Urid Daal
This warming urid daal recipe is great as a vegetarian main dish. The Indian favourite is perfect served with warm chapatis and cool mint and coriander chutney.
Ingredients
| 250g | urid daal |
| 1 tsp | ground turmeric |
| 1 tbsp | sunflower oil |
| 25g | butter |
| 2 | small onions, sliced |
| 4 | cloves of garlic, finely sliced |
| 2 | green chillies, finely chopped |
| ½ tsp | cumin seeds, roasted (see method below) |
| 1 | black cardamom pod |
| 1 | small cinnamon stick |
| 3 | plum tomatoes, skinned and deseeded |
| 1 tsp | tomato purée |
| 1 tsp | salt |
| ½ tsp | red chilli powder |
| 1 small handful | of fresh coriander |
| ½ tsp | garam masala |
Method
Wash the urid daal and put it into a pan with 1 litre of water and ½ teaspoon turmeric. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10—15 minutes. Check that the daal is nice and soft but retains a little bit of bite.
To roast the cumin seeds, place them in a small pan and put them over a gentle heat for about 1 – 1½ minutes. They will take on a slightly darker colour. You’ve got to be very careful here, as if they’re roasted too long they will burn and this will produce a bitter taste. When they are ready, take the pan off the heat and allow the cumin to cool.
Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the onions, garlic and green chillies and cook for about 3 minutes. Take out a tablespoon of the mixture and set aside for a garnish at the end, then add the cumin seeds, black cardamom and cinnamon stick.
Simmer for a few minutes, then add the tomatoes, tomato purée, salt, the remaining turmeric and chilli powder. Cook for a further 3 minutes, then add to the cooked urid daal and stir well. Add the coriander and garam masala and simmer for a final 2 minutes.
Serve with the reserved onion and garlic garnish, along with chapatis, mint and coriander chutney and salad.
