Vegetarian

I used to make this simple but colorful and exotic dal curry every few weeks years ago when my repertoire of vegetarian recipes was far more limited than now. But I never minded. The creamy combination of warm, sweet and nutty toor dal cooked with tangy tomatoes, tart lemon juice and earthy spinach greens is as delicious as it is simple. Served over a bed of fresh hot cooked rice, or with some flatbreads, it is an easy and wonderful meal for any season. I discovered a new craving for this tried and true dish recently, and decided to revisit it again. I found that it is just as delicious as ever. I guarantee that it will warm your spirits and earn the esteem of anyone you serve it to. Toor dal — also known as toovar dal or split pigeon peas — has a mild sweet, earthy and nutty taste that goes very well with tart or tangy spicings, which is why it is a staple in south Indian kitchens. It also has a fuller texture when cooked than many other dals, making it perfect for sambars and dry-textured curries like this one. It is always easily found in any Indian or Asian grocer, and I always have a good supply on hand. You may substitute yellow split peas with lovely results as well. Toor Dal and Spinach (Toor Palak Dal) Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking Cuisine: Indian Published on June 17, 2013 Zesty and tangy, this colorful dry-textured toor dal curry with chopped spinach is nourishing, delicious and simple to make Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup toor dal or yellow split peas 2 tablespoons ghee or oil 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds 1/4 teaspoon asafetida 1 large tomato, cut into 8 or 12 thin wedges 2 to 3 green chilies, seeded and chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1 bunch fresh spinach, trimmed and chopped juice of 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste 1/2 teaspoon garam masala small handful of fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped Instructions: Rinse the toor dal or split peas and soak in several inches of warm water for 3 to 5 hours. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a large saucepan or wok and cover with 1 1/2 cups of fresh water. Add 1 tablespoon of the ghee or oil and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until the dal or split peas are tender but not falling apart. Drain and set aside. Wipe the saucepan or wok clean and add the remaining ghee or oil. Heat over medium heat. When hot, toss in the cumin seeds and fry for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cumin seeds turn brown. Toss in the asafetida, stir once, then immediately add the tomato, chilies, ground coriander, turmeric and cayenne. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the spinach, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes. Pour in the dal or split peas, lower the heat to medium-low, and add the lemon juice, salt and garam masala. Cook for a few minutes longer until the mixture is fairly dry. Serve immediately, garnished with the chopped parsley or cilantro. Makes 4 to 6 servings Also recommended from Lisa's Kitchen: Tarka Dal Toor Dal Soup Toor Dal Pumpkin Soup Toor Dal and Green Bean Poriyal On the top of the reading stack: notes Audio Accompaniment: morning silence© Copyright 2007—2013 Lisa's Kitchen. For personal use only.If you are seeing this post on a site other than foodandspice.blogspot.com, it is being stolen.

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS VRG Research Director An online reader commented on our website that a P.F. Chang’s chef in Pennsylvania had told her “‘We can’t guarantee that any of our dishes are vegan because we use egg wash in our sauces.’” Since this was contradictory to what P.F. Chang’s had told us in the past, we contacted the restaurant chain to see if there had been a change in menu ingredients or preparation methods. The Marketing Coordinator at P.F. Chang’s told us that he had consulted with the nutritional team who responded in May 2013: I am guessing the chef mixed his line of thought as all the proteins contain egg in the marinades and the majority of the sauces contain chicken broth and ‘whey” protein (milk). Also, regarding “vegan” due to the use of sugar, and depending on the level of “vegan” the customer is…it would be the sugar that would limit the rest of the menu items after we sort out all of the chicken broth and dairy.” Our Guest Service is another avenue for these types of inquires. They can be reached at GuestServices@pfcb.com. The VRG asked P.F. Chang’s to clarify whether this response applies to their vegetarian-labeled dishes. We received this reply: The only dishes that do not contain animal products (animal protein, eggs & dairy) are the menu items noted on the menu as vegetarian: Coconut Curry Vegetables, Buddha’s Feast, Ma Po Tofu, Stir Fried Eggplant and Vegetarian Fried Rice…[The sauces in these entrées] would still contain sugar and thus we would not refer to them as “vegan” …[but] only “vegetarian” due to the way in which sugar is processed. Each dish is made to order with clean equipment and while the possibility of cross contamination in all restaurants is possible due to the presence of all ingredients/allergens our vegetarian recipes would not be altered and thus would not contain animal proteins/broths, egg- or dairy-based ingredients. On P.F. Chang’s menu, viewed online in June 2013, several appetizers and side dishes as well as the entrées listed above were labeled “vegetarian” with a special icon: Vegetarian Appetizers at P.F. Chang’s: Chang’s Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps Spring Rolls Edamame Vegetarian Side Dishes at P.F. Chang’s: Spicy Green Beans Shanghai Cucumbers Spinach Stir-Fried with Garlic Garlic Snap Peas Sichuan-Style Asparagus Asian Tomato-Cucumber Salad P.F. Chang’s provides nutritional information on its website: http://www.pfchangs.com/images/Nutritional%20Info/ChangsNutritional.pdf. The vegetarian icon appears in the nutrition chart next to all vegetarian item listings making it very easy for nutrition-conscious vegetarians to use. Other recent VRG articles about P.F. Chang’s: “No Ghee” Says P.F. Chang’s P.F. Chang’s Vegetarian-Labeled Dishes: Oyster Sauce is All-Vegetable; No Honey, Egg or Dairy Present P.F. Chang’s ‘Vegetarian’ Entrées Contain No Animal Ingredients Who’s the Veggie-Friendliest of Them All? The contents of this article, our website, and our other publications, including the Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company employees or company statements. Information does change and mistakes are always possible. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. Further research or confirmation may be warranted. For the latest news on fast food and quick service chains, visit http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php To support our research, donate at http://www.vrg.org/donate

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