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I haven’t posted in a LONG time, I know.  The simple reason…I really don’t cook at home anymore as much as heat stuff up.  Veganism at home is NOT the same experience as dining in the high falutin’ raw food restaurants popping up in larger cities.  Those places have the time, money, and resources to do some truly remarkable things with vegetables.  Even if I did have the time and inclination to prepare something outlandish like flash-frozen radish and lotus root salad with cilantro oil and beet pollen, that’s not exactly the sort of dish you want to cozy up to after a long hard day at work.

One thing I’ve made more than once is a very warming, satisfying lentil soup.  It has distinct Indian overtones (hence the title of this post…”dal” is the Hindi word for lentils), with a spicy kick.  Moreover, it’s VERY easy to throw together and walk away.

In a large, heavy-bottom stock pot saute two chopped garlic cloves and one chopped onion in a quarter cup of canola oil.  When golden, add 2 quarts of water, a vegetable bouillon cube, a half pound of washed lentils, 4 cups (packed) baby spinach, 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and/or mint, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, a 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder, and a tablespoon of tomato paste.  Bring to a boil, then simmer on very low heat for an hour or more.  Check for seasoning.

With some warm naan (supermarkets around me carry it, an Indian flatbread) and a salad of chick peas, cucumber, and tomatoes with mustard vinaigrette, it’s a simple, hearty supper.