Red Lentil Dal with Carrot Salad and Coriander Flatbreads

Dal:

• 5 cups water, divided
• 3/4 cup dried small red lentils
• 1 tablespoon canola oil 
• 3/4 cup chopped onion 
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 2 serrano chiles, minced
• 2 ounces spinach (about 4 cups loosely packed)

Salad:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil 
• 1 teaspoon grated lime rind
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 cups shaved carrot (about 2 large)
• 1 cup thinly vertically sliced onion 
• 1 cup cilantro leaves

Flatbreads:

• 4 1-ouncce pieces refrigerated fresh pizza dough
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Remaining ingredient:

• 1 1/3 cups hot cooked long-grain brown rice

To prepare dal, combine 3 cups water and lentils in a bowl. Let stand 20 minutes; drain.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil; swirl to coat. Add the chopped onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add ginger and next 6 ingredients (through serranos); sauté for 30 seconds. Add lentils and remaining 2 cups water to pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 23 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts.

To prepare salad, combine 2 tablespoons oil, rind, juice, and sugar in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add carrot, sliced onion, and cilantro; toss to coat.

To prepare flatbreads, shape each dough portion into a 5-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Coat dough with cooking spray. Heat a grill pan over high heat. Add 2 dough portions to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly charred. Repeat the procedure with remaining dough. Combine coriander and 1/4 teaspoon salt; sprinkle over hot flatbreads. Serve with rice, dal, and salad. 

Serves 4 (1/2 c. dal, 1 c. salad, 1 flatbread, 1/3 c. rice); 410 calories.

VERDICT:  I probably shouldn't have tried to make all of these on a Monday night--I didn't really pay attention to how many components there were--but everything turned out pretty well.  The salad, especially, was lovely--bright and refreshing--and the pizza dough flatbreads were a revelation.  So easy, and the coriander salt was a little addictive.  Keep.