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PrintIngredients
For 4 Person(s)
For the dal
- 400 g split dried fava beans
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 4 cm piece of root ginger, peeled and cut into half a dozen chunks
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 5 small green chillies, 2 finely chopped, 2 or 3 left whole
For the tarka
- 2 tbsp oil - ideally groundnut or ghee, but sunflower is fine
- 2 shallots, finely sliced (or a small red onion)
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- bunch of fresh coriander, chopped to serve
Directions
The dal:
Put the beans in a large heavy-bottomed pan with a lid and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil for 10 minutes then drain, rinse and return to the pan. This time cover with about 2 litres of cold water, bring back to the boil and add the garlic, ginger, turmeric and chopped chillies with a pinch of salt. Turn down the heat and put the lid on – leaving space for steam to escape.
Simmer the dal very gently, stirring occasionally and checking that it isn’t sticking – add a little more water if required. After 30 to 40 minutes the beans will have broken down and become creamy.
Now either add a little boiling water or reduce the dal further to achieve your preferred consistency. Season to taste – be quite bold with the salt and perhaps try a little sugar. Stir in the two whole chillies and simmer for a further 15 minutes.
The tarka:
Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the shallots. Stir until golden and beginning to crisp, but don’t allow to burn. Add the dried spices and cook for a couple of minutes until the mustard seeds are popping.
To serve:
Stir the spices and shallots (the tarka) and half the chopped coriander into the dal. Garnish with the remaining chopped coriander.
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