Padma Lakshmi, the Indian-origin American model, author and television host, has carved a niche for herself on social media thanks to her quick and easy food recipes. The 50-year-old is often seen giving traditional Indian dishes a contemporary twist in her Instagram cooking videos. Padma is not afraid to step away from traditional recipes and tends to give a healthy spin to most of her creations. This time around she has recreated the traditional Indian lentil curry, dal, and came up with a vegan, garlic-free version.Sharing the video, Padma Lakshmi said, “I love dal. You guys have seen me make a million kinds of dal. And what we are making today is not a traditional tadka dal but it still has many Indian ingredients. I added a couple of twists and removed ingredients such as curry leaves and garlic.”(Also Read: Padma Lakshmi Cooks This South Indian Dish In Honour Of New US VP Kamala Harris)The Dal recipe by Padma Lakshmi was a spin on the traditional Dal recipe. Photo: iStockHere’s The Full Recipe Method Of Dal With A Twist By Padma Lakshmi:Boil three cups of masoor dal. Rinse the dal till the foam is gone.Move the dal into a deep pot and soak it in about two inches of water.Cook the lentils with a teaspoon of salt and one or two bay leaves. Bring it to a boil on a low flame and cook it for about 45 minutes.For the tadka, add olive oil to a pan and once it is hot, add a teaspoon of cumin seeds.When the cumin starts to colour and sizzle, add some chopped shallots.Once the shallots are sauteed, add one-and-a-half teaspoons of ginger.Next, add some shredded coconut to the tadka.Follow this with a few chopped tomatoes and cook it for five minutes.Add two teaspoons of sambar masala to the mix, followed by a pinch of salt.Transfer this to the pot of lentils and mix it well together. When you do so, extract the bay leaves that were added initially. Cook it on a low flame for few minutes.You can use a blender to make the texture of the dal smoother.Now, add a handful of cilantro and a couple of dried Angeleno plums. This will give the dal a sweet and tarty flavour.Transfer it to a serving dish, and add a tablespoon of lemon juice and garnish with some cilantro.Sharing the video, she said, “Dal with Cumin and Dried Plums: All you aunties out there, please don’t clutch your thalis, this is a non-traditional riff, I’m sure you all are also sick of making the same tadka dal!!” Padma Lakshmi has authored two cookbooks- Easy Exotic and Tangy, Tart, Hot and Sweet. The recipe in the video can be found in the book, Tangy, Tart, Hot and Sweet, she said in the clip.Watch The Full Recipe Video Of Dal With A Twist By Padma Lakshmi Here:(Also Read: Easy Hack To Seal Chips Packet By TV Host Padma Lakshmi Goes Viral)Padma Lakshmi said that the lentil dish made for a great vegan recipe that you could pair with rice. We loved her take on the classic dish. Tell us what you think about it.
Strange India 