Mum’s Daal

(from joefish’s recipe box)

This is a staple dish in India where I grew up, and something you could cook any time of the year since it doesn’t need too many ingredients. It’s just as tasty as the more complicated versions that you can find in recipe books. I eat this with roti, brown rice, or make it more watery for a tasty soup. The advantage to having this outside India is that you don’t have to watch out for the occasional small stone mixed in with the lentils :)

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Serves 2 people

Categories: Indian, curry, healthy, soup, vegan, vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 1 large onion (or 2 medium), chopped
  • ghee or oil
  • 4 cms of ginger, very finely chopped
  • 4-5 cloves of garlic
  • 1 green chilli, or half a teaspoon of chili flakes (optional)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander (seeds)
  • 1 teaspoon nigella
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 chopped tomatoes or 200 gms tinned tomatoes (without citric acid)
  • 3-10 cups of water, to suit desired consistency

Directions

  1. Rinse the lentils well in several changes of cold water then put in a saucepan with plenty of water (4 cups) and slowly bring to the boil

  2. Simmer for 10 – 15 minutes and check the tenderness of the lentils. Add ½ teaspoon salt and leave to cool while you start preparing the rest of the ingredients.

  3. Melt one teaspoon of Ghee in a large deep frying pan or large saucepan

  4. Add the chopped onions and chili and fry stirring until the onions become translucent

  5. Peel and chop the Garlic and Ginger and add them to the pan and fry for a few minutes, make sure the garlic doesn’t burn or caramelise (yet)

  6. Add the Cumin, Turmeric, Coriander, and Nigella then continue to cook gently stirring all the time and the onions are fully coated with the spices and look brown

  7. Add the tomatoes and the bay leaf, stir for a few minutes then pour in the lentils and half the water

  8. Simmer gently then test to see if more salt is needed

  9. At this point you might want to add more tomatoes or more of the water

  10. Continue simmering for about five minutes taking care not to let it get dry. It should be runny, not the consistency of peas pudding.

  11. For extra zest add some lemon or limejuice or finely chopped coriander leaves a few minutes before serving

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