South Indian Five-Star Dal
vegetarian | contains dairy
cooking time: 1 hour plus 4 hours to soak the lentils
serves two
This spicy and flavourful mixed dal consists of five different types of lentils. Extra small additions of unsoaked dal are also added to the tempered spices for texture, inserting a slight crunchiness to the dish. For vegans, substitute canola oil for the ghee. Serve over rice, or with your choice of bread.
Ingredients:
For soaking:
2 tablespoons masoor dal (red lentils)
2 tablespoons moong dal (green gram/mung bean)
2 tablespoons chana dal (Bengal gram)
2 tablespoons white urad dal (split skinless black gram)
2 tablespoons toor dal (split pigeon pea)
For the baghar (hot oil infusion):
¼ cup clarified butter (ghee)
¼ cup finely chopped red onions
½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon dry chana dal
½ teaspoon dry urad dal
½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh garlic
½ teaspoon fresh or dried curry leaves
½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
½ teaspoon turmeric
pinch asafoetida (hing), optional
2 fresh green cayenne peppers
¾ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups lukewarm water
Utensils:
mixing bowl
3-litre medium-sized saucepan with lid
Method:
In a medium-sized bowl, wash all five varieties of lentils in several changes of cold water until the water drains off mostly clear. Drain a final time before refilling the bowl with clean lukewarm water so the water level is at least 1 inch above the lentils. Let the lentils soak on the counter for 4 hours.
Once the lentils have soaked sufficiently, prepare the hot oil infusion (baghar). First, heat the oil and onions together in a medium-sized saucepan on MEDIUM. Stir for a few minutes until the oil is hot, then reduce the heat to MEDIUM-LOW.
Add the mustard seeds and stir for 15 seconds—the seeds should sizzle and turn grey.
Add the cumin. Stir for a few seconds until fragrant and medium brown.
Next add a ½ teaspoon each of dry chana dal and dry urad dal.
Mix in the following spices, in quick succession: garlic, curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, ginger, turmeric, asafoetida and fresh cayenne. Keep stirring for 4–5 minutes so that the onions sweat and start to become translucent.
Drain the water from the bowl of soaking lentils. Add the lentils to the pan with the onions and spices.
Add the salt and 1¼ cups of water. Stir for 30 seconds. Increase the heat to MEDIUM. Cover the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes.
Monitor the dal. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to LOW.
Keep the pan covered and let it slow cook for 40–45 minutes, only lifting the lid to stir every 10 minutes.
Test for doneness: the chana dal should be soft to the bite, but not mushy. Remember, there will still be a few crunchy lentils that were added to the baghar. Remove the dal from the heat and serve hot.
Tip: You can soak the dal overnight if you plan on cooking the dal in the morning, or you can start soaking in the morning in advance of an evening or afternoon meal. Don't leave soaking dal out at room temperature for more than 12 hours, unless you want it to start fermenting. Soaking the dal in the fridge helps stave off fermentation but makes the lentils hard. So plan ahead and do Step 1 separately, at the right time and in its entirety before beginning to cook. If you are pressed for time, you can get away with soaking the dal in hot tap water (not boiling) for 2-3 hours.