Green Split Pea Dhal with Mixed Vegetables, Israeli Couscous Blend (No Added Fat)

I made dinner not just for my family but thought that I'd get a start on cooking for some clients, so decided to make a large pot of mixed vegetables with split peas. My clients don't eat much spice, so I just used a little bit of ginger and added other spices to our portions after cooking. Here is what I did:


Ingredients

• 2 2/3 cups green (or yellow) split pea, sorted with debris eliminated and then rinsed
• 8 cups water
• (Optional) vegan bouillon cube; I skipped
• 1 t finely chopped (1/8") ginger
• 16 oz frozen cubed vegetables (I used a carrot-pea-corn-green bean combination)
• Approx. 1/4 t salt
• 2T fresh squeezed lime (or lemon) juice
• Approx. 1/8 t each lemon pepper, turmeric
• Approx. 1/4 t ground cumin

Process

1. I added the split pea, water, ginger, and vegetables to the Instant Pot pressure cooker and cooked under high pressure for 6m. I was a bit concerned that the 6-quart pot was maybe 2/3 full, and I know that foods that foam, like split peas and lentils, should generally not be cooked with the pot more than halfway full.
2. Once it was done, I waited a few minutes then slowly let out the steam till I could open the pot. Indeed, I got a bit of foam on the top, but I could easily clean it.
3. The dish had significant liquid, so I poured it through a strainer to thicken it a bit, then added the salt and lime juice.
4. I reserved most of the dish for my clients and put about 1/4 of what I made, for my family, in a separate large bowl, to which I added the lemon pepper, turmeric, and cumin, then served.

I also made some some "harvest grains" that I had purchased from Trader Joe's as I described in late January as "a mix of Israeli couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans, and red quinoa made simply by using a ratio of 5 parts grain to 7 parts water, along with a vegan bouillon cube, that I brought to a low 10-minute simmer". I also added a little salt.

Results

I had planned a thick and not runny main dish, but was happy to serve it in bowls and call it a dhal. All of us, including my Kindergartener, loved the dish. The harvest grain was good.

Ideas for the future

I am not sure why the dish came out so liquidy initially. I would like to try making this with a little less water next time. More ginger and some jalapeno would have enhanced the dish.