Lentil Dhal with Garlic and Whole Spices

Name: Lentil Dhal with Garlic and Whole Spices
Yield: Serves 4–6
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 8–10 fresh curry leaves; 1 onion, chopped; fresh green chillies, seeded and chopped; 40 g/1 ½ oz/3 tbsp ghee or butter; 40 g/1 ½ oz/3 tbsp ghee or butter; 45 ml/3 tbsp roasted garlic purée (see Cook’s tip); 5 ml/1 tsp ground cumin; 15 ml/1 tbsp fresh root ginger, chopped; 225 g/8 oz/1 cup yellow lentils; salt and ground black pepper; a little lemon juice; 200 g/7 oz tomatoes, diced; 5 ml/1 tsp ground coriander; fresh coriander (cilantro) sprigs, and fried onion and garlic slices, to garnish; fresh coriander (cilantro) sprigs, and fried onion and garlic slices, to garnish; fresh coriander (cilantro) sprigs, and fried onion and garlic slices, to garnish; salt and ground black pepper; 15 g/½ oz/1 tbsp ghee or butter; 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 4–5 shallots, sliced; 30 ml/2 tbsp peanut oil; 3–4 small dried red chillies; 5 ml/1 tsp mustard seeds; 5 ml/1 tsp cumin seeds; 15 g/½ oz/1 tbsp ghee or butter

Preparation info

Serves
4–6

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Lentil Cookbook

By Ghillie Basan

Published 2016

About

This spicy dhal makes a sustaining and comforting meal when served with rice or Indian breads and any dry-spiced dish, particularly cauliflower or potato. The yellow lentils disintegrate into a beautifully smooth purée when cooked.

Ingredients

40 g/1 ½ oz/3 tbsp ghee or butter
1

Asia
India
Main course
Spicy
Gluten-free
Vegetarian

Method

Melt the ghee or butter in a large pan and cook the onion, chillies and ginger for 10 minutes, until golden.
Stir in the lentils and 900 ml/1 ½ pints/