Name: Simmered lentils (Chana dal)
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 200 g/7 oz dry lentils; 2 red onions, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon mixed ginger and garlic purée; vegetable oil; salt; 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; 4 fresh green chillies; chopped fresh coriander leaves; 1 tablespoon red chilli powder; 3 tomatoes, finely chopped; 1 heaped teaspoon cumin seeds

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Floyd's India

By Keith Floyd

Published 2001

About

You can use black, yellow, green, whatever lentils you like, but the important thing is you must first wash them well and leave them to soak in fresh water for an hour.

Ingredients

200 g/7 oz dry lentils
1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Method

Cook the lentils with the turmeric and some salt in just enough water to cover until they are tender but not completely cooked and the water has evaporated.
Heat the oil in a karai or a saucepan, add the cumin seeds and fry until they crackle. Add the onions and sauté until golden brown.
Stir in the ginger and garlic purée and the chilli powder