Post-disaster cooking

This dinner got onto the table after a series of disasters. The fridge stopped working (but started immediately after I called the guy we bought it off to complain); we had an ant invasion; my battles with the electric stove continued, as evidenced by my ability to burn something with the element turned to the lowest setting.

These are both from 660 Curries: on the left is Cumin-scented Split Green Lentils and on the right is a very adapted version of Cabbage and Peas with Roasted Mustard Seeds and Lentils. (My first attempt involved burnt mustard seeds. I tried to cool the pan by throwing in almost all of the cabbage, which resulted, as you might expect, in burnt-mustard-tasting cabbage. My second attempt bolstered the small amount of remaining cabbage with potatoes and cauliflower.)

Two firsts tonight: my first use of asafetida powder (in the dal) and toasted urad dal (in the cabbage and peas).