... Beans, Peas and Lentils

I sometimes say that pulses sit in the halfway house between meat and vegetable. Robust and heavy, they bring essential protein and can be treated as you might cook meat. I include chickpeas, kidney beans, green mung lentils, black urad lentils and butter/lima beans in this “heavy” group of pulses. However, split yellow or red lentils that have been stripped of their outer casings are what I consider to be a “light” ingredient. Heavier pulses can be cooked with an onion, garlic and ginger base, powdered spices and a rich and tangy tomato sauce. They can also be finished with yogurt for a velvety finish to the sauce. Light yellow or red lentils are quicker to cook and easier to digest. Cook them with asafoetida/hing, or green chilli to start and fresh coriander to finish. And invest in a pressure cooker if you are going to cook a lot of dal – it will make your life SO much easier. You will also find recipes for fresh green beans, peas and broad/fava beans in this chapter – all versatile, thrifty and popular ingredients in the Indian kitchen.