India, coconut and a cabbage

I was not planning to start right away with recipes as such. I thought that an introduction to what I find important and how I see things when it comes to food and the culture around it would shed more light on what I have mentioned in my first post. But sometimes, things move faster than our own thoughts. In any case, I guess that all kinds of writing reveal a bit of one's self and ideas, even if in the simplest form (because some people still think that recipes are simple but this would lead us to another discussion). So, back to our main topic. 

Today, while still in bed and trying to get familiar with Google+ (I am totally new in there by the way but I already found a very active community of food bloggers), I came across a question from someone on how to use coconut shavings  (this is grated coconut for those using a different term for it, including myself, although I found "shavings" quite representative seen the texture of this specific fruit - yes, it is a fruit, a drupe to be more specific, and not a nut as its name might indicate, at least in English and some other languages). Well, the uses are endless, as with every single ingredient, when imagination is involved. My latest favourite though (I cooked it already twice in three weeks, while I usually avoid repeating the same recipes within such a short time-span) celebrates this fruit together with other tasty ingredients we often overlook, such as the very humble lentils. The reason this became my new favourite was actually the use of a vegetable relatively new for me: the kohlrabi. I happened to notice it appearing in the supermarket during winter but I was not very fond of the idea of yet another Kohl (German for cabbage). Well, this is not your usual cabbage. It doesn't look or smell like it (the smell reminds me of radish, to be honest). And to make it more interesting, it is widely used in India! I only discovered all this when I was found with three of them delivered in my hands (the delivery: another story for a future post) and I just had to use them. Here is what I came up with after my short research on the Internet (quick note: you can stop reading right here if you are used to recipes with exact measurements to the last gram, precise times and temperatures - but freel free to ask for clarifications if you indeed go on and read it and it doesn't make much sense to you):

Put 3-4 cups of lentils to boil - if desired add a pinch of salt. While the lentils boil, peel your kohlrabi (1 or 2, to taste, I liked it more when I used 2) and dice it. Throw it in a big pan with hot oil (sesame oil worked fine for me, coconut oil is of course great match but never forget that it is very fatty) and stir fry to soften, while adding curry, cumin, chillies (or paste of it) and mustard (or mustard seeds) to taste. Your lentils will be ready by that moment - even if not softened as desired they will keep boiling together with the rest of the ingredients - and, after discarding any excess water, you can throw them in the pan with the kohlrabi mixture. This is the moment when you will add your coconut (shavings or paste), together with some coconut water, and some extra pepper and spices, if you wish. The recipe works just fine with simple tap water too, by the way, and this goes with most of its ingredients; variations are the core of it, e.g. in the kind of lentils. Lower the temperature and give some time to the ingredients to set together, especially if you opt for coconut paste, which will need several minutes to dissolve. Keep stirring and adding water, if necessary, but the final product should have a thick sauce rather than a watery one. In the meantime, during this time, prepare your rice in a different pot - again, of your preference (Feel Free to Fantasize - is this what FFF stands for?). When ready, serve together with the spicy lentils, either adding it to the mixture or separately as base/side.

I am curious to hear your comments, if you try it! It takes around 30-40 minutes, from prep to service, feeds 4 if using restaurant portions, and does not require any cooking technique. Enjoy!