Name: Gujarati Wedding Dal (Gujarati Lagan ni Dal)
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: Handful of cilantro/coriander leaves, chopped; 2¼ tsp salt; 2 tsp red chili powder; 1 tbsp ginger paste; 3 tbsp fresh tamarind pulp; ½ tsp asafoetida (hing); 4 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or corn oil; Rice or rotis, to serve; 3 whole red chilies, dried; 3 small tomatoes, chopped; 6 tbsp shredded jaggery (gur) or brown sugar; 1½ tsp ground turmeric; 4 cloves; 4 tsp coriander-cumin powder; 1 small stick of cinnamon; 1½ tsp mustard seeds; 60 g/2¼ oz/⅓ cup peanuts; 2 bay leaves; 180 g/6½ oz/1 cup yellow split pigeon peas (toor dal); 2 small green chilies, sliced; ½ tsp fenugreek seeds; 85 g/3 oz/½ cup yam (suran), diced into 5mm/¼in cubes (thaw if using frozen yam)

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Spice Collector’s Cookbook

By Vina Patel

Published 2024

About

Wedding dal is a dish that holds a special place at Gujarati weddings. Also known as lagan ni dal or vara ni dal, it is cooked for longer, which gives it a rich depth of flavor. Back in the day, it was even served in a leaf bowl! This recipe takes me back to Gujarat, to a joyful wedding, surrounded by family and friends. Frozen yam is available at Indian supermarkets.