For me, you just can't beat a bowl of dal on a Friday night, it's the ultimate comfort food with the added bonus of being really cheap and easy to make. I've strayed away from the traditional chana dal and used red split lentils in this recipe as they cook a little quicker (so I get to eat sooner!). The dal is delicious on its own, but the tarka (the spicy oil that is added at the end) really ramps up the flavour to another level. Delicious served warm, with a squeeze of lemon and a couple of warm chapattis or Naan breads.
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the dal
250g red split lentils
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I like to use ghee as it adds a real richness to the dish)
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tbsp garlic paste (from a jar)
1 1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp chilli powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
4 fresh tomatoes, deseeded and finely chopped (or 1/2 tin chopped tomatoes)
900ml - 1litre water
For the tarka
2 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
1 tsp black mustard seeds (optional, careful when cooking as they can 'pop' out of the pan!)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp garlic paste
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chilli powder
Directions
For the dal
Heat the oil (or ghee, if using) in a large, heavy based pan.
Fry the onions over a medium to low heat for 15 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
Lower the heat, add the garlic, ginger, and fry for 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes, turmeric, chilli powder and salt and stir together well, cook for a further 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add the lentils and the cold water (approximately 1 litre).
Allow to cook over a medium to low heat until the lentils are soft and they have absorbed the liquid (anywhere between 30-40 minutes, check regularly and stir to avoid any sticking to the bottom of the pan), adding more water if necessary, you don't want it to be too dry.
For the tarka
Heat the ghee in a pan over a medium heat.
Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and fry until the mustard seeds start to pop and they release their aroma.
Add the garlic paste, grated ginger, garam masala, ground coriander and chilli powder and stir, frying for 1 minute.
Season well with salt and then spoon the tarka on top of the dal and stir through.
Sprinkle over some freshly chopped coriander and serve with a wedge of lemon and a couple of warm chapattis.
Delicious x