Spiced Sunshine Dahl

Wed, 8 March 2023

Erica Drum's Spiced Sunshine Dahl

This is specifically for days of darkness and miserable weather, but of course tastes delicious any day!

Takes 30mins

Makes 4 portions

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons oil for frying

• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds

• 1 large white onion, finely diced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced (plus 1 more for the topping)

• 1 thumb ginger, minced

• 2 teaspoon garam masala

• 2 teaspoons tumeric

• 1 teaspoon chilli powder

• 2 tablespoons tomato puree or 1 tin chopped tomatoes

• 250g Chana dal/yellow moong dal/yellow split peas/red lentils

• 4 tablespoons ghee

• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 1 dried chilli

• 4-5 curry leaves

• Sea-salt

Optional items to serve with your dal - yogurt, flatbreads, white rice, coriander, mint, lime.

Method:

1. Place a large pot over a medium heat, add your oil and warm it for a minute or two.
2. Next add your cumin seeds and allow to fry for a minute, they shoud be popping and cracking in the oil.
3. Pop in your onion and fry until golden brown for 6-7 minutes.
4. Next pop in your garlic and ginger, cook gently and keep stirring so it doesn’t stick.
5. Now fry off your spices in the pan – garam masala, turmeric and chilli for 30 seconds before adding the tomato puree.
6. Rinse your chana dal very well until water runs clear.
7. Add your chana into the pan, cover with 1 litre of water and stir well.
8. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 1 hour.
9. In the meantime, melt some ghee or butter over a medium heat in a frying pan.
10. Add in 1 minced clove of garlic, 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 dried chilli , 4-5 curry leaves & some seasalt.
11. Once your dal is soft and cooked you can mash it up a little and then add some more water to loosen it. Season with sea salt to taste.
12. Serve with a drizzle of your spiced butter.
13. I love to give a dollop of yogurt, chopped coriander & garlic flatbread.