Name: Fennel and parsnip tarka dal
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: Naan breads, rice or chapattis, to serve; 1 large parsnip, peeled and cut into 5 cm long batons; ¼ cup (35 g) flaked almonds, toasted; 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds; 2 green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped; 4 cups (1 litre) vegetable stock; 1 teaspoon vegetable oil; 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; pinch of asafoetida – optional; 2 fennel bulbs, tops and roots cut off, outer layer peeled with a vegetable peeler, then diced; 1 red onion, finely chopped; ¾ teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon mustard seeds; 1 bunch (75 g) coriander (cilantro), leaves only, finely chopped; 5 cm ginger, finely chopped; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 2 bay leaves; 2 large tomatoes, diced; 1 tablespoon cumin seeds; 1 teaspoon chilli powder; 1 cup (200 g) red split lentils

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Medium
Ready in
1 hr

Appears in

Jackfruit and Blue Ginger

By Sasha Gill

Published 2019

About

If I had to eat one meal for the rest of my life, I would choose dal in a heartbeat. It was a weekly staple when I was growing up, and I used to tear into fresh rounds of homemade chapatti just to mop my plate clean. This is a version I first made when I was homesick and in desperate need of a winter treat. Parsnip and fennel are perhaps unusual additions to a dal, but together they give it an almost herby, anise-like twang.