Split pea curry with cabbage (recipe in the comments)
Whole wheat naan
Yogurt raita
Hot tea
Orange cardamom cake
First off this is not actually a split pea curry anymore. It's a red lentil curry, but the original recipe called for yellow split peas and so we still call it that. Yellow split peas are lovely (and perhaps easier to find than red lentils), but red lentils taste more flavorful to me and cook in about half the time. It's a win-win situation. If you can't find red lentils, use yellow split peas and cook them for 25 minutes before adding the cabbage. We got this recipe from my mother's neighbor's aunt heard we made vegetarian food a lot. I know, that's a complex line of relationships. Regardless, we didn't make it for years because peas and cabbage sounded boring and flavorless. I don't know what prompted us to try it, but we did and it's a hit! The spices are absorbed by the lentils and the cabbage gives it a unique flavor not found in any of our dal recipes. Anyway, don't let the name put you off - this is yummy!
Prep Notes
Difficulty: Easy
Chopping: Garlic, cabbage, cucumbers (for raita)
Time: 40 minutes, much of it unattended.
Make ahead: This may be better the following day.
J: "Rarely are such simple preparations so satisfying."
M: "Yum."
