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Simple Dal

To say there is nothing quite like a simple bowl of Dhal would be a lie - there are bowls of pasta, bowls of soup, bowls of porridge - and they are all great. But Dhal has something about it, and whilst it probably doesn't make the ones I've eaten in India any justice, this is a simple yet very rewarding dish - all you need is lentils and some good spices (plus a lot of garlic)

What you need

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For the Dhal

  1. Lentils ( 600 g) - I vary between a mixture of yellow, red, mung bean and split - either combine 2-3 or just stick to 1. If you want to use green or brown that is also okay, I just prefer the taste of the others, plus you might not reach a consistency as creamy as with the lighter lentils since they fall apart so nicely.
  2. Bay Leaves (about 6)
  3. Ground turmeric (1 tbspoon)
  4. Garlic (2 cloves)
  5. Chili (2 - dried or fresh)
  6. Salt (1 tblspoon)

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For the oil

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  1. Good quality oil (around 5 tblspoons but to be honest, the more you add, the better it will taste.) - normal cooking oil, olive, ghee, even butter will work here
  2. Garlic (I would say around 12 cloves, thinly cut. It sounds like a lot but trust me, it works)
  3. Curry leaves (anything between 10-15, depending on size)
  4. Mustard seeds (2 teaspoons)

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To serve (optional but highly recommended)

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  1. Fresh herbs - cilantro or parsley work best
  2. Cashews or other nuts - lightly dry roasted in a pan
  3. Fresh lime or lemon to squeeze on top as you are serving

Method

  1. Simply add all ingredients for the Daal in a big pot, cover with water, just so that the lentils are covered by a few centimeters and turn on the stove - you want these to be simmering, not boiling. Any foam you have coming up from the lentils, simply remove with a spoon. Other than that you can pretty much leave the lentils in peace - give it the occasional stir and that is it. Depending on the lentils you use, I would say you need around 45 mins - 1,15 hours for them to have fallen apart and created a creamy pot of heaven. Just make sure you occasionally give it a stir and add more water as required.
  2. Whilst your lentils are cooking, simply chop up all your garlic. Add with the oil to a pan and slowly heat up your pan - you want the garlic to lose its spicy pungency without burning it. When it gets too brown, garlic becomes very bitter. Once your garlic has turned all soft, add the remaining ingredients and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
  3. Once the Daal has reached the desired consistency - you want it to be super creamy - pour over the hot oil and mix slightly just as you are serving.
  4. Serve with fresh herbs, roasted cashews, some chili oil, etc. This is also delicious scooped up with some warm bread or some sort of flatbread.

Also good this season

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