This amazing and simple Punjabi style daal is absolutely packed with flavour and fragrance. Creamy, nutty and spicy too! Learn how the humble lentil can be so delicious.
Add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and peppercorns to a dry frying pan - toast for 1-2 minutes until they start to dance around the pan. Remove and add to a pestle & mortar or spice grinder and grind to a powder. Stir in the chilli powder, turmeric and salt and set aside.
Cooking the daal
Add the daal and spice powder to a pan and cover with the water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook gently (covered) for 30 minutes (stirring regularly) until the daal is tender and smooth. Remove from the heat.
NOTE: Different daal absorb water differently, so you may need to adjust your water accordingly. My recipe follows a 1:4 ratio, but you may need to either add a little more water or reduce for a while to get the right consistency. You want a thickish, creamy consistency (like a loose porridge) when cooked. If the daal is too thick, add more water and if it's too thin, reduce until thicker. Towards the end of cooking it may stick to the bottom of the pan so keep a keen eye on it.
Making the tadka
Heat the ghee in a pan until hot then add the curry leaves and cumin seeds, quickly followed by the garlic and ginger. Sizzle briefly before adding the onion and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add the tomato and sliced chillies and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and tip all the contents into the daal and stir well. Sprinkle over the cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Serve hot over rice with lime wedges, accompanied by Indian breads or alongside other Indian dishes as part of a larger feast.
Notes
Changing Dal - changing the daal type is fine - Masoor, Urad, Toor and Moong all work well.
Mixing up your own tadka - For the tadka, I sometimes stir in cooked spinach, cooked fresh or frozen Methi (fenugreek leaves). On occasion I’ll also stir in a little coconut cream for a richer, creamier version.
Whole spices - You can add different whole spices to the tadka too; try mixing in a little fennel seeds, mustard seeds, a small cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, black peppercorns, nigella seeds and more.
Storage
Fridge - The dal will stay fresh for up to a week in airtight containers.
Freezer - freeze in single portions for 3+ months. When it comes to reheating either cook from frozen in the microwave until piping hot. You may like to add a few tablespoons of water to avoid it drying out too much. Alternatively, you can defrost and reheat in a pan until piping hot.