Indian Dal (lentil stew)

Name: Indian Dal (lentil stew)
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 1 cup (200 g) split red lentils (masoor dal); 3½ cups water; ½ tsp turmeric; 1 medium tomato, chopped; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 1 tsp grated ginger; 1 to 2 green chilies, slit; 1 tsp salt, or to taste; For the tempering (tadka): 3 tbsp ghee; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 4 cloves garlic, chopped; 2 dried red chilies, broken; A pinch of asafoetida (hing), optional; ½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder; ¼ tsp garam masala; Juice of ½ lemon; 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander; To serve: plain basmati rice or roti flatbread

InternationalIndian40 minServes 4

"Dal" is the Hindi word for split pulses such as lentils, and also for the dish cooked from them, an everyday food in Indian cuisine. When the finished dal is topped with hot ghee, cumin and garlic it is called "dal tadka", meaning "tempered dal", and it is usually served with rice or roti. We have no documented historical account of who first made it.

Origin of the dish: The Indian subcontinent

Ingredients for Indian Dal

1 cup(200 g) split red lentils (masoor dal)
3½ cupswater
½ tspturmeric
1medium tomato, chopped
1small onion, finely chopped
1 tspgrated ginger
1 to 2green chilies, slit
1 tspsalt, or to taste
For the tempering (tadka): 3 tbsp ghee
1 tspcumin seeds
4 clovesgarlic, chopped
2dried red chilies, broken
A pinch of asafoetida (hing), optional
½ tspKashmiri chili powder
¼ tspgaram masala
Juice of ½ lemon
3 tbspchopped fresh coriander
To serveplain basmati rice or roti flatbread

Method

Rinse the lentils in cold water 3 times until the water runs clear, then drain.
Put the lentils in a pot with the water, turmeric, tomato, onion, ginger and green chilies. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, lower the heat and partly cover.
Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils break down and turn creamy. Add the salt, and if it is too thick add a little hot water; whisk it by hand for a smoother texture.
For the tadka: heat the ghee in a small pan over medium heat, add the cumin seeds and let them crackle for about 20 seconds.
Add the garlic and fry until light golden (about 1 minute), then the dried chilies and asafoetida. Take the pan off the heat and add the Kashmiri chili, since it turns bitter quickly on the heat.
Pour the hot tadka straight over the lentils and cover the pot immediately for 5 minutes so the flavour soaks in.
Stir in the garam masala, lemon juice and coriander, adjust the salt and serve hot with rice or roti.

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