Nourishing split pea dahl recipe

I love that feeling of when you eat something that really feels good in your body and on your pallette to the point where you experience an emotional, mental and physical satiation. Like a hot soup and your favourite freshly baked meal after being outside all day on a cold cold winter. There’s a few meals that can gift me this experience and made with love, devotion and the other essential ingredient’s split pea Dahl soup can be one of them.

Now I have to be honest with two things. I really desire to serve you all with useful information that can be nourishing and supportive on as many levels as possible and the second is I do not measure when cooking. SO, my advise is practice yoga and meditation daily this will quieten the mind and open your intuitive capacities ;) and using these ingredients you can make the most yummy split pea Dahl soup like you see pictured. Ok so the picture really doesn’t flatter the offering in the way it could. It tastes even better than it looks and is grounding, soothing and nourishing full with important amino acids, proteins and antioxidants to fight free radicals (the harmful health decreasing and aging properties in our food, water, air etc.. ).

The recipe is also sattvic meaning it doesn’t contain foods that are rajas or tamasic in nature. Foods that fall under these categories are said to be un-supportive to optimum meditation, so since my female monk years in a Vaisnava temple I cook without onion and garlic to support optimum yogic lifestyle. See how yummy this tastes with the right substitutes.

Without further ordue.. here are the ingredients with approx. amounts and the process and involved to manifest this goodness. I add quite a lot of veggies yet you can choose of course.

Serves 2 (approx)

Whole food ingredients;

1. 3/4 cup split peas (they swell and make much more than anticipated)

2. 3 medium sized carrots cubed into small finger nail size bites

3. one good size broccoli bulb into reasonable sized portions

4. Any other veggies you Love. (some people have unknown allergies to nightshades where health can be adversely effected. veggies that fall into the ‘nightshade’ category listed at the end of the blog post.

Herbs and spices;

1. good size handful of coriander

2. 3 x tsp’s tumeric (anti-inflammatory)

3. 2 tsp’s black mustard seeds

4. 1/4 tsp cumin

5. 1/2 tsp himalayan salt

6. 1/2 tsp finely chopped chilli

7. 2 cinnamon sticks (ring finger sized)

8. aesofitita (optional onion and garlic replacement. I love it yet didn’t have any avail. for this recipe pictured and it was still beyond delicious)

Process. NOTE Split pea is a good winter soup as its a little heavier. Lighter options are mung beans or lentils.

1. Soak the dahl for 4 hrs or so if substituting split peas with mung dahl or lentils. This will make the dahl easier digestible.

2. Boil 3 cups of pure water with the beans of choice

3. In a fry pan heat some coconut oil, ghee or rice bran oil (these are the only oils that do not turn acidic and harmful to health when heated)

4. Place the mustard seeds and ensure they all pop as ‘unpopped’ seeds aren’t supportive to the tummy.

5. Add the cumin powder and lightly stir making a paste (only for about a minute)

6. Add the mustard seeds to the pot of boiling peas

7. Add the tumeric, chilli, cinnamon, salt and a pinch of aesofitia (you don’t need much, about a 5th of a tsp)

8. Boil until creamy and add the veggies about 7 minutes before fully cooked so as not to destroy all the minerals by overheating them. El dente is also good.

9. Once of the stove stir in the fresh coriander and more salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

While living full time in vedic temples we learnt not to taste the food we are preparing and to first offer it to God in gratitude. That this changes the potency of the food and removes karma helping our consciousness in productive ways. This way we gain not only physical nutrition yet spiritual.

You’ll be surprised how when made with love, attention and some intuition with cooking experience and practice how amazing the meal can taste without taste testing along the way.

Let me know if you’ve any questions and how it goes in the comments below!

with Love,

Rādhika <3