Dal via Ravi

Dinner of a weekday evening need not be stressful or expensive.  Those nights when you are planning to have a jacket potato or beans on toast, why not do as I did this week and make some dal. *takes off Martha Stewart hat.

Usually one component in a meal of many, dal with bread and cooked with some veg is more than enough to satisfy.  The spicyness, of which you are in complete control of, entirely makes up for any missing meat.  Even raving carnivore Barn approves.

Inspired and instructed by good friend Ravi, who's family hail from Punjab.  I made this with the family Garam Masala she bequeathed to me the last time I had dinner at hers and Bugerac blogger Gavs flat.  The preparation of which is two fold.  

Firstly, you need to cook the Dal (lentils), I used yellow split pea, in water, with a teapsoon of tumeric, a garlic clove halved and a slice of ginger.  Roughly two handfuls per person of lentils and cover with a couple of inches of water.  Bring to boil, skim as you go, and then simmer whilst you make your spice mix. It should take around 20-30 mins for the lentils to cook (don't add salt until the end as the lentils will have a hard skin).

In another pan with vegetable oil, I fry half an onion and half a chopped courgette.  Add chopped garlic, ginger and a whole chilli that has been pricked to release its heat.  Then I add a tablespoon of garam masala, a teaspoon on ground cumin, a teaspoon of mustard seeds and fry these for a couple of minutes.  Finally I add 1 chopped tomato to the mix to moisten it.  You might not use courgette, you could use spinach instead (put this in last though), or no other veg at all.  I like the green.  

Check your lentils, I like them with a bit of bite.  If they are done, rather than blend into an oblivion, you need to get a whisk and just stir it until some of the lentils break up and thicken the liquid, you'll know when you've done it enough, it should be the consistency of porridge with lentils in it (dal).

Stir in the spice and veg mix to the lentils, season very well, throw in some curry leaves and eat with warm chapatti's and yogurt.

Yellow Split Pea lentils (a handful per person)

2 x Cloves of garlic

1/2 thumb of ginger

1/2 onion

1/2 courgette or 2 handfuls of spinach

tablespoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon corriander

1 tomato diced

teaspoon mustard seeds

teaspoon of dried curry leaves

warm chapattis and yoghurt to serve

1 chilli