The Edible Word Book Club: Broccoli Dal Curry with Coconut Milk
I was recently invited by Cath from A Blithe Palate to join The Edible Word, a new foodie book club where we’ll read and post about food-related books… and prepare the dishes they talk about.
As a book-gobbler and food-gobbler almost in equal measure, I was ecstatic to be invited… especially since the Divine Dining blog is pretty darned new! So thanks, Cath! I’m looking forward to doing more.
The book chosen for the inaugural edition of The Edible Word was “Comfort Food” by Kate Jacobs (who also wrote “The Friday Night Knitting Club”). “Comfort Food” was a fun book for our first book club read– the fluffy kind of book I don’t normally make time for, and so really enjoyed. I’ve been on a Cormac McCarthy kick lately, so this came as a much-needed break from all that gorgeousness and tragedy. 
“Comfort Food” is the story of Gus (short for Augusta) Simpson, a TV chef on the edge of 50 who also feels on the edge of ruin. Her show’s ratings are falling, her kids are a mess, and she’s starting to feel old and irrelevant. They soon make her take on a “partner” for her TV cooking show: a sexy, bitchy, and entertainingly unbelievable Spanish woman named Carmen. And things only get worse.
“Comfort Food” isn’t the best piece of Chick Lit I’ve ever read… but there’s love, food, family, and a happy ending. So it was a lot of fun, and worth reading just for the drool-worthy dishes Gus prepares on her show. Which leads me to the whole point of this blog post… the food!
As part of the book club, I was to choose a dish mentioned in the book, find a recipe for it, and make it. I chose a Dal Curry mentioned by Priya, one of the more interesting characters in the novel. I liked Priya and was intrigued by the simmering discontent she felt for her seeming-perfect life… and by the guilt she felt for being discontented in the first place.
So here’s my Dal Curry recipe. To throw some veggies in there, I made it a Broccoli Dal Curry with Coconut Milk– mostly my own recipe, though borrowed a bit from some others I’ve seen.
Broccoli Dal Curry with Coconut Milk
Ingredients:
2-3 tbsp. butter or ghee
1 lg. onion, chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 hot green chili, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. coriander, ground
2 tsp. turmeric
1 1/2 tsp. cumin, ground
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 lg. head of broccoli, chopped and steamed
1 C. dal (lentils)
1 liter (4 C.) chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 C. coconut milk
Greek yogurt or sour cream, to garnish (optional)
Instructions: Cook onion and garlic in ghee until browned and caramelized. Stir in green chili.
Click to enlarge.
Stir in spices (except salt) and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add chicken broth and lentils.
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook about an hour, until lentils are tender. Can take more or less time depending on the kind of lentil used.
Add lemon juice and brown sugar. Stir in coconut milk.
Stir in steamed broccoli. Cool until heated through.
Serve. Top with greek yogurt and a sprinkle of cilantro and chili powder, if desired.
Fantastic selection Karen; and thank you so much for joining, even so far away!
Thanks Cath! It was really a pleasure and I’m looking forward to the next one.
Hi!
My name is Jessika!