Cooking for One

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I have a secret: I love to cook for myself. There is something so independent, so self-satisfyingly indulgent about cooking for one. My husband is an absolute treasure as far as eating what I put before him (most of the time), but sometimes I like to formulate a meal, from start to finish, based on exactly what I am craving at the moment, and taking no one else's opinions into account.

When my parents left me and my sister with babysitters, I used to beg for TV dinners. I just loved the junkiness of the fare, dinosaur chicken nuggets and all. I seem to have actually grown up, since tonight I opted for something a little more adult than Kid's Cuisine. I am in love with Indian food, but I rarely prepare it. I decided to make dal, basmati rice, mango-coconut martinis, and fresh mango for dessert.

Coconut-Mango Martinis
Makes 2 drinks

1 fresh coconut
1 fresh mango
2 shots vodka
ice
small strips of mango or coconut for garnish

Crack coconut over a bowl with a hammer, being careful not to lose any "water" (the liquid inside the coconut). Slice mango open, minding the pit in the center.* Squeeze the juice from the pit of the mango into the bowl with the coconut juice, making sure to add bits of mango pulp. Pour mango-coconut mixture in a shaker with ice and vodka. Shake thoroughly and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with mango or coconut strips.

*The best way is with a mango slicer, a cheap and effective tool.

Amanda's Dal
Serves 1 (with leftovers)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup lentils (not split peas)
3 cups water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon tumeric
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 squeeze red chili sauce (such as Sriracha)
1/2 cup basmati rice
1 cup water

pita bread wedges

chopped jalapeno

chopped tomato

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook onions and thinly sliced garlic in oil until browned, approximately ten minutes, stirring often. Pour mixture into a bowl and to the saucepan add lentils, 3 cups of water, minced garlic, tumeric, cumin, ginger and chili sauce. Bring to a boil and cook over medium low heat for approximately 35 minutes, or until lentils are soft.

Meanwhile, bring rice and 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan, and turn heat to low and simmer for 18 minutes or until water is fully absorbed.
To serve, put a 1/4 cup of rice in a shallow bowl. Top with 3/4 cup dal, and garnish with chopped jalapenos and tomatoes. Serve with pita wedges.

For dessert, I just cubed the remaining mango and garnished it with a few slivers of coconut that I stripped off with a vegetable peeler.