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Salads & Suppers, Sides, x For Freezer x

A pot of Really Good Daal

During these biting wintry weekends, daal can be a life-enriching experience. It’s a form of spellbinding magic. My nostrils do an all-consuming samba as I inhale a whole load of happiness that only food chemists could explain. This is daal – noun, verb, adjective, it’s much more than a bowl of hot legumes.

Food is always my first medicinal port of call. I prepare daal to soothe indolent moods and sore hearts. It’s got to have lots of sizzling garlic and blood-thumping ginger. Like a hug, these are to help us feel grounded yet simultaneously lifted, something Indian cooking almost always achieves. The injection of chilli is life’s defibrillator – the bigger the burn, the quicker we wake and shake.

 

 

 

Yellow Daal

Serves 3-5

This daal’s got more kick than a bunny in heat. Yellow split peas will give the daal a chunkier consistency, boiled until softly crushed then stirred into slow cooked onions and spiked with spices.

Namaste, from my little Indian love nest.

 

250g yellow split peas, rinsed
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
3 tablespoons coconut oil, butter or ghee
1 white onion, finely diced
4 fat cloves of garlic
1 red chilli, sliced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Chunk of ginger, lightly peeled and grated
Squeeze of lime
Generous handful of plum tomatoes, halved
Natural yoghurt, to serve
Fresh coriander, to serve

 

Cook the split peas and ground turmeric in a small deep pan, covering with unsalted water. Let them putt-putter for 30-45 minutes until you can crush the peas between your thumb and forefinger. You’re looking for a soupy consistency.

While the peas gurgle away, gently colour the onions in your preferred form of fat (butter, coconut oil or ghee) over a low flame for 12 minutes. Turn up the flame, add the crushed garlic, chilli, cumin and grated ginger, stirring for a few minutes to prevent charring.

Now you can add the lime, fresh tomatoes and turn the heat right down to let the flavours socialise under a lid. After 10 minutes of cooking, stir through the cooked split peas. Serve in large bowls alongside some natural yoghurt and freshly torn coriander leaves. A plump poached egg also serves us well.

 

 

 

 

 

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6 Comments

  • Reply Molly December 7, 2017 at 2:32 pm

    Looks great, but did parsley step in to play the role of cilantro for the beauty shot?

    • Reply Susan Jane December 19, 2017 at 9:55 pm

      Totally! Coriander tastes much better with it though. My one was wilted and a little camera shy!

  • Reply TKG December 21, 2017 at 8:44 pm

    Really good recipe! I’ve always made dhal with red lentils and been somewhat disappointed. Yellow split peas are a game-changer. 

    • Reply Susan Jane December 29, 2017 at 8:42 pm

      Nice one! I’m making it again tomorrow, so you may feel a toast your way!

  • Reply Niamh Comber January 31, 2018 at 2:20 pm

    Hi! sounds like a great recipe but I have a question – do you drain the water from the lentils or leave it in and add the entire to the rest of the ingredients?
    thanks, Niamh

    • Reply Susan Jane February 3, 2018 at 8:03 pm

      No draining required for red lentils. They are the biz! SJ

    Leave a Reply to TKG Cancel Reply

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