Our Dad's Dhal

Our dad is from Alberta, which makes him a natural meat lover. He was born in the land of Beef and that is his first love. We are grateful though, that our dad didn't balk when we told him we loved dhal.  When our mom became a huge fan of dhal, he decided to make his own creation. We love him and we love it when he makes dhal! When dad cooks it means there is lots of leftovers, and that means food for lunches.
So today we are sharing with you our Dad's Dhal! It's delicious and a perfect way to bring lentils into your diet.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil (or butter)
2 ribs of celery chopped 1/2 inch pieces
3 medium carrots chopped 1/2 inch
2 white onions chopped 1/2 inch
4 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons cumin ground
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper ( optional for heat)
6 cups water
2 cups red lentils rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons sea salt

Instructions:

Place lentils in strainer and rinse for a minute in cold water, then let them drain.
Place sauce pot on stove over medium heat and add coconut oil. When oil is shimmering in pot, (this is when the oil gets nice and shiny) add celery, carrots, onions and garlic. Stir while letting them sweat for a couple of minutes then add spices. Stir all ingredients for a minute or two. This will bring out the aromatics of the spices. Add the water and lentils, stir gently and bring to a slow boil. Once the dhal starts to boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often. When finished remove from heat and serve with Jasmine Rice.

Enjoy!