Indo-Arab Spinach & Hummus Daal

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I’ve been kind of MIA for a while. We’ve been busy moving and are just now getting settled in. The new house is just beautiful and I can’t wait to start trying all kinds of new projects all around the house – from the kitchen to the garden…maybe even a little DIY home projects! :)

Anyways, I’ve been whipping up some pretty yummy things in our new kitchen, but I never get a chance to post about them. Last night’s dinner was one of those creations and it was so good I just had to come share it with you the first chance I got!

This is seriously my favorite way to eat my spinach now. I found the original recipe because I was looking for ways to add more iron to my diet. I’m slightly anemic and although I took my iron pills like a good girl while I was pregnant, I just can’t wrap my head around the idea of taking those (or any) pills for the rest of my life.

I knew spinach is loaded with iron but honestly, I really don’t like spinach. No matter which way I try it, I just don’t like it at all. So when I found this recipe for Indian Spinach and Chickpea Red Lentil Daal, I knew I had to try it. It has everything I love and just 1 thing I don’t, so it was worth a shot. And oh my God, was it worth that shot!

I made quite a few changes to the original recipe, partly for our tastes, but also because those were just the things I had on hand…I tend to do that a lot :)

NOTE: I added a little bit of Kabseh spices, which is just a Middle Eastern spice mix consisting of equal parts black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, chili powder, and all spice. You can find it at any Middle Eastern store. There are many other versions that include fennel, turmeric, or cardamom, but I just like the cinnamon/nutmeg one. So just experiment and add whatever you like!

Make this. For your family. Tonight. They’ll thank you :)

Even our 8-month old loved it! I just added a little water and pulsed it in the blender until it was the right consistency. It looked so good and wholesome and I love that I know exactly what was in it!

I’m always looking for new, tasty ways to eat more spinach… If you have a go-to spinach recipe and would like to share it, please do!

Til next time,
Sarah

Indo-Arab Spinach and Hummus Daal
Ingredients
  • 1 can (or 2 cups cooked) Chickpeas
  • ¾ cups Red Lentils
  • 2 cups Frozen Chopped Spinach
  • 2 ½ cups Water (or More, To Consistency You Want)
  • 2 cups Crushed Tomatoes
  • 1 Celery Stalk, diced small
  • 3 T. Oil
  • 1 t. Cumin Seed
  • 1 ½ t. Cumin Powder
  • 1 ½ T. Curry Powder
  • 1 ½ t. Kabseh Spices
  • 1 ½ t. Cayenne Pepper, Or To Taste
  • ½ t. Salt, Or To Taste
  • 4 T. Yogurt
  • 2 cups brown rice
Instructions
  1. Cook the brown rice according to package directions.
  2. Drain the liquid out of the chickpeas and rinse the chick peas well. If using cooked dry peas, just skip this step.
  3. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if seed crackles right away, oil is ready.
  4. Add cumin seeds.
  5. After the cumin seeds sizzle, add the crushed tomatoes (slowly and carefully, because the oil will splatter a lot!), cumin powder, cumin powder, kabseh spices and cayenne pepper, and cook for about 4 minutes on medium heat.
  6. Tomato mixture will start separating from the oil and will reduce in quantity.
  7. Add spinach, salt, lentils and water, and let it cook, covered, for 10 minutes on medium-low heat.
  8. Add the chickpeas and mash a few of them lightly with a wooden spoon so they soften. Then, add the celery.
  9. Add more water as needed to keep the sauce consistency to your liking, and let it cook, covered, on low heat for 7 to 8 minutes until the red lentils are soft.
  10. Add yogurt and cook for another few minutes, until completely mixed into the sauce.
  11. Serve with brown rice.

 

Sarah UmmYousef

Sarah UmmYousef is a former school teacher turned stay-at-home wife and mama with a passion for all things simple, natural, and homemade. She loves the natural world, and believes the solutions to many of the world’s ailments lie in nature. Her blog, , began as a way to document her family’s journey to a greener home, but has since become a thriving community and resource for those wishing to take small steps towards a more eco-friendly, natural and sustainable lifestyle. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

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