Pulses are such an important part of Indian meals. They are so wholesome, comforting and simple, yet they taste amazing. This urad dal is a bit different from many dals as it is quite thick, which is why it’s usually served with flatbreads such as naan or chapati rather than rice. My mum used to serve it with crispy hot parathas and raita on the side. Urad dal is white or cream-colored, but it’s actually made from black lentils, which have been split and skinned. The taste is very different from whole black lentils and these cook more quickly, too. 

　　This recipe was excerpted from 'Chetna's Healthy Indian: Vegetarian' by Chetna Makan. Buy the full book on Amazon.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　250g urad dal (about 1¼ cups; split, not whole)

　　1 liter (about 4¼ cups) water

　　1 tsp. salt

　　1 tsp. ground turmeric

　　1 Tbsp. ghee

　　1 tsp. cumin seeds

　　Pinch asafoetida

　　1 onion, finely chopped

　　½ inch fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

　　2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

　　1 green chile, finely chopped

　　2 tomatoes, finely chopped

　　1¼ cups fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

　　¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Put the urad dal and water into a pan and leave to soak for 2 hours.

　　

Step 2

Add the salt and turmeric to the dal and bring to the boil. Cover and cook on a low heat for 35–40 minutes, until very soft—there won’t be much liquid left by the time the lentils are done.

　　

Step 3

In a separate pan, heat the ghee and add the cumin seeds. Once they start to sizzle, add the asafoetida and onion and cook for 10 minutes on a medium heat until deep golden brown. Next, add the ginger, garlic and green chile and cook for another 2 minutes. 

　　

Step 4

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Throw in the coriander and black pepper and mix well.

　　

Step 5

Tip the cooked dal into the onion and tomato mixture and serve warm.

　　Do ahead: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4–5 days and reheat before serving.

　　Images and text from Chetna’s Healthy Indian: Vegetarian by Chetna Makan; photography by Nassima Rothacker. Buy the full book from Octopus Books or Amazon.