The south: split pea & coconut curry sauce

2 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
Stephen Ceideburg
1 teaspoon Raw white rice
1 tablespoon Yellow split peas
¼ cup Water
2 Or 3 fresh hot green chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 One-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
1 tablespoon Mild vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon Mustard seeds
½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
⅛ teaspoon Turmeric
10 Fresh curry leaves, or:
1 tablespoon Crushed dried curry leaves, or:
1 tablespoon Minced cilantro
2 cups Coconut milk
½ teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon Lemon juice

Directions

Combine rice and split peas in a bowl and rinse in several changes of water. Add ¼ cup water and soak for 1 hour. (Do not drain the water.) Add chiles and ginger and blend until finely pureed, Set aside.

Heat oil in a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mustard, cumin, turmeric and curry leaves. When seeds pop, stir in split pea-ginger puree. Stir-fry for about 4 minutes. Add coconut milk and salt. Stir with the back of a spoon until there are no lumps. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

Makes 2 cups

PER TABLESPOON: 35 calories, 0 g protein, 1 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat (3 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 35 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.

Laxmi Hiremath writing in the San Francisco Chronicle, 6/24/92.

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