons butter or ghee

cooked rice for serving (optional)

Oils for dry or curly hair

Grapeseed oil
 This odorless, non greasy oil is widely-known as a natural sunscreen for hair but can be used as a carrier oil (in case you’re into making your own concoctions) or applied as a hair/scalp treatment. It helps restore scalp’s natural balance and is an ideal anti-dandruff treatment for all of those who, for some reason, can’t tolerate coconut oil, plus a fantastic hair repair and strengthening treatment, thanks to vitamin E and linoleic acid.

 Avocado Oil Avocado oil, like avocados themselves, contains proteins, healthy fats, amino acids and vitamins A, D, E and B6. The proteins will help fill in damaged airs in your hair’s cuticles, repairing damage that’s already been done and preventing future breakage and frizz. Avocado oil is strong and thick, so it is most effective when used on medium to thick hair.

 Olive Oil (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) I LOVE using olive oil. And olive oil, which is also referred to as the “godmother of hair oil,” is great for moisturizing, deep conditioning, improving hair strength, eliminating dandruff, and also has powerful antioxidants that can help fight hair loss. Sweet Almond Oil Sweet almond oil works great as a “sealant.” This means that it “locks-in” moisture.

 Sweet almond oil also nourishes hair, smoothes hair cuticles to control shedding, promotes hair growth and thickness, prevents hair loss, and boosts shine.
 Castor Oil Castor oil thickens hair, promotes hair growth, prevents thinning, moisturizes, helps reduce split ends, helps to tame frizz, and prevents scalp infections.
 Essential oils to add: Lavender Essential Oil Rosemary Essential Oil Sandalwood Essential Oil Geranium Essential Oil

 Most recent hair oil mix recipe: to be applied night before shower:
 in parts:
 2 olive oil 2 sweet almond 1 avacado 1 castor
With 2 drops rosemary, sandalwood, lavendar, cedarwood

Austin ideas:

Austin 

Restaurants: SOTO japanese

Parks: 

Some favorite exercise videos

Via nytimes

    Precious tadig!

DINNER FOR TWO If my wife is here we might cook together. She’s Persian and she’s a very good chef. She might do some tadig rice. You know that rice the Persians do, with that crust? They cook the rice and then they reverse it into a dish, and then the top becomes very crispy, almost caramelized. It’s outstanding. You serve that with some roast fish, or you just sauté some shrimp with a little bit of garlic, parsley, a little bit of red pepper. On the weekend we do pastry in my store, so I might take a couple of pieces of frangipane. It’s puff pastry with almonds, so that’s great on Sunday evenings.

Harvest

Peony petals

Passed out

Teddy bear fur

Bit

Dense salad

Dirty digits

Found what appears to be the tail of a bunny 

Fuzz

dip it low

via molly ruth

Texas chill

The reflections of thanksgiving sequins on the wall

Fall comes

Am stencil project

nice color combo

via ☰☴☵☶☷☳ 

paint whisperer cont.

painted rocks


via nytimes

The last of the tomaties

A roasted tomato and thyme soup from the show "Delicious Miss Dahl"

 For the soup 4½lbs large ripe plum tomatoes,
halved 1 garlic bulb,
cut in half horizontally 2 large red onions, peeled,
quartered few sprigs fresh thyme
1 tbsp golden caster sugar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 9fl oz vegetable stock (optional)
3½fl oz single cream (optional)
few drops Worcestershire sauce (optional)
few drops balsamic vinegar (optional)

 Preheat the oven to 375F
 place the tomatoes, garlic, onions and thyme into a large roasting tin and season, to taste, with salt, sugar, and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with the oil, and roast in the oven for 90 minutes.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly. Mash the garlic with the back of a fork, and discard the skin.

 Tip the roasted tomatoes and onions into a food processor along with the mashed garlic, and pulse until smooth.
If the soup is too thick, pour into a large saucepan and loosen the mixture with either vegetable stock, or single cream. Add a little Worcestershire sauce or balsamic vinegar, to season, if you like.

 To serve, reheat the soup and divide among four bowls, with two potato halves each on the side.

love this plaster finish

To plaster over painted walls first use Plaster Weld. Plus how to overdue your own wool rug: http://akindoflove.blogspot.com/2011/05/over-dye-diy.html via nytimes the color doctor

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