RECIPE: Daal with Shallot Temper

 

Preparation Time 5 minutes

Cooking Time 50 minutes 

This comforting daal is the perfect weeknight dinner – and it’s even more delicious for lunch the next day. Recipe courtesy of Isobel Cox.

Ingredients

• 300g moong dal
• 1 ½ litres water
• 4 tbsp unsaltedbutter
• 1 ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 4 echalion shallots,peeled and finely sliced
• 2 green fingerchillies, very thinly sliced
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 ½ tsp salt (or to taste)

Method

• Wash the dal until the water runs clear, then drain. Place in a deep saucepan and cover with 1½litres of water. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat, and simmer for 30-40minutes, until tender.

• Meanwhile, put the butter into a frying pan over a medium heat and, when hot, add the cumin seeds and echalion shallots. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the green chillie and garlic. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until the shallots start to brown, then add the turmeric and garam masala.

• Pour most of the temper into the dal and stir, adding the salt to taste. Add a little hot water if the daal is too thick. Check the seasoning, then top with the remaining temper.

• Serve with plain basmati rice, chapati, pickle and yoghurt.

For these recipes and many more visit www.ukshallot.com