Cuisine: Indian Cooking time: 1.5 hour Preparation Time: 15 mins plus soaking time Serves: 4 – 6 people, depending how you use it
Ingredients
Whole urad dal (black lentils)150g
Rajma (red kidney beans) 50g
Ginger, peeled 10g
Garlic 2 – 3cloves
Green chillies 2
Salt to taste
Channa dal (Bengal gram dal, also Ok to use chickpeas/garbanzo beans) 50g
For Tadka
Ghee 50g
Cumin 1 tspn
Garlic 2 – 3 cloves
Pinch asafoetida powder
Fenugreek seed0 5 tspn
Tomato paste or puree 100g
To Garnish
Butter 100g
Cream 30 ml
More chilli powder 0.5 tspn
Garam masala0.5 tspn
Method
Soak all of the lentils (urad, rajma and channa dal) in water for 6 hours, or preferably overnight. Wash four times, changing the water each time.
Chop the garlic, ginger and green chillies finely.
Boil all of the lentils with the ginger, garlic, green chillies and salt, and simmer until lentils are well cooked. Drain off excess water and mash the lentils lightly with the back of a ladle.
To make the tadka, heat the ghee or oil in a heavy pan until hot, and add the cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds, and stir until they crackle. Add the garlic and fry until beginning to colour. Add the asafoetida powder and tomato puree and stir for a minute. Add to the cooked dal, mixing well. Bring the dal to the boil again, adding the chilli powder, butter and cream. Simmer gently for 30 minutes.
