Matzo Ball Dhal

Growing up in New York City I loved the classic Jewish comfort food – Matzo Ball Soup. I decided to reinterpret it with a staple in Indo-Caribbean and South Asian cuisine: dhal or daal. Indo-Caribbean style dhal is melted yellow split peas or yellow lentils infused with garlic and roasted cumin. Dhal is eaten as a side and poured over rice. I used dhal into a soup and base of this recipe.

Equipment Required: Pressure pot

Ingredients

• 2 cups yellow lentils, rinsed in cold water
• 6 cups water
• 10 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, roughly diced
• 4 TBS of canola oil, divided in half
• 1 TBS whole cumin seeds
• 1 TBS turmeric
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 cup of baby spinach
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• Instant Matzo ball mix (plus ingredients required for matzo ball per package instructions).
• Salt to taste

Procedure

1. Heat 2 TBS of canola oil in pressure pot on medium to high heat
2. Add onion. Stir for a few minutes until golden
3. Add turmeric and garam masala. Stir for a few minutes
4. Add yellow lentils. Stir for 1-2 minutes until well combined
5. Add water and a little salt. Stir for 1 min
6. Cover and seal pressure pot. Cook on high heat for 20 mins. The top valve should spin and whistle for about 10 minutes.
7. While dhal is cooking, prepare matzo ball mixture per package instructions. (Note: Just make the batter, do not boil the matzo balls in water. The matzo balls will eventually cook in the dhal)
8. Remove pressure pot lid per pressure pot instructions. (Note: Most pressure pots suggest you run the covered pot under cold water and release the steam from the top valve before opening.)
9. The yellow lentils should be melted completely into a thick yellow soup. If there are still whole lentils, you can use an immersion blender to make a smoother liquid if desired
10. Set dhal mixture aside
11. In a frying pan, heat remaining canola oil on medium to high heat. Add cumin seeds to oil. Allow cumin seeds to bloom. They will release a warm aroma and turn black.
12. Add garlic and allow the garlic to turn brown. DO NOT let the garlic burn. Burnt garlic has a bitter taste.
13. Carefully pour oil, cumin and garlic from frying pan into dhal mixture. It should make a crackling noise. Once you pour it in the dhal, cover immediately
14. Once the crackling subsides, remove lid. Return the dhal to high heat.
15. Bring dhal to boil.
16. Roll matzo ball mixture into individual balls and drop them into the boiling dhal.
17. Cover pressure pot (but do not seal to activate pressure) and lower heat to let the matzo balls cook for required time per package instructions
18. Uncover pot. Matzo balls should be floating!
19. Stir in baby spinach and the shredded carrot
20. Add salt to taste.