“This is my favourite dal and have been enjoying it since childhood, my mother would always make double the quantity and save it for the next day as it tasted much better served cold with a really hot crispy tikkar – a crispy Sindhi style thick roti with a lot of desi ghee”

Ingredients

• 100g Chana dal
• 100g split black urad dal
• 100g split green moong dal
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 green chillies
• 2 tsp cooking oil
• 2 tsp desi ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 100g chopped onion
• 150g chopped tomato
• 1.5 tsp chopped garlic
• 1tsp chopped ginger
• 2tsp chopped coriander
• 1/2 tsp garam masala

Method

1. Mix the three different lentil and wash in cold running water until the water runs clear, then allow to soak for at least half an hour in 750ml of lukewarm water.
2. In a large pot, add the dal and the water, turmeric and whole green chillies. Bring to the boil, skim the surface and remove and scum, cover the pot and allow to cook a medium low heat. If you have a pressure cooker this process may be speeded up.
3. Ensure that the dal is full cooked and add some more water if the dal is very thick.
4. In a frying pan you can now prepare the tempering or ‘tarka’. Heat the oil and desi ghee, add the cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the chopped onions and fry until light brown.
5. Add the chopped garlic and ginger and cook for a few minutes, then add the chopped tomato and chilli poweder. Allow the cook until the oil leaves the mix.
6. Add the tarka to the dal, along with salt to taste, and the garam masala. Cook on a low heat for ten minutes. Serve hot, garnished with chopped fresh coriander.

SERVES 4 • Prep time: 15 minutes • Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 250g left-over cooked chana dal
• 280g Whole wheat or chapatti flour
• A handful of fresh, finely-chopped coriander – handful
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 100ml water approx. (depending on consistency)
• Spices for rice
• 1 tsp carom seeds
• Salt – to taste
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil – 4 tbsp

Method

1. To make the dough mix the flour, cooked lentils, coriander, green chillies, carom seeds, a little oil and salt together in a large bowl.
2. First mix the lentils well with the dough and see if water is required. Add water gradually, kneading all the time with your hand (for 8-10 mins) to make the dough firm and smooth. Cover and leave to rest for at 10-15 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into small to medium balls. Roll the balls in the palms of your hands. Dust the balls lightly with flour and roll into flat round circles using a board and rolling pin. Apply a little oil or ghee on this circle.
4. Then roll it up lengthways, like a Swiss roll. Now holding one end start rolling inwards like a cinnamon roll.
5. Flatten this round roll slightly with your fingers and lightly dust with flour. Roll again into a circle but make sure to not roll very thin.
6. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat until it is quite hot. Place the rolled parathas onto the pan and turn up the heat slightly. You will see the paratha puffing up from the base on some sides. Flip the paratha and apply ghee on this side. Wait for the other side to puff up and flip again cooking until at least one side goes crisp. Serve hot with any lentil or vegetable dish.

Top tip: It’s best practice to let the dough rest so you can even make the dough in advance but make sure to bring to room temperature before cooking.

“This recipe was inspired by a visit to Prashad in Bradford. The head chef Minal Patel showed me her recipe for channa dhal and it was amazing. She used four different types of lentils, cooked separately then blended together with all the other ingredients. Usually, the channa dhal you get at a curry house is made simply from channa lentils, so I’ve simplified Minal’s recipe a little for you here. If you like channa dhal, you’re going to love this one.”

Ingredients

• 300g (1⅔ cups) channa dhal, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• About 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 3 tbsp ghee
• ½ tsp brown mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• Pinch of asafoetida
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, cut into slivers
• 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• 1–5 fresh green bullet chillies, to taste, finely chopped
• 3 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp garam masala
• Salt
• Chopped fresh coriander (cilantro), to serve

Method

1. Drain the lentils and rinse in several changes of water, then place in a saucepan with 700ml (3 cups) fresh water. Bring to a boil and drizzle the oil on top to stop the water from foaming over the top. Reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils are soft but with just a little bite to them, 45–60 minutes, skimming off any foam that does form. Do not strain; allow the water to reduce down.
2. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, melt the ghee over a high heat.
3. When it is visibly very hot, toss in the mustard seeds. They will begin to pop. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the cumin seeds and asafoetida. Temper in the oil for about 30 seconds and then add the turmeric and onion and fry until soft and translucent, 3–5 minutes should do the job. Stir in the slivered garlic, garlic and ginger paste and chillies, and cook, stirring continuously, for another 30 seconds.
4. Returning to the dhal, reduce the heat to medium and stir in the chopped tomatoes, coriander and cumin, and bring to a happy simmer. Keep warm.
5. You can leave the dhal as it is once cooked, or whisk or blend until creamy. Stir the onion and ghee mixture into the lentils and sprinkle with garam masala. To serve, add salt to taste and top with a little chopped coriander (cilantro).

This recipe was contributed by Dan Toombs, author of The Curry Guy.

Photo courtesy Dan Toombs