Red Split Lentils with Cabbage Review

4.5 stars (on a 5 star scale)
p. 166

A very good, nice, mellow combination of lentils, onions, tomatoes, and cabbage. I think all the spices--garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, green chilies--contributed to the flavor. I especially liked the crunch of the onions. Although I usually don't like dals, especially stewy ones, I definitely liked this dish. And, for those like me who prefer less soupy dishes, rest assured that the leftovers are less liquidy. (In fact, despite the stewy nature of the freshly made dish, I'd still give it 4.5 stars on taste alone.)

Some notes on the ingredients:

• I estimated the amount of cabbage to use. The recipe calls for 225 grams. The large head I bought weighed 1200 grams. I used a fraction of it, probably 300-400 grams.
• I cut the oil in half to apparently no ill effect.
• The recipe suggests using one to two green chilies. I used two, but removed most of the seeds to tone them down.
• I used two small tomatoes, not one medium tomato.
• I used a quarter of a teaspoon of ground ginger instead of half a teaspoon freshly grated ginger.

Regarding the preparation, the recipe says to "stir and fry the cabbage mixture for about 10 minutes until it begins to brown and turn slightly crisp." The mixture didn't turn brown or crisp (nor would I expect cabbage to brown and crisp unless cooked and burnt at very high heat--I'd normally expect the cabbage to soften).