(versão portuguesa no final da página)

Since Alaïs came into our lives, we’ve had difficulties keeping up with posting as much as we would like to. It is not a bad thing per se. It only means that time constraints have imposed limitations on our cooking time and that a little creature who will soon be bolting through the apartment on two legs rather than on all fours requires constant attention. Attention that is not given to the blog.

I keep thinking that we should make cooking simpler. And the time spent in the kitchen has indeed dramatically diminished over that past year. Since I am now on cooking duty for most of our lunches (when there are no left overs) it’s become a challenge to come up with something tasty that everyone can eat, baby and adults alike, that doesn’t take me two hours to cook. Because yes, I am the snail of the house when it comes to chopping vegetables (and not only). But hey, most of the time it is because I genuinely enjoy taking the time to do the things I do.

So the other day I checked the fridge, sighed, checked a couple of cookbooks to give my imagination a boost and started this colorful, full of nutrients and proteins (yes, I am talking about the lentils) dish. It turned out so good that I quickly took a couple of photos, and hurried to write down the list of ingredients before I forgot how I had made it. We generally enjoy fully flavored dish but only slightly salted (I often think about the best piece of advice Silvia gave me whenever I wasn’t sure how much fresh herbs I should add to a dish. Her answer was : throw the whole bunch into it!). You can easily add a little more or a little less spices too, to your liking.

Pumpkin and tomato dal

Serves 4-5

• 2-3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp mild curry powder
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 medium carrots, diced
• 4 small potatoes, diced
• half a butternut pumpkin (400g), diced
• ¾ cup red lentils
• sea salt, to taste
• 500ml water
• 250ml coconut milk
• 250g cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 100g spinach, chopped
• To serve: 1  thinly sliced spring onion, chopped fresh coriander 

Add the coconut oil to a large saucepan and heat up. Crush the seeds to a powder in a mortar and add to the pan with the curry powder, garlic and onion. Cook for a minute or two until the onion is soft.

Add the sliced carrots, diced potatoes and pumpkin and lentils to the pan and stir with the spices for 2-3 minutes before pouring the water and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, add a pinch or two of sea salt and let simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but still firm.

Stir in the spinach and cherry tomatoes and remove from heat.

Serve with thinly sliced spring onion and chopped coriander on top, with a side of brown rice or quinoa!

Dal de abóbora e tomate

Serve 4-5

• 2-3 c. de sopa de óleo de coco
• 1 c. de sopa de coentros em grão
• ½ c. de chá de cominhos em grão
• 1 c. de chá de mostarda em grão
• 1 c. de chá de caril em pó
• 1 cebola, picada
• 2 dentes de alho, picados
• 3 cenouras médias, às rodelas
• 4 batatas pequenas, aos cubos
• metade de uma abóbora butternut (400g), aos cubos
• ¾ de chávena de lentilhas vermelhas
• sal marinho, q.b.
• 250g de tomates cherry, cortados ao meio
• 100g de espinafres, picados grosseiramente
• Para servir: 1 cebolinha às rodelas finas e coentros picados

Aquecer o óleo de coco num tacho grande. Moer as especiarias em grão num almofariz e adicionar ao tacho juntamente com o caril, o alho e a cebola. Refogar durante um minuto ou dois, até a cebola ficar translúcida.

Acrescentar as cenouras, batatas, butternut e lentilhas e envolver com as especiarias durante 2-3 minutos antes de verter a água e o leite de coco. Deixar levantar fervura e reduzir a lume brando para cozinhar durante 10 a 15 minutos, até os legumes estiverem tenros mas ainda firmes.

Acrescentar os espinafres e os tomates cherry, misturar e retirar do lume.

Servir com rodelas finas de cebolinha e os coentros picados por cima, com um pouco de arroz integral ou quinoa a acompanhar.