Name: Veggies and Lentils in Peanut Sauce
Prep time: 13 min
Cook time: 31 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: thai
Ingredients: 4 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter (I usually use almond butter); 2 inch fresh ginger (coarsely chopped); 2 cloves garlic; 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or use coconut aminos to make soy-free); 1.5 tsp lime juice; 0.5 null kaffir lime zest (or regular lime); 2 tbsp chopped cilantro; 0.25 tsp tamarind concentrate (optional); 2.5 tsp Sriracha sauce or asian chili sauce (to taste); 0.25 tsp cayenne (or more); 0.25 tsp salt; 1 tbsp sugar (or more); 0.5 tsp sesame oil; 1 cup coconut milk; 0.5 cup masoor dal, quick cooking split lentils (washed and drained); 1.5 cups water; 2 tsp oil; 0.33 cup sliced red or white onion; 0.5 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper; 0.25 cup sliced carrots; 0.5 null zucchini (thinly sliced); 1 tbsp fresh basil (sliced)

Instructions

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1

Blend all the ingredients for the sauce: peanut butter or almond butter (4 tbsp), fresh ginger (2 inch), garlic (2 cloves), soy sauce (1 tablespoon), lime juice (1.5 tsp), lime zest (0.5 kaffir), chopped cilantro (2 tbsp), tamarind concentrate (0.25 tsp), Sriracha sauce or asian chili sauce (2.5 tsp), cayenne (0.25 tsp), salt (0.25 tsp), sugar (1 tbsp), sesame oil (0.5 tsp), and coconut milk (1 cup) until smooth. Taste and adjust salt, sweet and spice if needed. Keep aside.
2

Cook the masoor dal, quick cooking split lentils (0.5 cup) in water (1.5 cups) (season to taste with salt and sugar) over medium heat for 10 minutes. The lentils will cook to just about done. If they are crunchy, cook a minute or so longer. Drain and keep aside.
3

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add oil (2 tsp) and heat over medium-high heat. Add sliced red or white onion (0.33 cup) and cook until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
4

Add thinly sliced red bell pepper (0.5 cup) and sliced carrots (0.25 cup) and cook for another 2 minutes. Add in zucchini (0.5) and fresh basil (1 tbsp). You can also add some baby greens like spinach if you like.
5

Add the peanut sauce and mix well. Add the cooked lentils and mix in. Reduce heat to medium and bring the sauce to a boil, about 4 minutes.
6

Taste and adjust salt, sweet, and spice. Check if the lentils are cooked to preference. Cook longer for softer lentils. Take off heat. Cover and let sit for another few minutes. Garnish with pepper flakes or cayenne and serve over cooked rice, grains, or wide noodles of choice.