Dhals or lentils are a staple at most Indian meals. Small and large grocers in most of urban India sell a variety of lentils ranging from the basic masoor and moong dhals, to urad and toowar (very common in south India) channa, lobia (white bean) and rajma (kidney beans).
There are regional favorite dhals and of course ways of preparing them that are region-specific too. In south India, toowar and urad dhals are cooked widely, in the north the bean dhals are more commonly used, in western India moong dhal is quite a favorite. Today's recipe is a tasty very filling dhal -- actually two dhals -- and is a commonly eaten among the Marwari community, that has its roots in the north Indian state of Rajasthan. As the dhal is very thick, when it is nearly cooked I use a potato masher to smoothen it a bit. Works pretty well giving the dhal a smooth, rich finish.
The Recipe
1/2 cup split Bengal gram dhal (chaana dhal)
1/2 cup white urad dhal
tumeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon
coriander powder 1/2 teaspoon (mix these 3 powders with a little bit of water to make a paste)
cumin seeds 2 teaspoons
garam masala powder 1/2 teaspoon
ginger paste 1 teaspoon
garlic paste 1 teaspoon
diced onion 2 teaspoons
2-3 fresh chillies
salt to taste
a little vegetable oil
Wash and drain the dhals. Add about 4-6 cups water to the washed dhals and cook till soft with a bit of salt. It will take about 25-30 minutes to cook and soften. (Some people pressure cook the dhals, this reduces the cooking time). In a little oil, fry the cumin seeds, garam masala powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, onion and chillies for a couple of minutes. Add the spice powder paste to this and the cooked dhal and a bit of water water if it is too thick. Stir thoroughly and cook well for about 20 minutes. Check seasoning. If the finished dhal is too thick, use a potato masher to smoothen it a bit, add a little more water and boil another 10 minutes or so. Serve hot with freshly made chappatis.
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