Date:    Mon, 04 Oct 93 10:53:56 CDT
From:    cgibas@wraightc3.life.uiuc.edu (Cynthia J. Gibas)


'Yam in gravy' (that's what my cookbook calls it)

in a large soup pot:

dry-pop 2 t black mustard seeds

add:

4-5 largeish yams (or sweet potatoes), sliced into 1/2" thick rounds
1 T turmeric
pinch asafoetida (more if it's the compounded-with-turmeric variety)
several curry leaves (yes, they really exist.  they're hard to find, so, OPT)
5-10 (or more) dried red chilies or a few fresh ones, or red pepper flakes
  to taste 
1 c. faux coconut milk (soy + coco flavor)
paste extracted from a raquetball-sized lump of tamarind pulp, or a couple
  tsp of preprepared tamarind paste
water to cover + 2" yams

and cook uncovered until yams are just short of fully cooked. 

cook separately until fairly mushy:

1.5-2 c. of the small, reddish-orange lentils (egyptian red lentils,
thuvar dal )

and add to the big pot

cook for a little while, it should be fairly thick

add lemon juice and chopped cilantro to taste

serve over rice with Patak's mango pickle.