Simple Indian-Style Daal
- 2 cups (400 g) dried yellow, orange, or green split peas (or a combination)
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1.5 inch pieces ginger, peeled and cut in 4
- 1 tablespoon tumeric
- 1 tomato, cut into 8 wedges
- 4 small green chilies: 2 finely chopped, 2 whole
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 shallots, finely sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons cayenne
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Soak the lentils in cold water for 1 hour. Rinse in cold water until the water runs clear, then place in a large saucepan and cover with 3 cups of water. Add garlic, ginger, tumeric, tomato, and the chopped chilies.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the peas, covered with the lid sligtly open, for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring periodically and checking for softness. Pick out the tomato skins and whisk to emulsify. Add the 2 whole chilies and then keep warm while you make the spice and oil mixture (tadka).
- Heat the canola oil over high heat. When it is super hot, add the cumin seeds. Cover the pan with a lid or a splatter guard while the seeds sputter. Once they've quieted down (10 to 15 seconds), add the onion and shallots and saute over medium heat.
- After 3 minutes, add the garlic and saute until the onion is brown, another 2 minutes. Add the coriander and the cayenne, then pour the mixture over the daal and mix.
- Add the butter, the cilantro, and the salt. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
orange, garlic, ginger, tumeric, tomato, green chilies, canola oil, cumin seeds, onion, shallots, garlic, ground coriander, cayenne, butter, cilantro, salt
Taken from food52.com/recipes/25225-simple-indian-style-daal (may not work)