Dal Tarka

I love dal! it's delicious and a great quick side dish for all your curry needs.

1 cup masoor dal (split red lentils)

1/4 cup moong dal (split yellow lentils)

2 green chillies, slit

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp grated garlic

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

salt to taste

3 tbsp ghee

1 tsp mustard seeds (black or yellow is fine)

1 1/2 tsp nigella seeds (make sure they don’t sell you black sesame! Indians call nigella kalonji)

1 whole dry red chilli, chopped up finely (remove the seeds if you don’t like it too hot)

1/2 a sliced onion

1 chopped roma tomato

coriander

Rinse the dals in water (about 3 – 4 washes, strain through a sieve).  Drain and put in a pot with the chilli, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder and 3 cups of water.  Bring to the boil then turn down the heat and simmer uncovered until the dal is tender (about 25 min).  Remove the chillies and give the dal a brisk stir so it goes all mushy and delicious.

In a separate pot, heat the ghee and add the mustard seeds and nigella seeds. When the mustard seeds start to spit, add the red chilli and onions and sauté until the onions turn golden and crispy (but don't burn them!)

Add the tomatoes and sauté for a further 3-4 minutes.  Add to the dal and mix well.  Start adding salt.  You want to keep adding until you can really taste the buttery ghee – this is the point of dal perfection.  Stop then or you’ll ruin it and just have salty dal – but not enough salt and it will be bland dal.  It’s a fine dal line you’re walking here, so be careful. Serve hot garnished with coriander.