This is a very basic dal. The main message is, use four times as much water as the weight in lentils, then when the lentils are cooked and salted to taste, fry the spices in oil, and stir in. It is an excellent side-dish.
I get a lot of my spices by mail order from seasoned pioneers, such as the asafoetida in this dish.
INGREDIENTS:
- 200g red lentils
- 800ml water
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp oil or butter
- 1/8 tsp asafoetida
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1-2 hot whole dried chillies
- 1 shallot, in slivers
METHOD:
- Put the red lentils in a saucepan with the water, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for around 30 minutes until the lentils are breaking up. Check from time to time and stir to prevent the dal from sticking. Turn of the heat, and stir in the salt when the lentils are broken up.
- Pour the oil/ghee/butter into a small pan, and bring to a medium high temperature. Add the asafoetida, then cumin and then the peppers in that order, stirring once before each addition. As soon as the spices start to darken, add the shallot, cook until that starts to colour, and then pour into the cooked dal. Stir to mix and then serve.
Dal, by itself, is a great light meal with a bit of nan bread to scoop it up. It is also excellent as a side dish in a more substantial meal, served in a small bowl.