Indian Dal recipe -
Bread bowls filled with Dal

This sweet looking Indian dal recipe with makes for charming party snacks or a delicious finger food to serve your family. I really like this gourmet appetizer recipe because it is also a lot of fun to make. I guess those mini-bread bowls really give me a kick!

Dal or Lentils make great healthy appetizers because this superfood gives you protein and cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber, as well as about twice as much iron as other legumes...

I know that sometimes finding original and innovative party finger food recipes can take awhile so I put this Indian dal recipe in for you. It is a superb a dry vegetable dish that will be great for your vegetarian friends.

Have a try and let me know how you fare out with it...

INGREDIENTS

½ cup (125 g/4 oz) red lentils, rinsed and drained
1 cup (250 ml/8 fl oz) vegetable stock
24 slices white bread
60 g (2 oz) ghee or butter
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon chopped red chilli
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to moderately hot 200 C (400 F/ Gas 6). Combine the red lentils and stock in a heavy-based pan. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, or until tender. Stir occasionally and check that the mixture is not catching on bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat.

2. Meanwhile, using an 8 cm (3 inch) cutter, cut 24 rounds of bread. Roll each to 1 mm (1/16 inch) thick with a rolling pin. Melt half the ghee or butter, brush on both sides of the bread, then push into two 12-hole mini muffin tins to form little bowls. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until firm and golden.

3. Heat the remaining ghee or butter in a small frying pan and add the cumin, ground coriander and mustard seeds. Cook until the mustard seeds begin to pop, then add the garlic and chilli. Cook stirring, for 1 minute, or until fragrant.

4. Stir the spice mixture into the cooked lentils, return to the heat and simmer over very low heat, stirring frequently until the dhal / lentil mixture is thick and creamy. Season to taste, with salt and set aside to cool a little before serving.

5. Fill each bread bowl with 2-3 teaspoons of warm dhal, scatter with the chopped coriander and serve immediately.

IN ADVANCE:Bread bowls and dhal can be made 2 days ahead and stored separately. Store the bread bowls in an airtight container and the dhal, covered, in the refrigerator. Gently reheat the dhal and fill the bread bowls with warm dhal close to serving time.

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